Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-22
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
ANNUAL RERORT
or tho Storey County superintendent
of Public In~struction.

Hon. A. F. White, Superintendent o. FHoHe IN.
s~truetion for the State Of Rsrddd;
DEAR Srn: Ny statistical reports afford you all
the Information in regard to the receipts and dls.
hnrsements OF school moneys In this county, Tor
what purposes expended, the amount OF cash In the
hands OF the County Treasurer. the names OF tne
teachers employed, the NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, anu guy
tendance, an abstract from the reports OF the Census
School Marshal, School Trustees, Teachers. ana
such general Information as the school LAwlequlres:
Perhaps a few words, by way OF explanations ana
suggestion, in this connection, may not be out OF
The School Law. approved March 20. ls6j. repealed
the spccial school law OF November, 1867. which OK.
empted Storey county from the school law approved
November, 1861, under which the Storey county
Board OF Education was organized, and worked Win
great efficiency for nearly three years, I'm TINS b S0anSf
our schools under the provisions OF inc new NV.
which was poorly adapted to meet the wants OF tnls
small but comparatively thIcEly populated county:
Tho schools Of this county were placed under my
supervision on the 18th day Of May. last past; !
found the county, which formerly consisted OF but
one School District, carved up. by my predecessor-
who, By q decision Of the Supreme Court, held the
onicc or County Superintendent without legal au-
tbority-into four School Districts, TWO OF whlch,
from . pauclty OF population, could not MAINTAIN d
school for a time sufficient 10 entltle them 10 draw
The funds, distributed by the State Board or Educa-
ton, without r~esorting 10 district taxation; though
one OF these districts embraced the extensive ne
pany, and seven or eight Quartz ~Mills-havlng an
smount Of taxable property, the school fund from
which, II expended In that district, would n0eraIy
support q ilourishing school for the entire year. Con-
siicring so much Of the action Of my predecessor as
illegal, that divided the county into four districts, i
restored the same TO one School District. With View
Of making the schools moro efficient, by brlnSlns
them under one management. and appointed for
school Trustees for Storey School District, MesSrs.
Louis Feusier, ID. o. Addison and s. H.. Robinson.
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit
energy OF character, buslneS - capacity. and devotion
TO the Interest and prosperity Of popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves nj once 10
the Important work Of enlaTSlnG. repairing; rsnovat'
which were constructed or lifted Temporarily Tor
school purposes In Isl? and 1853. with the Idea that
they would soon be displaced by more commodious
and permanent school editices. These Improve.
ments were attended with considerable expense, but
were lndispensably necessary. Their labors have
been arduous. They have already accomplished
very much, but much more remain TO he accom-
plishcl. The result Is. the Bo1ri OF Education has
now eleven school rooms. which are comfortable.
neat. spacious. well lighted and well ventilated and
equal TO the school demands Of The present, and will
probably serve q good purpose for a few years In the
future, These houses have ya.l room, w;llch, In
this city. are fenced i9 and covered IN pari, by Sheds
own all these school houses with the exception or
two. Two OF thcsc are well constructed hard finish-
ed buildings. The school furniture consists Of two
hundred and ten chairs and single mahogany desks,
for the accommodation OF the more advanced pupils.
The balance Of the school rooms In the county are
furnished with neat and convenient desks, by which
the smallest pupils have comfortable seats. and by
means of which can Use their states without incOn.
v~cnIence. II Is safe 10 affirm that there arc not on
the Pacific coast. San Francisco not excepted. more
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
county. The corps OF teachers employed will COM
pare favorably with any In other cities. Under their
administration the schools are rapidly rising In pub
lie estimation. Though the population OF the county
Is diminishing, the schools have Increased about Is
per cent. and are rapidly anImcnting In numbers.
Two new schools have been Organized, and Am
healthy and iourishins condition. The Board OF
Education employ q singing. master, who devotes
himself entirely 10 the work Of instructing the pupils
in all the schools In the county, In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been Of a s~oiteninS
ard subduing character. This enterprise thus far
has worked charminSly.
by the Board OF County Commissioners At Is cents
on each SlO OF surface taxable property IN the coun'
ty-a tax hardly equal TO the wants or this depart
ment, but with economy and no serious drawbacks
we shall probably be able TO maintain the schools IN
the county through the year.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
District School Libraries constitute one OF the
most efficient auxillarics 10 our Public Schools that
can be employed. Their Importance. when wisely
selected and Judlciously managed, can not be easily
over estimated. There are books admirably adapt.
ell, both 10 style and thought, 10 every grade oil
mind, rich In Information. moral lessons and religious
instruction. untalntcd with sectarian bias. Whcr'
ever these libraries have been successfully cstao'
lislcd they have awakened and cultivated a spirit
for reading. and have essentially nodded the char
acter OF those districts for good. u the legislature
would offer the Trustees Of each School District a
premium Of my cents for each person. between six
and eighteen years, on the condition that private
donations in cash should double that sum, and TO be
added thereto, | feel confident that In less than one
wear from the passage OF that Act. there would be
reading matter for the little folks In every, prominent
School District In the State, ~insurlng pleasure and
profit 10 the pupils, and q rich reward. particularly
In the future, TO the public. One thousand dollars
expended In this way by the State. would produce
results OF great moment.
yAcciSATI0S.
1t Is very important for the continued prosperity
Of our Public Schools. especially In town; and cities,
that all the pupils should be vaccfnntcd. Experience
has demonstrated that there are many parents and
guardians. Abundanily able 10 bear the small eS'
pensa Of vaccination. who prefer. their children
should remain At home than 10 conform 10 the rules
OF the Board. To Danish children from school on
account Of pdrcntal. avarice Is contrary to the genius
OF our Public School system: works a hardship both
ated. I'm such cases Il certainly seems Just that the
school authorities should be invested with the power
10 have such children racclnated. 1.-THE dclinquents
EXPENSE, alter - days notice by the Clerk OF the
board OF School Trustees Tor the district. =,
There arc children OF lndlgent parents who should
be vaccinated at the public expense. In these case
intcres, OF the county that both children and adults
should be qualified TO successfully resist the loath'
some disease Of small pON.
NEGRO, INDIAN ANp NoScoLIAS CHILDREN.
Some law more efficient than now exists. should
be framed. to secure educational facilities TO the chil
drcn Of negroes, Indians and Mongolians. 4 sever
nennltN IN AtICUeu 10 any ulolIlSt tlldt nv NUM-
children OF any Of the prescribed races Into the Pub
lie Schools ofthls State-denying any School District
even by o unanlmous'rote OF It's citizens, inc rlgh'
TO admit one Of these unfortlnates. The California
School Law, Of which ours IN Its principal features
Is a transcript. has been. | believe, 50 far modified
10 meet the advancing spirit Of the age. as TO repeal
this penalty.
seven negro, thirteen Indian and fifteen Monaghan
children In this county. between six and eighteen
years Of age. The Board OF Education have eNpcnd'
- .-,.tx Hatk nF tlNNa and narnaaf 1ahnr IN 0FruniTl
n Public School for their benefit: but there are mu'
tual preIudlces existing Of one race against another
almost, Il not quite, a. strong as that 1.-THE superior
race. which bolts the doors OF educational mails
against them all; but thus far, have been unable Il
accomplish their purpose, without mourning amucn
greater outlay OF money than the occasion, In the!f
Judgment. seemed to Justify. from tns oISaninaiio %
the negro has been taxed for the support OF Publc
Schools. The Assessors books. for ls&3, show that
CITY, for that year, amounted TO the sum OF SS?,GO.
Upon this amount o school tax OF two-liiths, Of one
per cent. was paid into the County School Fund,
This Ii gross outrage upon q helpless class-onr
seIf.rcspcct, IL not our sense Of Justice. should coun'
sci us TO terminate or modify this system OF wrong.
IMPORTANCE or EDUCATION.
The genius Of our Institutions rests upon the pop
ular will, The great highway OF the multitude can
he lumined only by a system OF popular education.
The Public School system. as now understood
which holds the State responsible 10 Furnish eiuca-
tional facilities 10 all the children Of the State, IRE.
~spcctivc Of condition or ciass-ls emphatically an
American svStCm. II II the hope. and should be
the pride, OF our country. II the State Is morally
bound to afford these facilities for the children. then
certainly the children are under obligation TO the
State to avail themselves Of these invaluable fncill.
ties. Rights and duties are CO relative. The public
cannot AFFORD TO allow any class 10 remain In igno-
rance oflct,ers. Ignorance Is the natural enemy TO
society. II generates and carries with II an I'M
healthy AMI contagious atmosphere, vastly more In
furious 10 society, and more to be dreaded than
those loathsome and infectious diseases, which
are 50 strongly guarded against. by all governments.
by a perfect system OF o stringent sanitary regu.
lations.
The School Department Is the most important In
It's conservative influence OF any branch ofthc State
Govcrnmcnt-not In cure. but In prevention. The
power OF the State for oil the purpose Of good aug.
ments with the growing intelligence OF the people
composing II. In the train OF ignorance follow dis.
case, poverty and crime. The records OF our criminal
Courts testify against Ignorance with an eloquence
and logic that should not pass unheeded. Wisdom,
the fruit or education, brings security andpcacc.
The schoolmastcr conserves-ignorancc destroys.
It Is vastly more economical for the State 70 main.
tain schools and schoolmasters than criminal Courts
and criminal Oiicers-to construct School,, Academy
and University buildings. than prisons, pcnitentia-
rirs anil gibbcts. As the morning dew disappears
before the warm and genial rays OF the ascending
sun, 30 recedes crime with Its necessary appliances
in those communities vitallzed with a eomprehen-
sive education, softencd by moral and religious In.
fuences. The recent rcbellion-the greatest war OF
the centuries-that peopled nearly q million Of pre-
mature graves, and consumed the earnings Of the
present and past generations, and mortgaged the
labor OF generations unborn-would probably not