Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-12
SCHOOL sUpBRINTENDBNT's REPORT.
ANNUAL RERORT
or the storey County superintendent
of Public Instruction.
Hon. A. +. White, Superintendent Of Public In.
s~truetion for tic Stale Of Ncrddd:

the Information In regard 10 the receipts md dis.
burscmcnts Of school moneys In this county. for
what purposes expended. the amount OF cash In the
hands Of the County Treasurer. the names OF the
teachers employed, the number OF schools. and the
number OF pupils attending the same, average at
tendance, an abstract from the reports OF the Census
School Marshal, School Trustees. Teachers, and
such general Information as the School Law requires.
Perhaps q few words, by way OF explanations and
suggestion, In this connection. may not be ont OF
place.
The School Law, approved March %. iS5. repealed
the special school law OF November, 1852, which cX-
empted Storey county from the school law approved
November, 1861, under which the Storey county
Board Of Education was organized and worked with
abolished the old Board of Education and brought
our schools under the provisions Of the new law,
which was poorly adapted, to meet the wants OF this
The schools Of this county were placed under my
supervision on the 10Th day OF May, last past. ]
found the county. which formerly consisted Of but
one School District. carved up. by my predecessor
who, by a decision OF the Supreme Court, held the
office OF County Superintendent without legal au-
thorlty-lnto four School Districts. two Of which.
from n paucity Of population. could not maintain a
school for u time sufficient to entitle them TO draw
the funds. distributed by the State Board OF Educa-
ton, without resorting 10 district taxation; though
one OF these districts embraced the extensive Re-
ductIon Works Of the Gould 4 Curry Mining Com
pany, and seven or eight Quartz Mills-hnving an
amount OF taxable property. the school fund from
which, If expended In that district, would literally
support n iiourlshing school for the entire year. Con-
sldcrlng 80 much OF the action Of my predecessor as
Illegal, that divided the county Into four districts. /
restored the same TO one School District, with a view
OF making the schools more efficient, by bringing
them under one management, and appointed for
school Trustees for Storey School District. Messrs.
Louis Feusicr, u. 0. Addison and S. II. Robinson.
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit,
energy Of character, business capacity, and devotion
70 the Interest and prosperity Of popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves at once 10
the important work OF charging, repairing, renovat-
Ing. yentilating and furnishing those school houses,
which were constructed or lifted temporary for
Urkn1I NrnOa O. IsiD and 1sRg pslIh tho llRa fhnf
they would soon be displaced by more commodlous
and permanent school cdlhces. These improve.
were indIspensahiy necessary. Their la6ors have
been ariuous. They have already accomplished
very much. but much moro remains TO be accom-
plishc'l. The result Is, the Board OF Education has
now eleven school rooms. which are comfortable.
neat, spacious. well lighted and well ventilated, and
equal 10 the school demands OF the present, and will
probably serve n good purpose for q few years In the
mturc. These houses have yard room, which. in
this city. are fenced In and covered. In part, by sheds
TO protect the pupils from rain AMI sun. The Board
own nll these school houses with the exception OF
two. Two Of these arr well constructed, hard finish
ed buildings. The school furniture consists OF two
hundred and ten chnirs and single mahogany desks,
for the accommodation Of tho more advanced pupils.
The balance OF the school rooms In ihc county are
furnished with neat and convenient desks, BY which
the smallest pupils have comfortable seats, and by
means Of which can Use their Slatcs without lncOn-
venience. II Is safe to affirm that there arc not on
the Pacific coast, San Francisco not excepted. moro
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
CUuILNs HC NOlI1 VI NNhNAlNl Nllb w W Ill NollN
pare fLvorably 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 arc rapidly auSmlcnting la numbers.
Two new schools have been organized, and i AM
happy TO be able to report that our schools arc In a
healthy and iIourishlng condition. The Board Of
Education employ n singing master, who dcv0tes
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 u s~Uitening
and subduing character. This enterprise thus far
has worked charmingly.
The county school tax for 1864 and ISIS was fixed
on each 500 OF surface taxable property IN the coun-
ty-a tax hardly equal 10 the want, Of this depart
mcnt, but with economy and no serious drawbacks
we shall probably be able 10 maintain the schools in
the county through the year.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
District School Libraries constitute one OF the
most efficient auSilIaries TO our Public Schools that
can BE- employed. Their Importance. when wisely
selected and judiclously managed, can not be easily
over estimated. There are books admirably adapt.
ed, both In style and thought, TO every grade OF
mind, rich in Information. moral lessons and religious
instruction, u~ntalnted with scctnrlan bias. Whcr-
ever these libraries have been successfully estab-
lIshcd they have awakened and cultivated Il spirit
for reading, md have essentially modified the char
acter Of those districts for good. Il the legislature
would offer the Trustees Of each School District a
premium OF any 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
year from ne pess, ,Ee 81 ~ !, fnS an AG e. tnSTe r MTnII %,
School District In the State, insnrlng 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.
vAccISATIoS.
II Ia very important for the continued prosperity
of our Public Schools, especially IN towns and cities.
TINT all the pupils should be vaccinated. Experience
has demonstrated that there are many parents and
guardians, abundantly abl" to bear the small eN-
pcnse Of vaccination. who prefer their children
Should remain al home than TO conform 10 the rules
OF the Board. To Danish children from school on
account OF parental avaricc Is contrary 10 the genius
Of our Public School system: works a hardship both
to the pupil and the public, AMI should not be toler-
ated. In such cases II certainly seems lust that the
school authorities should be Invested with the power
TO have such children vaccinatcd. at the deiin1uents'
expense, after - days notice by the Clerk OF the
Board OF School Trustees for the district.
There are children OF indigent parents who should
be vacclnatcd al the public expense. In these cases
the county should bear the burden. As II Is for the
interest OF the county that both children and adults
should lie qualified to successfully resist the loath.
some disease OF small pON.
NEGRO, INDIAN ASp aoSGoLiAS CHILDREN. -.
Some law more efficient than now exists, should
be framed, TO secure educational facilities TO the chill.
drcn OF negroes. Indians and MoneOlianS. 4 severe
penalty Is attached 10 any district that VIII ADMIT
children Of any OF the prescribed races into inc PuO'
lie Schools OF this State-dcnylnga any School Distrlct
even by u unanimous vote OF It's cltiksns, the right
10 admit one OF these unfortunates. The California
School Law, of which ours In lis principal features,
Is n ITlISCTlpl, HIS uttNt 4 tIslNf ~ H' ~
10 meet the advancing spirit Of the aGe. as to repeal
Thc report Of the School Census Marshal returns
seven negro, thirteen Indian and fifteen Mongollan
children In this county, between six and eighteen
wears OF age. The Board OF Education have eNpend'
cd much, both OF time and earnest labor, TO organize
A Public School for their benefit; but there arc mu'
tual prcIudices existing Of one race against another,
almost, iT not quite, as strong ms that OF tue superior
race, which bolts the doors OF educational mans
against them all; but thus far, have been unable 10
accomplish their purpose. without mourning amuch
greater outlay OF money than the occasion, 10 thelr
Judgment, seemed to Justify. From ths organlha,no1
or the Territory 10 the present time the property OF
the negro has been taxed for the support OF fupnc
Schools. The Assessors books. for ls3, snow that
the taxable property Of the colored people OF t%ITST ma
Cpon this amount a school tax OF two.iliths 81 one
per cent. was pail into the County school Fund,
seIf.respect, il moi our sense OF Justice, should coun.
sci US 10 terminate or modify this system Of wrong.
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
The genius OF our Institutions rests upon the pop
ular will. The great highway Of the multitude can
he illumlned only by a system or popular education.
The Public School system, as now understood
which holds the State responsible TO furnish educa.
tional facilities TO all the children OF the State, IRE
E~pcctive OF condition or class-is cmphatically an
American system. II Is the hope, and should be
bound 10 afford these facilities for the children. then
certainly tho children are under obligation 10 the
State to avail themselves OF these invaluable facili.
ties. Rights and duties are co relative. The public
cannot afford to allow any class 70 remain In igno.
rance OF Ignorance Is the natural enemy to
society. II generates and carries With II an un-
healthy and contagious atmosphere. vastly more In
furious TO society, and more 10 be dreaded than
those loathsomr and Infectious diseases. which
are 80 strongly guarded against, by all governments.
by Il perfect system OF most stringent sanitary reSu-
lations.
The School Department II the most important in
its conservative influence OF any branch OF the state
aforementioned In cure. hut In prevention, Inc
power OF the State for all the purpose OF good aug
ments with the growing Intelligence or the people
composing II. In the train OF ignorance follow dls,
ease. poverty and crime. The records OF our criminal
Courts testify against Ignorance with an eIo9uence
and logic that should not pass unieeded. WISDOM
the fruit OF education, brings security andpcace.
The schoolmaster conserves-ignorance DESTROYS.
II is vastly more economical for the state TO main.
tain schools and achOolmasters than criminal courts
and criminal oiflccrs-to construct school. AGauemy
and University buildings. than prisons, penitenua.
rIes and gibbets. As the morning dew disappears
before the warm aud genial rays OF the ascending
sun. 30 recedes crime with its necessary appliances
in those communities vltallzed With a comprehen.
sive education. sottened BY moral ana renSions ~,
the centurtes-thnt pcopled nearly 4 million OF pre-
mature graves, and consumed the earnings OF the
present and pas, generations, AMI mortgaged the
labor Of generations unborn-would probably not
have occurred had the worth and Importance OF the
schoolmaSter been better understood and apprecla-
ted. and his presence and influence been Invoked in
every part OF our Federal Union. How forclbly, IN
this connection, Is illustrated the truth OF Tie pro-
verb. that Prevention Is better than cure" These
great truths should inspire us to cherish our Public
Legislature should give joyfully for their support.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
With the great fact staring Us In the face. that
nIneLtenths OF the present generation or children In
our State will be entirely dependent upon our Public
for their educatlon-that more than four.