Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-02-22
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
SnperInrendentn Roport-ContInurd.

superintendent Report-Continued.
society are plundcrcd Of an undevcloped power and
strength essential to their high mlssion. Our Pub
lie Schools are designed as an antid6te to these fear
full evils. The Legislature has the pOwert to prevent
these to q very great extern. Sensible OF their eX-
~istcnce, and feeling that a remedy should be vested
In the Legislature, the trainers Of the State ConstI.
tuition vests the authority In that body In Section
?, Article II, In the following words. to.wit:
9 = 1.-THE Legislature may pass such laws
as Will tend TO secure q general attendance OF the
children. In each school district upon said Public
Schools"
The great irregularlty OF the attendance Of chill
dTeh OF well meaning parents is an evil or such mag
nltude as to require u remedy It Is In It's balefnl In
luence next to non-attendance. which is more eN-
tcnsive than Is generally considered. Children are
detained at home for the most trivial reasons. This
IS often done from thoughtlcssncsS or from ignO-
rance OF the evils that grow out ofrepeatcd absence.
A lew days absence In a term generally drops the
.ise Of p ali bs p nS class S., II may require a vigorous
mand q respectable standing. Soon disgust follows
closely upon the heels Of encouragement, and there
Is no longer any attraction either for school assO.
Ciates, school teacher or school house, Mortified
ambition cannot endure. daily exposure. For the
puTposes OF edueatlon. children are. in q certain
that property shall be taxed to support a Public
school Tor six months In each year. In return for
rne pay ~ o. lI,s tax, property has u right to de-
nlanu tnat chlluren between certain ages shall avail
themselves OF these expensive facilities Tor a ike
term, or tlielr equivalent ut private schools. To i'm.
!, ~ H. ~ ~ ein Nh ruDic school system-to secure for
dcnce that the system should the stand.
ard OF scholarship on the part OF teachers should he
so raised that persons OF an Indifferent or defective
education, unfortunate In other departments Of In.
dnstry, would not venture, rs n Temporary cxpesii.
cnt, TO aspire TO the control of Public School, The
feeling Is altogethcr too prevalent, that any person
who can read and write Is competent TO instruct a
Primary School. II IN my deliberate Judgment that
II requires more skill, u greater amount OF tact, a
wider range Of general knowledge, and u clearer APP
prehensIon Of the complicated laws that control dif.
ferent children In a school OF forty or tlfty little ones,
and TO excite and maintain an Interest among those
who have no Idea OF the value OF education. than TO
awaken and maintain q like interest among the
same number OF advanced scholars in a High School.
Many OF the wisest educators In the country have
often expressed this sentiment with great feeling
and force. / regard teaching as the most Import
ant as well as the most dIrlcu.t OF all the profess
sIons-one that demands OF Its members lndlVld.
ually a more comprehensive knowledge Of mental
knowledge Of childish likes and dislIkes OF the nu-
mcrous springs OF action, and how to turn them 10
awaken interest, stimulate thought, produce disci-
pllne and cheerful obedience. than those OF any
other OF the Intellectual professions. No one Is re-
gardcd competent to practice any OF the learned pro-
LESSONS who has not gone through q long course OF
professional training under the immediate dircc-
lion of their most eminent savans. TO qualify him 10
discharge intelligently the responsible duties his
profession may require. No one Is regarded compe-
tent TO make a shoe or a shovel. q house or u hand
saw, a coach or q crowbar. a broom. q bit or q
bucket, without first serving an apprenticeship.
The man who can make q steam engine, or who can
control Its movement after II Is made, viii com.
mand more compensation than the public Is willing
TO pay an ordinary teacher In q Public school,
though every part OF The engine, from It's feed 70 us
exhaust, with Its various individual and combined
uses, could be learned In 4 fortnight by 4 well disci.
plincd and well educated teacher, whose mind has u
mechanical tendency. Persons, TO be teachers,
should learn their profession by a course OfdiSciplinc
aud training. under the direction OF the most sue
ccssful and celebrated educators IN the country.
lorna SCHOOLS.
Shut out and far removed as our State Ia from the
great educational centcrs Of the country. our Oppor.
tunltIcs are slim Indeed TO secure first class teach
crs. The best OF the imported educators TO the
Pacific Coast Will be assorted and culled out by tho
Educational Boards OF San Francisco, Sacramento
and other parts Of California, and we have nothing
by which TO invite superior educators 10 our desert
ZONES unless our School Boards offer cStravagant
pay. which cannot be expected-which would not
Our great educational want Is a Normal School,
an Institution TO educate those OF our youth ninbi-
tIous TO be teachers and for educational honOrS-to
train them TO meet the educational requirements Of
our times and for our peculiar locality; young men
and women whose parents, relatives or friends. or
all OF them, reside In our state. and who probably
will remain permanently with us. An Institution
Of this character would, In addition TO It's regular
supply for our schools OF well educated, well drilled
and live teachers do much TO awaken and foster
throughout the State q spirit OF intellectual culture,
and 10 bring permanently before our people the
great value and Importance OF popular education.
An Institution OF this character should be located In
one OF the most ~populous towns OF the State. where
q sufficient number OF pupils could be procured for
the Organization Of 4 training school, TO be attached
thereto; for u Normal School without this impor-
tant adjunct would be US inefficient as u school for
the study OF practical dentistry that should Ignore
the laboratory. with Its mcnstrulms and precipl.
tantS. or Of practical astronomy. without the aid or
the heavenly bodies. quadrants and telescopes.
There Is, however, a considerable number of young
people OF respectable attachments In our midst who
have taught school more or less. and ambitious TO
obtain u respectable rank In the profession OF teach.
ing, but whose knowledge OF the theory and prac-
t!ce Of teaching Is altogether unequal to the I'D.
vanced educational claims OF the present time.
Many Of these would be drawn TO an institution or
this character 10 procure the proper Information
and a diploma. which should be current with School
Boards In every district, and should displace the
local Boards OF School Examiners throughout the
State. The stay OF this class would he longer or
shorter according TO their previous attainmentsn and
aptncSs TO acquire. A Normal School would give
forth Its nrst fruits from this class. We're the State
In a p.cuniary condition TO organize and support an
institution OF this character. IL would not be an
public school Interest In Nevada. But II need not
necessarily BE- attended with great expense. The
rent OF Il small building, the cost OF furniture and
the salary Of one Professor, with trlhing additional
Incidental expenses. would be all the outlay that at
present would be required. The permanent cdltlcc
and various ornamentations could follow the growth
Of the school and the increase OF the State School
Fund. II the State would offer two thousand dol
lars annually for the first two years, on condition
that private donations would equal that sum. and
TO be added 10 II. l feel confident that that amount
could be raised. and a Normal School could be at
once put Into a successful working condition. some
source OF revenue could be created to raise this
amount by the State. without seriously depressing
any person or class.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
There Is one subject that | would like 10 bring 10
your notice for your consideration. i am somewhat
In doubt whether the present Is the proper time or
this the proper channel, but with my Ideas rs re.
CARDS the comprehensive character OF our PUBIC
School system, the proposed suggestions In this con.
nectlon. VIII be both legitimate and proper. II is
well known that the peculiar character ofthe climate
Of the vast ranges OF these elevated table-lands be-
tween the Rocky and Sierra Nevada mountains. Is
but little known by our own people, and very I'M
perfectly understood by the people Of the other
States. A plan that would secure the proper re-
cording OF accurate meteorological observations ~
those parts OF the State where Public Schools would
be likely 10 be maintained throughout the year.
would be u valuable contribution TO science, and w
the course OF q decade OF years would throw much
light In regard to our climate. one teacher IN each
OF the principal towns In the State, II furnished with
the necessary instruments for the heat
and density OF the atmosphere. the direction aud
force Of the winds, the amount OF the fall OF rain ana
snow. and a book for recording the necessary obscr-
vationS-all nf which the Smithsonian Institute
would undoubtedly chcerfIlly s~upply-would. with
a trifilng addition to his salary, u so directed by law.
perform tho task. These observations,
IdGliShed either weekly or monthly. would awaken,
both On the part ofthe teachers. pupils and the pub
lie generally, habits OF close observation In rcgald TO
changes. s...
MIsDIREcTIoS OF THE PROCEEDS or THE HALF MILL
Tho proceeds Of the half mill tax, provided for In
section Of Education, Article X Of the State Con-
%Stltution, Il occurs TO me, was diverted by the last
Legislature. from the use intended by those who
Law, approved March nth, 1855. provides that: A
moneys derived from the tax herein levied (half
taxi shall be paid into the State School Fund.
and be apportioned In the same manner rs other
money In that f%und'-thatt Is, the interest accruing
shall be distributed TO all the counties IN the State.
to the asccrtalned number OF persons be;
tween the ages OF six ind eighteen years In said
counties, for the support of Public Schools. The
object ofthIs half MN tax was designed particularly
to create a fund for the support Of the Mining Col
the general opinion OF the members OF the Constltu.
tIonal Convention That this tax would yield the nrst
year from ten TO fifteen thousand dollars. with q
large annual increase thereafter. and that at an
early day the Interest from the proceeds OF this tax,
and from other sources OF revenue. would. enable
University and to put II Into successful operation In
a very short time. The section (6) referred TO above
OF the Constitution. is in the following language, TO
half OF one mill on the dollar OF all taxable property
OF the State, In addition 10 the other means pro-
for the support and maintenance OF said Uni
verslty and common schooli."
The last three words, "and common schools
were coupled with the word University, to
a part OF the Public School system. The inten:
ton OF the Convention, In regard to the disposal OF
the proceeds OF this half mill tax. will more clearly
appear by reference TO section 8, Of the Educational
Of the Constitution, which reads as follows.
"Thc Boari OF Regents shall, from the interest
from the tlrst funds from the half mill tax)
come under their control, Immediately organ.
lie and maintain the said Mining Department (of
The University In such, manner as to make II the
most effective and useful"
From the foregoing Il appears to my mind TO be
conclusive and bindingo on the Board or Regents that