Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-04-03
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT,
superintendents Roport-co.,i...s

lie Schools arc designed as an Antidote to these fear.
these to Q very great extern. Sensible Of thsIr y
Istence, and feeling that q remedy should be vested
In the Legislature, the iramers Of the State Consti.
2, Article II. In the following words. to:wit:
. "Thc Legislature may pass such law,
As will tend to secure a general attendance OF tho
children In each school district upon said Public
The great irregularity Of the attendance Of chill.
dren ofwell meaning parents Is an evil OF such mag
fuence next 10 non-attendance. which Is more ex-
tenslve than Is generally considered. Children are
detained at home for the most trivial reasons: Inls
IA oIte done from thoughtlessness or from igno-
rance Of the evils that grow out ofrepeated absence.
A few days absence In u term generally drops tne
pupil behind his class. II may require . vigorous
Use Of all his powers and prompt attendance 70 COM
mand q respectable standing. Soon disgust ioiiows
closely upon the heels OF disbursement, anu tneIe
Is no longer any attraction either ir SchS1i asso;
cIates, school teacher or school house. Mortified
ambition cannot endure daily exposure. For tne
purposes OF education. children are. In a certain
sense, the property Of the State. The law denlan1s
that property shall be taxed to support a PUBIC
School for six months In each year. In return ior
the payment of this tax, property has a right 20 ue,
mand that children between certain ages shali avail
themselves OF these expensive facilities Tor a IKE
term, or their equivalent at private schools. 10 ~
sure an efficient Public School system-to secure for
1t In the public estimation that position and eon1-
dcnce that the system should command, the stand
ard Of scholarship on the part OF teachers should DC
80 raised that persons Of an Indifferent or deceive
tuuGutlUH, NV III OklCI 0CIulkhAClho VI Is
dustry, would not venture. as q temporary expedi-
ent, to aspire to the control OF q Public School. The
feeling Is altogether too prevalent, that any person
who can read and write Is competent to instruct O
Primary School. 1t Is my deliberate Judgment that
II requires more skill, q greater amount Of tact, q
wider range OF general knowledge, and a clearer APP
prehension oftfe complicated laws that control dif.
ferent children In q school OF forty or my little ones,
and TO excite and maintain an interest among those
vino have no idea OF the value OF education, than TO
awaken and maintain q like Interest among the
same number Of advanced scholars IN High School.
Many OF the wlsest 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 difficult OF all the profes.
%slons-one that demands OF Us o memos1 r. im mnN,ai
knowledge OF childish likes and d!silkes OF the nu.
merous springs OF action. and how TO turn them 10
awaken interest, stimulate thought, produce ulscl-
plIne and cheerful obedience, than those OF any
other OF the intellectual professions; NO one Is re-
fessIons who has not gone through n long course Of
professional training under the immediate dlrec-
ton OF their most eminent savans. TO qualify MIN 70
discharge intellIgently the responsible duties his
profession may require. No one Is regarded c9Hpe.
lent 10 make q shoe or u shovel, a house or q HAND
| saw, a coach or a crowbar. u broom, a bit or n
bucket, without Grst serving an apprenticeship.
/ The man who can make q steam engine, or VINO can
control It's movement after It Is made, VIII com.
mand more compensation than the pu6iiS Is wilinS
10 pay an ordinary teacher In a Public School,
though every part OF the engine, from Its feed 70 u;
exhaust. with Its various individual and combined
| uSeh. COuNu " e CutAOd "a y " y Vs. H'N'
plined and well educated teacher, whose mind has =
mechanical tendency. Persons, TO be teachers.
should learn their profession oy course Of aiseipnme
| cessful and celebrated educators In the country.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Shut out and far removed as our State IL from the
great educational centers Of the country, our oppor-
tunitIcs are slim indeed to secure nrst class teach
ers. The best OF the imported educators TO the
Pacific Coast will be assorted and culled, out by the
Educational Boards q San francisco sssraHismsS
by which 10 invite superior educators to our desert
homes, unless our School Boards offer eXtravagant
pay. which cannot be expected-which would not
Our great educational want Is a Normal School
an Institution to educate those OF our youth anlbl-
tiOus to be teachers and for educational honors-io
train them 10 meet the educational requirements OF
our lines and for our peculiar locality: young men
and women whose parents; relatives or friends, or
will remain permanently with us. An Institution
Of this character would, In addition 10 Its 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
An Institution OF this character should be located In
one ofthe most p0pul0us towns Of the State. where
a sufficient number Of pupils could be procured for
thereto; FOR a Normal School without this impor.
tant adjunct would be US ineficient as q school for
the study OF practical chemistry that should Ignore
the laboratory, with Its menstruums and preclpi.
tSnts. or Of practical astronomy, without the aid OF
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 70
obtain a respectable rank In the profession OF teach
Ing. but whose knowledge OF the theory and pras-
vanced educational claims Of the present time.
Many Of these would be drawn 10 an institution OF
shsi q sG dipISns, which vi GS should To be CURRENT with siil School
Boards In every. district, and. should dlsplace the
local Boards Of School Examiners throughout the
L G.-.-s Tk. Nus 90 NhlG nlaa NUnntI La InnUnF nF
shorter according 10 their previous attachments and
aptness to acquire. A Normal School would give
forth Il, lrst fruits from this class. We're the State
IN n pecunIury condition 10 organize aud support an
institution Of this character, IL would not be an
easy matter to over estimate It's value upon the
public school interest In Nevada. But It need not
necessarily be attended with great expense. The
rent or q small building, the cost OF furniture. and
the salary Of one Professor. with triiing additional
present would DC required. The permanent edihcc
and various ornamentations could follow the growth
OF the school and the increase Of the state school
Fund, II the State would oner two thousand dol.
lars annually for the first two years. on condition
that private donations would equal that sum, and
to be added TO Il. l feel confident mat that amount
once put Into u successful working condition. Some
source Of revenue could be created 10 raise this
amount by the State. without seriously depressing
any person or class.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATION.
There is one subject that I would like TO bring to
your notice for your consideration. ! am somewhat
In doubt whether the present Is mo proper time or
CARDS the comprehensive character OF our Public
School system, the proposed suggestions In this con.
n%eeiion. VIII be both isEi,li1a,e ana pTS y c,r A. 3
OF the vast ranges OF these elevated table-lands be-
tween the Rocky and Sierra Nevada mountains, Is
but Sutrs Ii,1IS SnSSn by our Sy U ,Ss peSpIs az ana ,n very S, her.
States. A plan that would secure the proper re-
cordins OF accurate meteorological observations In
those parts OF the State where Public Schools would
be likely 10 be maintained throughout the year,
would be q valuable contribution TO science, and In
the course or a decade OF years would throw much
light In rcgnrd to our climate. One teacher In each
OF the principal towns In the State. II furnished with
the necessary instruments for determining the heat
and density Of the atmosphere, the direction and
force OF the Winds. the amount OF the fall OF rain and
vatlonS-all OF which the Smithsonian Institute
would undoubtedly cheerfully supply-would, with
accurately perform the task. These observations,
published either weekly or monthly, would awaken,
both on the part ofthe teachers, pupils aud the pub
lie generally, habits OF close observation In regard 10
NIspIREcrioN OF TIE PROCEEDS or TnE HALr MILL
TAX.
The proceeds Of the half mill tax, provided for In
sectlon6 OF Education. Article \ 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 goth, 1895. provides that: A
moneys derived from the tax herein levied Sha,'
mil u asx1 n :nS, be pS'S n into me , sam s'I manner SSnoS as other
money ia That mnd"-that Is, the Interest accIuing
shall Be distributed to all the counties IN tne state'
according 10 the ascertained number OF persons oS,
tween the ages OF six and eighteen Year, ~ S ny
counties. for the support or PUBLIC Senoois. hIe
object ofthis half mill tax was designed palticuISIG
10 creatc a fund for the support OF the Mlhlns W.
icceSthc mining branch OF the GniversltyI ~ VA
ihs general opinion OF the members OF tne Suhstitu,
iionsi Convention that this tax would yieIu 'ne nis
vsar rom len 10 nfeen thousand dollars: WIN
iarge annual Increase thereafter, ana that At an
Early day the Interest from the proceeds ~ tnIs ny,
and from other sources OF revenue; wouIu eua1ie
he BOARD OF Regents TO establish this olanen 81 We
fTnIyersity and 10 put II into Succession operation IN
= very short time. The section S) relerTed 70 Aoose
| OF me Constitution, Is IN the following language
wit: ..oy,d.. .necIa, FAY AZ one
half on one mill on the dollar OF all taxaoie properly
~ ths state In addition 10 the other means pro-
vided for Inc support and maintenance OF said Uni
vsrsIty ard common sehooI."
The last three words, and common schools
hove were coupled with the word University 70
nsvs n appear mAnifestly clear that the UnlveIslty
HSs a part ofthe Public School system. the lnten;
ZION OF the Convention, in regard 10 the dlsp0sai0 i
The proceeds OF this half mill tax, VIII mole c!saIiy
| appeur BY reference to section s, Of the Edueaiionai
Article Of the Constitution. which reads as iollo"s'
Board OF Regents shall, nom the Interest
accrlIpg from the frst funds IRON the nal nlllltAx)
\ which come under their control, lmmedlAteV organ:
ne and maintain the said Mining Department Sof
the University in such, manner az 10 make II the
most effective and useful"
From Inc foregoing Il appears to my mind TO be