Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-29
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
ANNUAL RRRORT
or the Storey County superintendent
Of Public Instruction.
Hon. 4. +. Waite, Superintendent Of Public In
Eruc,ion for Tie Stale Of NeUGda:

Of Public I~nstruction.
Hon. A. +. Waite, Superintendent Of Public In
E~,ruesion for Tie Sate Of Neudda:
DEAR SIR: Ny statistical reports aIOrd YOU all
the Information IN regard 10 the receipts and DIS
bursemcnts OF school moneys In this county, ioI
what purposes expended, the amount OF cash IN Inc
hands OF the County Treasurer, the names OF The
teachers employed, the number OF schools, ana the
lumber Of pupils attending The same. average Al,
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 or explanations ana
suggestion, In this connection, may not be out Of
The School Law, approved March 20. lSS. repealed
the special school law Of Sovember, lSc, which cS:
empted Storey county from the school law approved
November, le6l, under which the Storey county
Board Of Education was organized, and worked win
great efficiency for nearly three years. This chanse
abolished the old Board OF Education and brought
our schools under the provisions OF the new Law.
which was poorly adapted 10 meet the wants OF this
small but comparatively thIclly populated county.
The fhools Of this county were placed under my
supervision on the ?gth day OF May. last past. /
found the county, which formerly consisted of but
one School District, carved up. by my predecessor
once Of County Superintendent without legal au'
t~hortty-Inio four School Districts, two OF which,
from a pAucity Of population. could not maintain a
school for q time sufncient 10 ent!tle them 10 draw
the funds, distributed by the State Board OF Eduel-
ton, without r~cSorting 10 district taxation; though
one Of these districts embraced the extensive Rc-
auction W Orks oil Inc uOulu g SuFrN shIUluE NOul-
pAnv, aud seven or eight Quartz Mills-having an
amount Of taxable property. the school iund from
which, II expended In that district, would literally
support a nourishinG school for the entire year. Con-
sIdering so much Of the action OF my predecessor as
Illegal, that divided the county Into four districts, l
restored the same 10 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 Ecusier. d.. o. Adlison and :. ii. Robinson.
three gentlemen well known for thelr public spirit,
- = - lie - nAsNs anI. aNsnFNnn
10 the interest and prosperity OF popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves al once 10
the important work OF enlargine. repairing, %renorat-
Ing, ventilatlng and furnishing those school houses.
which were constructed or httcL temporary for
school purposes In lS2 and lS5. with the idea that
they would soon be displaced BY more commodIouS
and permanent school ediilceS. These improve
mentS were attended with considerable expense. but
were indispcnSlhly necessary. Their labOrs have
been arduous. They have already accomplished
very much. but much more remains 10 be accom-
pliShci. 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 a good purpose for a few years in the
future. These houses have yard room. which, IN
this city, are fenced In and covered. In part, by sheds
10 protect the pupils from rain and sun. The Board
own all these school houses with the exception OF
two. Two Of these 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 Win neat hnl CON ClNCll utNAN, pN NNlCu
the smallest pupils have comfortable seats, and by
means Of which can uSc their States without neon
venIencc. II Is safe TO Sfhrn tina; thcre are not on
the Pacific coast, San Francisco not excepted, more
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
county. The corps Of teachers employed viii com
pare ~iAvorably with any In other cities. Under illrir
administration the schools are rapidly rising In pub
lie estimation. Though the population Of the county
IS diminishing. the schools have Increased about -
per cent. and are rapidly ausmcntiAc IN numbers.
happy TO be able 10 rcpor; that our schools are IN a
healthy and fouriShing condition. The BoArl OF
Liuss,ion employ e, a. SINGING nSS =, hM.,iSr: WI, %n a. eG n%nts
In all the schools In the county, In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been OF a sofeninS
and SubduinE character. This enterprise thus Tar
has worked charminglr.
The county school tax for 1864 and l@S was axcL
BY the B0ari OF County Commissioners al u cents
on each SlOD OF surface taxable property In the coun.
tv-a tax hardly equal 10 the wants Of this depart.
meni, hut with economy and no serious drawbacks
We shall probably be able 10 maintain the schools In
the county through the year.
SCHOOL LIpRARIEs.
District School Libraries constitute one uf the
most efficient auXilarles 10 our Public Schools that
can lie employed. Their importance, when wisely
selected and JudiciouSy managed. can not be easily
over estimated. There are books admirably ADAPT.
ed, both In style and thought. 10 every grade Of
mind, rich In information. moral lessons and RELIGIOUS
instruction, untaintei with ~scctarihn bias. Whcr-
s s,|srs 'a ,sSy SsTs ssa ssTs T sSd saiiiSSisd s spiH,
for reading. and have essentially modified the char
acter Of those districts for good. II the Legislature
would Offer the Trustees Of each School District q
premium Of nny cents for each person. between six
and eighteen years. on the condition that private
donations In cash should double that sum. and 10 be
added thereto, ! feel confident that In less than one
year from the passage Of that Act, there would he
reading matter for the little folks In every prominent
School District In the State, inSurinG pleasure and
profit TO the pupils. and = rich reward, particularly
In the future, 10 the public. One thousand dollars
expended IN this way by the State. would produce
results Of great moment.
VACCINATION.
II IL very important for the continued prosperity
OF our Public Schools. especially In towns and cities,
that all the pupils should be raccinated. Experience
has demonstrated that there are many parents and
guardians. abundantly able 10 bear the small cN.
pcnsc OF vaccination. who prefer their children
should remain At home than TO conform 10 the rules
OF the Board. 10 Danish children from school on
account OF parental avartcc Is contrary TO the genius
OF our Public School system: works u hardship both
10 the pupil aud the pueIis. am should MOI Ge to,fr,
school authorities should BE- invested with the power
TO have such children vSccInated. At tho dcllnquenis'
expense, after - days notice by the Clerk OF tile
Boari Of School Trustees for the district.
There are children OF INDECENT parents who should
he vaccInated At ;le public expense. N these cases
the county should bear the burlcn. as i Is for the
interest Of thu county that both children and adults
should be qualified to successfully resist the loath'
some disease Of small poS.
NEGRO, INDIAN ASp NoSGoLIAS CHILDREN.
Some law more efficient than now exists, should
be framed, TO secure educational facilities TO the chill
dren OF negroes, Indians aud MonGOllans. 4 severe
PNIAl " !" 1hs ~ NNhh "t' sEtN
children Of any OF the prescribed races into the Pub
lie Schools OF this Sia;r-denying srv School District
even by a unanimous vote OF Its citizens, the right
to admit one OF :Hcsc unfortunstes. The California
School Law. OF which ours In Its principal features.
Is q transcript. has been. l believe. 50 far modified,
TO meet the advancing spirit Of the age, as TO repeal
The report Of the School Census Marshal returns
seven negro, thirteen Indian and fifteen Monsolian
wears OF age. The Board OF Education have cNpcnd-
cd much. both OF time and earnest labor. TO organize
a Public School for their benefit; but there are mu-
tual preIudlces existing OF one race against another,
almost, II not quite, as strong rs that OF the superior
race, which bolts the doors OF educational halls
against them all; but thus far. have been unable 10
accomplish their purpose. without incurrlng a Ipuch
greater outlay OF money than the occasion. In thclr
Judgment, seemed TO justify. From the organization
or the Territory 10 the present time the property OF
the negro has been taxed for the support OF Public
Schools, The Assessors books, for lS5. show that
the taxable property OF the colored people Of virginia
City. for that year. amounted 10 me sum 3i sS?'Ua;
per cent. was paid into the County School Fund,
This Is gross outrage upon . helpless class-our
selfrespec,. Il not our sense Of Justice, should Sonn'
IMPORTANCE or EDUCATION.
The genius OF our institutions rests upon the pop
ular will. The great highway Of the multitude can
he iIlumined only by ! system OF popular education.
The Public School system. As now understood
which holds the State responsible 10 furnish educa'
tIonal facilities 10 all the children OF tue STATE; IRE.
~spective OF condition or cluSs-is emphatically an
American system. II is the hope, and should DC
the pride, OF our country. II the State Is morally
hound 10 afford these facilities for the children, then
certainly the children are under obligation TO the
State 10 avail themselves Of these Invaluable facll-
ties. Rights and duties are co relative. The public
cannot AFFORD TO allow any class 10 remain In igno-
rance OF letters. Ignorance Il the natural enemy to
society, II generates and carries with II an I'M
healthy and contagious atmosphere, vastly more In
furious TO society, and more 10 be dreaded than
those loathSomr and infectious diseases. which
are so strongly guarded against, by all governments,
by a perfect system Of most stringent sanitary reSu'
The School Department Is the most important In
It's conservative influence OF any branch OF the state
aforementioned IN cure. hut In prevention. The
power Of the State for all the purpose Of good aug
menis with the growing Intelligence oil the people
composing II. In the train OF ignorance follow DIS.
ease. poverty and crime. The records or our crimlnal
Courts testify against ignorance with an eIo.guehce
and logic that should not pass unheeded. wisdom,
the fruit Of education, brings security andpeace.
The ychOolmaster destroys.
II /. vastly more economical for the State TO mAlll'
tain achools and schoolmasters than criminal Courts
and criminal onicers-to construct School. Academy
and IJniyersity buildings, than prisons, penitentla-
ries AMI gibbets. As the morning dew dlsappeals
hefore the warm and genial rays OF the ascsndlng
M e rscrdrs crime with It's necessary appliances
in those communities vitalitcd Win q conptehen-
siyc Education. softencd by moral aud rellGlousi l.
nnenccs. The recent rebcllion-the ercntest waIo'
thr ccnturIes-that peopled nearly q mllion OF pr.
mature graves, and consumed the ealnlnsso w
present and past generations, ana mo,kaheI. n ~
labor OF generations unborn-woulu piouao,y y. \.
have occurred had the worth anu lnlpoI'ause =. i.
schooInSst.r bren better understood and appreSin-
It'd and his presence and influence pecn lnN1 VIZ !,