Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-20
SCHOOL sUpERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
ANNUAL REPORT
or tho Storey County superintendent
Of Public Instruction.

~ ~
Of Public Instruction.
Hon. A. F. Waite, Superintendent Of Public In.
~srHction for The State Of Nerddd'
DEAR Sin: Ny statistical reports afford you all
the information In regard to the receipts aud dis.
OF school moneys In this. county, Tor
what purposes expended. the amount OF cash In the
hands OF the County Treasurer, the m Of the
employed, the number OF schools, and the
number Of pupils attending the same, average at
Marshal. School Trustees. Teachers. and
such general Information as the School Law requires:
Perhaps a few words, by way OF explanations and
In this connection may not be out Of
The School Law, approved March 20. 1865. repealed
the special school law OF November, 1852. which ex.
empted Storey county from the school law approved
November, 1861, under which the Storey county
Board Of Education was organized, and worked with
great sSa1I, siafi ,ss SS 81 p Ssa5Iy Sf tn Esns ysIFs; a TaI' s sSSRSSs
our schools under the provisions Of the new law,
which was poorly adapted to meet the wants OF this
anal ir 5Is S0 M iSis seGn tT'c were pU Utn " nn SSqh my
on the 10Th day or Nay, last past. I
found the county, which formerly consisted Of but
one School District. carved up. Dy my predecessor-
office Of County Superintendent without legal au-
four School Districts, two Of which.
from q paucIty OF population, could MOI LIMA maintain y q
the funds. distributed by the State Board OF Educa-
tion, without resorting to district taNation; though
ductIon Works Of the Gould 4 Curry Mining Com
many, and seven or eight Quartz Mills-haying an
amount OF taxable property, the school iand from
which, II expended In that district, would literally
support a fiourishing school for the entire year. Con-
sidering SO much OF the action Of my predecessor az
Illegal, that divided the county Into four districts,
restored the same 10 one School District, wltha view
OF making the schools more efficient. by bringing
them under one management, and appointed lot
School Trustees for Storey School District, Messrs.
Louis Feusier. .. Q; hdklson and :. H.: Koolnson'
energy Of character. business capacity, and devotion
TO the interest and prosperity OF popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves Of once TO
the Important work OF enlarging, repairing, renovat'
Ing, ventilating and furnishing those school houses,
which were constructed or itted Temporarily for
school purposes IN lsG2 and lSS, WITH the Idea tnat
and permanent school edihces. These Improve
ments were attended with considerable expense, but
were indispensably necessary, Their labors have
very much, but much more remains to be accom-.
plished. The result is. the Board OF Education has
now eleven school rooms. which are comfortable;
equal to the school demands or the present, and Will
probably serve q good purpose for q few years In the
future. These houses have yard room. which. In
TO protect the pupils from rain and sun. The Board
own oil these school houses with the exception Of
two. Two Of these arc well constructed. hard finish
cd buildings. The school furniture consists Of vi
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
IuTUUSutu VIII lltuN Altu UNIV AGohHs v "lhN
the smallest pupils have comfortable seats, and By
means OF which can use their states without incon-
~venience. II Is safe TO affirm that there are not on
the Pacific coast. San Francisco not excepted. moro
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
county. The corps OF teachers employed. will conl'
administration the schools are rapidly rising in pub
lie estimation. Though the population OF the county
Is diminishing. the schools have increased about j
per cent, and are rapidly augmenting In numbers.
Two new schools have been organized, and ! am
happy to be able to report tina, our schools are IN .
Education employ a singing. master. who devotes
himself entirely TO the work OF instructinG the pupils
in all the schools in the county. In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been OF 8 s~oftening
and Eubduing character. This enterprise thus far
has worked charmingly.
The county school tax for 1854 and 1865 was fxed
on each 500 Of surface taxable property In the coun.
ty-a tax hardly equal TO the wants OF this depart
ment. 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 ennc!ent auxillnries TO 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.
ed, both In style and thought, TO every grade Of
mind. rich In Information, moral lessons and religious
instruction, untainted with sectarian bias. Wher'
ever these libraries have been successfully estab-
lished they have awakened and cultivated q spirit
for reading. and have essentially nodded the char.
would offer The Trustees Of each School District a
premium Of aity cents for each person, between six
donations in cash should double that sum, and TO be
added thereto, I feel confident that In less than one
year from the passage Of that Act, there would be
reading matter for the little folks IN every prominent
School District IN the State, insuring pleasure and
profit to the pupils, and q 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.
vAcctSArioS.
1t Is very important for the continued prosperity
that ali the pupils should be vaccinated. Experience
has demonstrated that there are many parents, and
guardians, abundantly able 10 bear the small eS'
pense OF vaccination. who prefer their children
should remain at home than TO conform to the rules
or the Board. To Danish children from school on
account Of parental avarice Is contrary TO the genius
OF our Public School system; works q hardship both
TO the pupil and the public, and should not be toler'
| ated. In such cases Il certainly seems Just that the
school authorities should be invested With the power
10 have such children racclnated. at the dellnquents'
expense, after - days notice by the Clerk OF the
Board OF School Trustees for the district. =,
There are children OF indlsent parents who should
be vaccinated 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 be qualified to successfully resist the IoAth'
NEGRO, ISpNY AND NoSooLIGS CHILDREN.
Some law more efficient than now exists: should
be framed, TO secure educational facilities TO the chill
dren OF negroes. Indians and Mongolians. 4 severe
| penalty Is attached to any district that VIII ahmli
children OF any Of the prescribed races into the Pub.
lie Schools OF this State-denying any School District
even By o unanimous vote OF Its citizens, the right
TO admit one OF these untortunatcs. The California
School Law, OF which ours In Its principal features
is a transcript, has been, I believe, 80 far modified,
to meet the advancing spirit OF the age. as to repeal
The report Of the School Census Marshal return.
seven negro, thirteen Indian and hfteen Monaghan
children in this county, between six nnd eighteen
years OF age. The Board Of Education have eSpend'
ed much, bothO of time and earnest labor, to organize
a Duhltr SrhOOl for their benefit. but there arc mu.
tual prcIudiccs existing OF one race against another,
almost. II not quite, as strong rs that or the superior
| race, which bolts the doors OF educational halls
| against them all; but thus far. have been unable 70
accomplish their purpose, without mourning q much
greater outlay Of money than the occasion. n thell
Judgment, seemed TO justify. From the organization
OF the Territory to the present time the property Of
the negro has been taxed for the support OF Public
Schools. The Assessors books, for 1853, show thai
the taxable property Of the col0red people or Virginia
City, for that year, amounted TO the sum OF $2Iho.
Upon this amount a school tax OF two.ifths OF one
per cent. was paid into the County School Fund,
TIE I.1,e Is sTos y n SS' oui sense npSo Of ! ius sstSse sSo Sili' coUn,
eel us TO terminate or modify this system OF wrong
IMPORTANCE or EDUCATION.
ular viii. The great highway or the multitude can
be illumined only by asystem OF popular education
The Public School system, as now understood
tionai facilities 10 ali the children OF the State. IRE.
spective Of condition or Chassis emphatcally an
American system. II is the hope, and should pc
Souppd to AFFORD these facilities for the children. then
certainly the children are under obligation TO the
| State TO avail themselves OF these Invaluable faclll.
ties, Rights and duties are co relative. Inc pubic
cannot afford to allow any class TO remain In igno-
rance ~ofletters. Ignorance Is the natural enemy TO
society. It generates and carries with II an un'
healthy and Contagious atmosphere. vastly more In.
| furious TO society, and more TO be dreaded than
those loathsome and Infectious diseases. which
are 20 strongly guarded against, by all governments,
by a perfect system Of most stringent sanitary regu'
lations.
It's conservative influence Of any branch OF the State
aforementioned In cure. but In prevention, Inc
| power Of the State for all the purpose u good aug
ments with the growing Intelligence OF the people
composing II. In the train or ignorance follow dis
ease, poverty and crime. The records or our cHminal
and logic that should not pass unheeded. Wisdom
the fruit Of education, brings security andpeaee
The schooimaster acknowledgements destroys
II 10 vastly more economical fol the State 70 main
| tain schools and schoolmasters than criminal Conrtt
and riminnl ofneers-to construct School, Academy
ries and gibbcts. As the morning dew Disappear
before the warm and genial rays OF the asesndlna
sun. 40 rcceles crime with It's necessary Appliances
In those communities vitallzed with q comprencn'
sIve education, sottened BY moral and religious w,
nuences. The recent re6eInon-tns GIS H1,cS y ~a ny, ~
mature graves, and consumed the earnings OF tne
present and past generations, and mortSaEen .ns
Ebor on generations unborn-would prooaDly not
| nave occurred had the worth and importance ithe
sehooimaster been better UNDERSTOOD and appteeih-
s ~; mart OF our Federal Union. how forclbly, 10
| This Connection, is Illustrated the truth OF uhe PFC.
yerb. that Prevention 10 better thar. cure" Inese
erest truths should inspire us 70 cherish our Public
Schools as the liie and hope Or ,t INC ,S Sssts, , anu 9u'