Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-14
school supER1STENDENT's REPORT.
ANNUAL RERORT
or the Storey County superintendent
OF Public Instruction.
Hon. 4. F. Waite, Superintendent Of Public In.
sfrurfion for The STATE Of Nerddd:

DEAR Sin: Ny statistical reports Afford you all
the Information In regard 10 the receipts and dis
bursements 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 out OF
place.
the special school law OF November. 1862. which OK.
empted Storey county from the school law approved
November, lSGl, under which the Storey county
Board Of Education was organized, and worked with
great efficiency for nearly three years. This change
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
small but comparatively thlckly populated county.
The schools OF this county were placed under my
supervision on the 10Th day Of May, last past. 1
found the county. which formerly consisted Of but
one School District, carved up, by my predecessor
who, by q decision Of the Supreme Court, held the
office Of County Superintendent without legal au'
thOrity-Into four School Districts, two Of which,
from II pauclty OF population, could not maintain q
school for a time sufficient 10 cntiile them 10 draw
the funds, distributed by the State Board Of Educa-
ton, without rcsorting to district taxation; though
one OF these districts embraced the extensive Re
duction Works OF the Gould & Curry Mining Com
pany, and seven or eight Quartz Mllls-having an
amount of taxable property, the school fund from
which, II expended In that district, would literally
support n fiouriShinG school for the entire year. Con-
sldcring so much OF the action Of my predecessor as
Illegal, that divided the county into four districts, l
restored the SAME to one School District, with n view
Of making the schools more efficient. by bringing
them under one management. and appointed for
school Trustees for Storey School District, MesSrs.
Louis Feusler, ID. o. Addison and :. III. Robinson,
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit,
energy Of character. business capacity. and devotion
10 the Interest and prosperity or popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves at once 10
the Important work OF cnlarging. repairing, renovat-
ing. vcntllatlng and furnishing those school houses.
which were constructed or lifted temporary, for
school purposes In lS62 and lS63, with the idea that
they would soon he displaced by more cOmmodious
and permanent school edlllccs. These improve
mcniS were attended with considerable expense. but
were indlspenSably necessary. Their hbOrs have
been arduOus. They have already accomplished
very much. hut much more remains to he accom-.
pllShed. The result Is, the Board OF Education has
now eleven school rooms, which are comfortable.
neat, spacious, well lighted and well ventilated, and
equal to the school demands OF the present, and will
probably serve q 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.
cd buildings. The school furniture consists or 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 with neat and convenient desks, by which
the smallest pupils have comfortable seats. and by
means Of which can use their states without ineon'
the Pacific coast, San Francisco not excepted, moro
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
county. The corps Of teachers employed will com
pare ~favorably 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 sch0ols have Increased abont 3
per cant. and are rapidly augmeniing IN numbers
Two new schools have been organized. and ! an
happy 10 be able to report that our schools are in q
healthy and nourishing condition. The Board 0
Education employ 4 singing master. who devote.
himself entirely 10 the work Of inStrIcting the pupil,
In all the schools In the county. In vocal music. Tho
influence upon the scholars has been Of u ~soiteninG
and subduing character. This enterprise thus faI
has worked chnrmingly.
The county school tax for 1851 ami 1875 was fixed
by the Board OF County Commissioners nj Is cent?
OH each SlOO OF surface taxable property In the coun
ty-A tax hardly equal TO The wants OF this depart
mcnt, but with economy AMI no serious drawbacks
we shall probably b. able to maintain the schools II
the county through the year.
SCHOOL Libraries.
District School Libraries constitute one of TN
most efficient arSlliaries TO our Public Schools this
can be employed. Their Importance. when wisely
selected and ludiciously managed, can. not be casll!
over estimated There are books admirably adapt
ed, both In style and thought, 10 every grade o
mind, rich In Information, moral lessons and religious
Instruction. untainted with scctarian bias. Whcr
ever these libraries have been successfully eSiab
lishcd they have awakened and cultivated n spirit
for reading, and have essentially modified the char
actcr Of those districts for good; II the legislature
would ofrr the Trustees OF each School District 4
premium OF my cents for each person, between siS
and eighteen years, on the condition that private
donations In cash should double that sum, and to b
added thereto, l feel confident that In less than on,
wear from the passage Of that Act, there would b,
reading matter for the little folks In evcry prominent
School District In the State, insuring pleasure and
profit 10 the pupils, and n rich reward, particularly
In the future. TO the public. One thousand dollar:
expended In this way by the State, would produc,
results Of great moment.
VACCINATION.
II Is very important for the continued prosperity
OF our Public Schools. especially In towns and cities
that all the pupils should be vaccinatcd. Expcricnc,
has demonstrated that there are many parents, am
guardians, abundantly able 10 bear the small cS
pcnSe Of vaccination, who prefer their children
should remain NJ home than 10 conform 10 The rule
OF the Board. To Danish children from school OF
account of parental ararice Is contrary 10 the genius
four Public School system; works a hardship boil
10 the pupil and the public. AMI should not be- tOler
ated. In such cases II certainly seems just that til,
school authorities should be- invested with the pOwcI
to have such children vaccinntsd. At the dellnqucnts
expense, alter - days notice BY the Clerk OF th'
Board OF School Trustees for the district. :,
There are children OF indlgent parents who should
I've vacclnatcd at the public expense. In these caSe'
the county should bear the burden, rs II Il for I'll,
interest OF the county that both children and adults
should be qualified to successfully resist the loath
some disease OF small pOX.
NEGRO, INDIAN AND MoSGOLIAN CHILDREN. =,
Som law more efficient than now exists, shoult
be framed, to secure educational facilities to the GILL
drcn Of negroes, Indians and MongolianS. 4 sever,
penalty Is attached TO any district that will admit
children OF any OF the prescribed races Into the Pub
lie Schools OF this S~tate-dcnying any School Dlstrict
even by n unanimous vote of It's citizens, the righI
to admit one OF these uniortunatcs. The California
School Law. Of which ours In It's principal features
Is a transcript. has been. | believe, 80 far nodded
to meet the advancing spirit OF the age, as to rcpea
this penalty.
The report of the School Census Marshal return.
seven negro. thirteen indian and ilitccn MOngoliaT
children In this county. between six and eighteen
years Of age. The Board Of Education have eNpend
cd much, both Of time aud earnest labor. TO organize
q Public School for their benefit; but there are nlt'
tual prcludices existing Of one race against another
almost, Il not quite. as strong aS that ofthe superior
race, which bolts the doors OF educational halls
against them all; but thus far. have been unable 70
accomplish their purpose, without mourning Il much
greater outlay Of money than tho occasion, In thciE
Judgment, seemed to Justify. From the organization
the negro has been taxed for the support OF Public
Schools. The Assessors books. for 1913, show that
the taxable property OF the colored people OF Sireinia
City, for that year, amounted 10 the sum OF $500.
Upon this amount a school tax OF two.iilths. 81 ono
per cent. was paid into the County School Fund,
This II gross outrage upon q helpless claSs-our
sci US TO terminate or modify this system OF WRONG.
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
The genius Of our Institutions rests upon inc pop
ular will. The great highway Of the multitude gan
be illumined only by a system OF popular education.
The Public School system, as now Understood
which holds the State responsible 10 iirnisn cimca-
tional facilities tn all the children OF the state, ire
spcctIyc OF condition or class-is clnphRtically an
American system. II Is the hope, and should bc
the pride. Of our country, IL inc State ~ mo,sn y
certainly the children arc under obligation TO the
Stlte tD avail themselves OF these invaluable iacill-
ties. Rights and duties are CO relative. Inc puDlc
cannot afford 10 allow any class 10 remain In lgno-
rance OF letters. Ignorance II the natural enemy 70
society, II generates and carries with u al un-
healthy and contagious atmosphere, vastly more IN
furious to society, and more to be dreaded ,han
those loathsome and infectious diseases, which
arc so strongly guarded against, by all governments
by perfect system OF most stringent sanitary tcSu'
latlona. In
It's conservative influence OF any branch o. tne Slate
aforementioned In cure. but In prevention, Inc
pOwcr or the State for all the purpose OF good aug
ments with the growing intelligence Of the people
composing It. In the train OF Ignorance follow Hls;
Courts testify against Ignorance with an elo.guence
and logic that should not pass unheeded. wisdom,
the fruit OF education, brings security nndpeace.
II In vastly more economical for the State TO main-
tain schools and schuolmnSters than criminal Courts
and criminal oflcers-to construct School. Academy
and University buildings, than prisons. penitcntia-
rles AMI glbbets. As the morning dew disappears
before the warm aud genial rays OF the ascending
sun, 80 rcccdes crime with Its necessary appliances
in those communities vltalired with q comprehend
slve education. softened by moral and religious In.
nucnces. The recent rebelli0n-thc greatest war OF
the centurIcs-that peOplcd nearly II million Of pre-
mature graves, and consumed the earnings OF the
present and past generations, aud nortgaKcd the
labor Of generations unborn-wOuld probably not
have occurred had the worth and Importance Of the
schoolmaster been better understood and apprecia-
ted, and his presence and influence been invoked In
every part Of our Federal Union. How fOrci6ly, In
thi, connection. is Illustrated the truth Of the pro-
verb. that Prevention Is better than cure" These
great truths should inspire US to cherish our Public
Schools as the life and hope OF the State. and our
Legislature should give ~JOyfully for their support.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
With the great TACT staring us In the face. that
our State win be entirely dependent upon our Public
Schools for their education that more than four