Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-07
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
ANNUAL REROHT
or the Storey County Superintendent
Of Public Instruction.
Hon. 4. +. Hhite, Superintendent Of PN6ic IN.
struction for the State of Nerddd:

Hon. 4. +. H1ite, Superintendent Of Public IN.
~sfruetion for the State Of Rerddd:
DEAR SIR: My statistical reports afford you all
the Information In regard TO the receipts and dis
bursements OF school moneys In this county ior
what purposes expended. the amount OF cash In the
hands OF the County Treasurer, the names or the
teachers employed, the number OF schools, and the
number OF pupils attending the same. average ut.
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, hy way OF explanations and
suggestion. In this connection. may not he out oil
The School Law. approved March 20. 1865. repealed
the special school law OF November, le62, which ex.
emptcd Storey county from the school law approved
November, 1851, under which the Storey county
Board Of Education was organized. and worked with
great e%flelency 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 18th day Of May, last past. I
found the county, which formerly consisted Of but
one School District. carved up. By my predecessor
who, by a decision OF the Supreme Court. held the
office Of County Superintendent without legal au.
thOrity-intO four School Districts, two OF which.
from a paucIty Of population, could not maintain a
school for a time sufficient to entltle them TO draw
the funds, distributed by the State Board OF Educa.
ton. without r~csorting to district taxation; though
one OF these districts embraced the extensive Re-
duction Works Of the Gould L Curry Mining Com.
pany. and seven or eight Quartz Mills-having an
amount OF taxable property. the school fnnd from
which, u expended IN that district, wotild literally
support q iiOurishlng school for the entire year. Com
sldcring 40 much OF the action OF my predecessor as
Illegal, that divided the county into four districts. l
OF making the schools more efficient, by bringing
them under one management. and appointed for
School Trustees for Storey School District, MesSrs.
Louis FcusIer. d. q. AdklsoD and $. II. Robinson.
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit,
energy OF character, business capacity, and devotion
TO the Interest and prosperity OF popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves at once TO
the important work OF enlarging, repairing, removal.
Ing, yentllating aud furnishing those school houses,
which were constructed Ut lifted temporary for
school purposes In lSi2 and 1858, with the Idea that
they would soon be displaced by more commOdIous
and permanent school edliiccs. These improve
ncnts were attended with considerable expense, but
were lndlspensably necessary. Their labOrS have
been arduOus. They have already accomplished
very much, but much more remains 10 be accom-.
plished. 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 n 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
to protect the pupils from rain AMI 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 thc county are
furnished with neat and convenient desks, by which
the smallest pupils have comfortable seats. and by
means OF which can use thelr states without incon'
vcnlcnce. 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 COM
pare favorabiy with any in other cities. Under their
administration the schools are rapidly rising In pub
lie estimation. Though the population or the county
Is diminishing. the schools have Increased about Is
per cent, and are rapidly augmentIng In numbers.
Two new schools have been organized, and j ain
happy 10 be able TO report that our schools are In a
healthy and fourshing condition. The Board OF
Education amDlOy n singing MASTER. who ueyOtca
himself entirely to the work OF instructing the pupils
In all the schools In the county. In vocal music. The
influence upon the schOlRs has been oil q sotienlng
and S~ubduing character. This enterprise thus far
has worked charmlngly.
The county school tax for 1861 and LIS was fixed
BY the Board OF County Commissioners at Is cents
on each slo0 Of surface taxable property In the coun.
ty-R tax hardly equal 10 the wants OF this depart
ment. but with economy and no serious drawbacks
we shall probably be able TO maintain the schools In
the county through the year.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
District School Libraries constitute one Of the
most efficient auNiliarics TO our Public Schools that
eau be employed. Their Importance, when wisely
selected and judlclouSly 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, untalnted with ~scctarlan bias. Whcr'
ever these libraries have been successfully eS,ab-
lIshed they have awakened and cultivated a spirit
for reading, and have essentially modified the char
would offer the Trustees Of each School District q
premium Of my cents for each person, between six
and eighteen years. on the condition that private
donations In cash should double that sum. and to be
added thereto. / feel confident that In less than one
year from I'll" passage OF that Act, there would be
reading matter for the little folks In evcry. prominent
School District In the State, insuring pleasure and
profit TO Ia: pupils, and q rich reward. particular!
In the future, 20 the public. One thousand dollar:
expended In this way by the State. would produce
results OF great moment.
VACCINATION.
1t Is very important for the continued prosperli,
81 9Ss our al f ,Ss Si SShU sSSn Ssp eS Snsci in tSIhi E suS Ttss
has demonstrated that there are many parents aud
guardians. abundantly able TO bear the small cX
pense OF vaccination. who prefer their children
should remain at home than 10 conform 10 the rule,
OF the Board. To Danish children from school or
account Of parental Avarice Is contrary 10 the Gcnlu.
ofour Public school system; works hardship oott
to the pupil and the public. and should not be tolcr
ated. In such cases II certainly seems Just that the
school authorities should be invested with the power
to have such children vaccInated, at the delinquents
expense, amer - days notice by tho Clerk or the
Board OF School Trustees for the district.
There are children OF INDECENT parents who should
the county should bear the burden. as It Is for the
Interest Of the county that both children and adults
should be qualified 10 successfully resist the loath'
some disease Of small poS.
NEGRO, INDIAN AND NoNGoLiAS CHILDREN.
Some law more efficient than now exists. should
be framed. 10 secure educationalf facilities to- the chi.
dren OF negroes. Indians and MongolianS. 4 severe
penalty Is attached 10 any district that Will admit
children OF ANY OF the prescribed races into the Pub
even By a unanimous vote u is Citizens, the right
TO admit one OF these unfortunates. Tho California
School Law, Of which ours IN Its principal features.
Is a transcript, has been, ] believe. so far modified;
10 meet the advancing spirit OF tho age, as to repeal
The report Of the School Census Marshal returns
seven negro, thirteen Indian and fifteen Monaghan
children in this county, between six and eighteen
years OF age. The Board or Education have cSpend-
cd much, both Of time and earnest labor. to organize
q Public School for their benefit; but there are mlu.
tual preiudices existing OF one race against another,
almost, II not quite, rs strong N that OF the superior
race, which bolts the doors Of educational halls
against them all; but thus far. have been unable TO
accomplish their purpose, without mourning a much
greater outlay Of money than the occasion, In their
Judgment, seemed 10 Justify. From the organization
Of the Territory TO tho present time the property OF
the negro has been taxed for the support Of Public
Schools. The Assessors books, for lstS. show that
the taxable property Of the cOlOred people OF VIRGINIA
CITY. for that year, amounted TO the sum OF SS3,OO.
Upon this amount n school tax OF two-hfths OF one
per cent. was paid into the County School Fund.
This Is gross outrage upon \ helpless claSs-our
selfrespect, n not our sense Of Justice, should coun-
sci US 10 terminate or modify this system OF wrong.
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
The genius OF our Institutions rests upon the pop
ular will. The great highway OF the multitude can
be illnmlncd only By a system OF popular education.
The Public School system, rs now understood
which holds the State responsible to furnish educa.
tlonal facilities TO all the children OF the State, ire
spective Of condition or Chassis emphatically all
the pride, Of our country. II the State Is morally
bound to afford these facilities for the children. then
certainly the children are under obligation to the
State TO avail themselves OF these Invaluable iacill.
ties. Rights and duties are CO relative. The public
cannot afford to allow any class to remain In igno-
rance OF letters. Ignorance Is the natural enemy 10
society. II generates and carries with II an I'm.
healthy and contagious atmosphere, vastly more In
furious to society, and more TO be dreaded than
those loathsone and infectious diseases. which
are so strongly guarded against, BY all governments,
by perfect system OF most stringent sanitary regu.
lations. -
The School Department Is the most important In
It's conservative influence or any branch OF the State
Government-not In cure. but In prevention. The
power OF the State for all the purpose Of good aug
composing II. In the train or ignorance follow dis
ease. poverty and crime. The records OF our criminal
Courts testify against Ignorance with an elOQucnce
and logic that should not pass UNDECIDED. Wisdom,
the fruit OF education. brings security anhpeace.
The schoolmaster conserves-iInorance destroys.
tain schools and sch0olmasters than criminal Courts
and criminal olicers-toc construct School. Academy
and University buildings, than prisons, penltenua.
ries and gtbbets. As the morning dew disappears
before the warm and genial rays OF the ascending
sun, 80 recedes crime with Its necessary appliances
In those communities yltalized with II comprehen.
sive education, softened by moral and religious In.
nuences. The recent rebellion-the greatest war OF
the centurles-that peppled nearly q million OF pre-.
mature graves, and consumed the arnihgs OF the
present and past generations, and mortgaRed the
labor Of generations u~uborn-would probably not
been better understood and apprecia-
ted, and his presence and influence been invoked In
every part OF our Federal Union. How iorcibly. In
this connection. Is Illustrated the truth Of the pro.
verb. that Prevention is better than cure" These
great truths should inspire Us TO cherish our Pebble
Schools hs the life and hope OF the State, aud our
Legislature should give Joyfully for their support.
scIlooL. ATTENDANCE