Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-09
SCHOOL sUPERINTENDBNT'S REPORT.
ANNUAL RERORT
or the Storey County Superintendent
OF Public Instruction.
Hon. 4. F. Waite, Superintendent Of Public In.
s~ruetion for the STATE " Rsradd:

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
sncT general AZ the School Law requires.
Perhaps n few words, by way OF explanations and
suggestion. In this connection. may not be out OF
The School Law, approved March %. 1865, repealed
the special school law Of November, lS62, which ex-
empted Storey county from the school law approved
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 thickly populated county.
The schools OF this county. were placed under my
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
thority-into four School Districts, two or which,
from \ pauclty Of population, could not maintain a
school for q time sufficient to entitle them to draw
tIon, without ~resorting 10 district taxation: though
one Of these districts embraced the extensive Re
ductlon Works Of tho Gould & Curry Mining Com
pany, and seSen or eight Quartz Mllls-harlng an
amount OF taxable property. the school fund nom
which, II expended In that district, would literally
support a iiourlshing school for the entire year. Con-
sidcring 10 much or the action OF my predecessor as
illegal, that divided the county Into four districts. l
restored the same to one School District, with a view
Of making the bcnOOls more el1Clellt, Dy DTlIlRInR
them under one management, and appointed for
School Trustees for Storey School District. Messrs.
Louis Fcusier. d. .. Addison and 8. H.. 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 70
the Important work OF enlarging, repairing, renovat-
ing, ventIlatIng and furnishing those school houses,
which were constructed or fitted temporary for
school purposes In lS62 and 1853. with the Idea that
they would soon be displaced by more cominodious
mcnts were attended with considerable expense, but
were lndIspcnsably necessary, Their labors have
been arduous. They have already accomplished
very much, but much more remains 20 be accom-.
pllshed. The result Is. the Board OF Education has
now eleven school rooms, which are comfortable.
neat, neat spacious p go : .cn wei d Hsnog%ds n of tSc prcsnnt' 3 NH
probably serve q good purpose for a few years In the
mturc. These houses have yard room, which, In
10 protect the pupils from rain and sun. The Board
own all these school houses with the exception OF
two. Two OF these arc well constructed. hard finish
ed buildings. The school furniture consists OF two
hundred and ten chairs aud 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 incon-
venience, 1t is safe TO afirm that there are not on
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
county, The corps OF teachers employed Will conl-
pare Mvorably With any In other cities. Under their
lie estimation. Though the population OF the county
Is diminishing, the schools have increased about j
ner cent, and are rapidly augmentlng In numbers.
Two new schools have been organized, and ! AN
happy 10 be able 10 report that our schools are In q
healthy and tourishing condition. The board VI
hImseIf entirely 10 the work Of instruetIng the pupils
in all the schools 10 the county. In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been Of a soiten,ns
and subdulng character. This enterprise thus lar
The county school tax for 1864 and ls6, was fixed
by the Board OF County Commissioners ut Is cents
on each 800 OF surface taxable property In the coun'
ty-a 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 auxIliarlcs TO our Public Schools that
can be employed. Their importance. when wisely
selected and JudIciously managed. can not be easily
over innate There are books admirably adapt.
ed, both In style and thought. 10 every grade Of
mind, rich In Information, moral lessons and RELIGIOUS
instruction. untalntcd with ~sectarian bias. Wher'
lIshed they have awakened and cultivated a spirit
for reading. and have essentially modified the char
acter OF those districts for good; j. inc legislature
premium OF hity cents for each person. between six
and eighteen years, on the condition that private
donations In cash should double t tna l. sum sun, ana ,RSn 70 oS DC
wear 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
proat to the pupils. and q rich reward, particularly
In the future. to the public. One thousand dollars
expended in this way by the State, would produce
results OF great moment.
It is very Important for the continued prosperity
OF our Public Schools. especially In towns and cities,
that all the pupils should be vaceinated. Experience
guardians, abundantly able 10 bear the small eS-
pense OF vaccination. who prefer thelr children
should remain At home than 10 conform TO the rules
., 81 Ia.rI II hanislN Children from gchDDl OH
account Of parental avaricc Is contrary to the genius
-four Public School system: works q hardship both
StcdI In such cases Il certainly seems Just that the
school authorities should be Invested with the power
TO have such children vacclnatcd. at the dcllnquents'
expense, after - days notice by the Clerk or the
Board OF School Trustees for the district.
There are children OF INDECENT parents who should
be vaccinated at the public expense. In these cases
the county should bear the burden. as Il Is for the
interest Of the county that both children and adults
should be qualified 10 successfully resist the loath'
some disease OF small pOX.
Some law more efficient than now exists. should
be framed, to secure educational facilities 10 the chill
dren Of negroes. Indians and MongolianS. a severe
penalty Is attached 10 any district that VIII admit
children OF any OF the prescribed races into inc Pub-
lie Schools OF this Sthte-dcnying any School District
even by u unanimous vots Of ls sI'z Ths rairo rrSn,
School Law, OF which ours In It's principal features
Is a transcript. has been, / believe. so 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 Mongolan
wears Of age. The Board OF Education have expend-
ed much, both Of time and earnest labor, 10 organize
a Public School for their benefit; but there are nlu-
tual prcIudlccs existing or one race against another,
almost. II not quite, as strong rs that OF the superior
race, which bolts the doors Of educational nails
against them all: but thus far. have been unable 70
ACCOMPLISH their purpose, without mourning q much
crrater OUTLAY OF money than the occasion, IN their
Judgment, seemed to Justify. From the ORGANIZATION
OF the Territory TO the present time the properly OF
the negro hns been taxed for the support OF PUBIC
schools. The Assessors books. for ISIS, show that
the taxable property OF the colOred people OF virginia
City, for that year. amounted TO the sum OF ss2,oon.
Upon this amount q school tax OF two-ntths oi onr
pcr cent, was paid into the County School Fund,
This Is gross outrage upon a helpless claSs-onr
self.respcct. Il not our senSS OF lustise: snC ~ w conn
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
Tho genius OF our Institutions rests upon the pop.
ular will. The great highway Of the multitude can
be illumincd only by a system or popular cducauon.
The Public School system. Us now understood
which holds the State responsible 70 furnish euuca-
tlonnl facilities TO all the children OF the state, IRE.
spcctiyc OF condition or claSs-is emphatlcally an
American system. II is the hope. and should be
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 10 the
State TO avail themselves OF these invaluable facni-
ties. Rights and duties are co relative. The public
cannot afford TO allow any class 10 remain III lgno-
rance OF letters. Ignorance IL 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 loathsome and infectious diseases. which
are so strongly guarded against, by oil governments.
by q perfect system Of most stringent sanitary regu-
latlons.
It's conservative influence OF any branch Of the State
Goyernm"nt-not In cure. but in prevention. The
power Of the State for all the purpose OF good aug
ments with the growing intelligence OF the people
composing II. In the train OF Ignorance follow dis.
ease, poverty and crime. The records OF our criminal
Courts testify against ignorance with an eloo9uence
and logic that should not pass UNDECIDED. wisdom,
The schoOlmRstcr conserves-ignorance destroys.
II Ia vastly more economical for tho state 70 main.
tain schools and schoolmAstcrs than criminal Courts
and crlmInal onlcers-to construct School. Acaucmy
and University buildings, than prisons, penitentia-
ries and gibbets. As the morning dew disappears
before the WARM and genial rays Of the ascending
sun, 50 recedes crime with It's necessary appliances
In those communities vitallzed with \ comprehen-
sIve education, softened by moral and religious In.
nuenceS. The recent rcbelion-the greatest war Of
the centuries-thnt peopled nearly q million or pre-
mature graves, and consumed the earnings OF the
present and past generations, and mortgaged the
labor Of generations u~nborn-would PROBABLY not
have occurred had the worth and Importance or the
schoolmaster been better understood and apprecla-
ted. and his presence and innnence oeen invoxed IN
every part OF our Federal Union. How forclbly. In
this connection, IS Illustrated the truth Of the pro-
verb, that Prevention Is better than cure" These
great truths should inspire US 10 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 fact staring us In the face. that
nine-tenths Of the present generation or Children IN
our State will be entirely dependent upon our Pnonc