Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-07
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
sprerinteudent. Rsport-Continued.

mi evils. The Legislature has the e 10 prevent
these to a very great extern. Sensible OF thelr eA,
in the Legislature, the trainers OF the State Constl.
tuition vests the authority In that body III Section
?, Article II, In the following words. to-wit:
sr~F "Thc Legislature may pass such laws
children In each school district upon said Public
Schools"
dren OF well meaning parents Is an EVIL OF suGu ma !.
fuence next TO non-attendance. which Us more exc
tensive than Is generally considered. Children are
detained At home for ne most trivial reasons SONS Inns sms
rance OF the evils that grow out ofrepeated absence.
A few days absence In o term generally drops the
pupil behind his class. II may require q vigorous
usc OF all his powers and prompt attendance TO com.
mand o respectable standing. Soon disgust ioloWs
closely upon the heels OF disbursement, and there
Is 10 longer any attraction either for school nsso.
ciatcs, school teacher or school house. Mortliled
ambition cannot endure daily exposure. For the
purposes OF education, children are, IN . certain
sense, the property OF the State. The law demands
that property shall be taxed 10 support q Pubic
School for six months In each year. In return iOr
the payment OF this tax, property. has a right TO DC;
nland that children between certain ages shall avail
themselves OF these expensive facilities for q like
term, or their equivalent at private schools. To In
sure an efficient Public School systcm-to secure for
II In the public estimation that position and cont-
dence that the system should command. the stand.
ard OF scholarship on the part Of teachers should be
so raised that persons OF an Indifferent or defective
education, unfortunate In other departments OF In.
dustry, would not venture, as o temporary expedi-
ent, TO aspire TO the control ola Public School. The
who can read and write Is competent 10 instruct q
Primary School. II Is my deliberate Judgment that
II requires more skill, q greater amount OF tact, u
wider range OF general knowledge. and q clearer ap-
prehenslon OF the complicated laws that control DIFF
ierrnt children I'm a school OF forty or my little ones,
and TO excite and maintain al interest among those
who have no idea OF the value of education, than TO
awaken and maintain d Ike interest among. the
same number Of advanced scholars in u High School.
Many Of the wlsest educators In the country have
often expressed this sentiment with great feeling
and force. l regard teaching as the most import
ant rs well as the most dlricu!t OF all the profess
s~lons-one that demands Of Its members indlvld.
ually n more comprehensive knowledge OF mental
and moral philosophy, q quicker perception and
knowledge Of childish likes and dlsllkcs OF the nti-
merous springs Of action, and how to turn them 10
awaken interest, stimulate thought, produce disci.
/ pline and cheerful obedience, than those OF any
other Of the intellectual professions. No one is re-
gardcd competent to practice any OF the learned pro.
LESSONS who has not gone through q long course OF
professional training under the immediate direc-
ton of their most eminent Swans. 10 qualify him TO
discharge intelIlccntly tho responsible duties his
profession may require, No one Is regarded compe.
tent 20 make u shoe or n shovel, q house or u hand
saw, O coach or d crowbar a broom, q bit or \
bucket, without first serving an apprenticeship.
The man who can make a steam engine. or who can
control It's movement amer II Is made, VIII conf
mand more compensation than the public Is willing
TO pay all ordinary teacher In u Public School,
though every part OF the engine. from ITS feed 10 its
exhaust, with It's various individual ind combined
uses, could be learned In a fortnight by a well dlsci-
plined and well educated teacher, whose mind has n
mechanical tendency. .Persons, 10 be teachers.
should learn their profession By q course OF discipline
and training, under the direction OF the most sue
cessful and celebrated educators In the country.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Shut out md far removed Ms our State Is from the
great educational center5 ofthe country, our oppor-
tunIties are slim indeed to secure trst class teach
ers. The best OF the imported educators TO the
Pacific Coast will be assorted and culled out BY the
Educational Boards OF San Francisco, Sacramento
and other parts OF California, and We have nothing
by which 10 invite superior educators to our desert
homes, unless our School Boards offer cxtravAgant
pay, which cannot DO e~Npected-which would not
be allowed.
Our great educational want Is q Normal School
an Institution To euucalc those Of our youth ambi.
tious to be teachers and for educational honorS-to
train them 10 meet tie educational requirements OF
our times and for our peculiar locality: young men
all Of them, reside In our State. and who probably
will remain permanently with US. An Institution
OF this character would, IN Hd adnro,ot 70 w us r SS,lISd
and live teachers. do much TO awaken and foster
throughout tile State a spirit otintellectual culture,
and 10 bring permanently before our people the
Sreat value and Importance Of popular education.
An Institution OF this character should be located In
one Of the most populous towns Of the State. where
a sufficient number Of pupils could be procured Tor
| the organization Of q training school. 10 be attached
thereto; for q Normal School without this lmpor-
tant adjunct would be as inenleient Is q school Tor
the laboratory, with Its menstruums and precipi.
tants, or Of practical astronomy. without the aid Of
| lnn heavenly DulCs QuhuIAlls llu lcIttlOpCs.
There is, however, d considerable numbcr OF young
people OF respectable attachments In our midst who
have taught school more or less, and ambitious 70
obtain O respectable rank In the profession OF teach
Ing, but whose knowledge OF the theory and prac-
tIce OF teaching Is altogether unequal 10 the adj
vanced educational claims OF the present time;
Many Of these would be drawn TO an Institution OF
this character TO procure the proper Information
and a diploma, which should be current with School
l BSsTd boards an sS CT se dict5ie E!x ana saou ,ht S1sPs5ess Inc Inc
State. The stay OF this class would be longer or
shorter according TO their previous attachments and
aptncSs TO acquire. 4 Normal School would give
forth It's first fruits from this class. Were the State
In q pecuniary condition 10 organize aud support an
Institution OF this character, II would not be an
public school interest In Nevada. But Il need not
necessarily bc attended with great expense. The
rent OF a small building. the cost Of furniture and
the salary OF one Professor, with trifiing additional
Incidental expenses. would be all the outlay that at
present would be required. The permanent cdirce
and various ornamentatlons could follow the growth
OF the school and the increase Of the State School
Fund. II the State would offer two thousand dol
lars annually for the Inst two years, on condition
that private donations would equal that sum-, aud
10 be added TO II. I feel confident that that amount
could be raised, and q Normal School could be at
once put Into a successful working condition: some
source Of revenue could be created TO raise this
amount by the State. without seriously depressing
any person or class.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.
There Is one subject that l would like to bring to
your notice for your consideration. l am somewhat
In doubt whether the present Is the proper time or
this the proper channel, but with my ideas as re-
ssf%s t sSs,e gn'ptSse e proposed SI suTScstIo n, in Ts tbi su com:
~nection, will be both legitimate and proper. II Is
well known that the peculiar character ofthe climate
OF the vast ranges OF these elevated tablelands be-
tween the Rocky and Sierra Nevada mountains, is
but little known by our own people. and very I'M
perfectly understood by the people Of the other
States. A plan that would secure the proper re-
cOrdins OF accurate meteorological observations In
those parts OF the State where Public Schools would
be likely to be maintained throughout the year,
NDtill he n valuable contribution In science and I'm
the course OF q decade OF years would throw much
light In rrgard to our climate. One teacher In each
OF the principal towns In the State, II furnished with
the necessary instruments for determining the heat
and density OF tho atmosphere. the direction and
force or the winds, the amount OF the fall OF rain and
ratlons-all OF which the Smithsonian Institute
would undoubtedly cheeriully s~upply-wonld. with
accurately perform the task. These observations,
published either weekly or monthly, would awaken,
both OH the part ofthe teachers, pupils and the pub
lie generally, habits OF close observation In regard to
atmospheric changes.
NrsDIREcIioS or TnE PROCEEDS or THE HALF MILL
The proceeds OF the half mill tax, provided for In
section 6 Of Education, Article y or the State Con-
s~tltutiOn, II occurs TO me, was diverted by the last
legislature. from the use Intended BY those who
Law, approved March 10Th. lsS. provides that: A
moneys derived from the tax herein levied (half
and be apportioned In the same manner az other
money In that 0nd"-that Is, the Interest accrulng
shall be distributed 10 all the counties III the state,
according TO the ascertained number Of persons be.
tween the ages or six and eighteen years In said
counties, for the support Of Public Schools. The
object Of this half nil tax was designed particularly
TO create q fund for the support OF the Mining Col.
lege-thc mining branch Of the University, II was
the general opinion OF the members OF the Constitu.
tional Convention that this tax would Yield the nrst
year from ten TO ffteen thousand dollars. with a
large annual Increase thereafter. and that at an
early day the interest from the proceeds OF this tax,
and from other sources Of revenue, would, enable
the Board OF Regenta 10 establish this branch OF tne
University and 10 put II Into successful operationl IN
a very short time. The section S) referred 10 above
OF the Constitution, Is In the following language 10
wit: .... .H
"The Legislature shall provide a special tax Of one
half OF one mill on the dollar OF all taxable properly
OF the State. In addition TO the other means pro
vidcd for the support and maintenance OF SAID UNI
ycrsity and common sehooh."
The Inst three words, "And common schools,
above. were coupled With the word Unlyerslty 70
make II appear nianlfestly clear that the Hhlversisy
was q part OF the Public School system. Inc lntsn,
ton OF the Convention. In regard 10 lhe uIspysnT.
the proceeds OF this half mllltax, VIII In9Ie sg nn:,
appear by reference 10 sections. OF the huuc a,hOus
Article Of the Constitution, whleh reaus d "'
10 wilt: 1850, ,ho ,ptsrest |
,ccruInp from the first rlnds Qrom the haiI mn! aaNl
which come under their control, imnledlateIy oIkan,
ire and maintain the said hlning DepAi.En", y. |
me CnIyersIty) in Snch manner a. 70 mAAe w.
most eficctIve and useful" . ,,t,d IN he |
From the foregoing II appears 70 w pacnn,s tsat
conclusive and binding on tne pos = sat- 6,nj must
IN" interest trst a~ccruing from inc StaVe .n ~ snn'i'
~. u axnenIe,I moi by. distributing the Sme SSn,nan,
DC rNpWs M snong The several counties ID tne Staee
aiIm .hn y, nrort NJ Public Schools, as secuon isso