Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-08
SCHOOL shtERINrENpESrs REPORT.
ANNUAL RER0RT
or the Storey County superintendent
OF Public Instruction.
Hon. A. +. Waite, Superintendent Of Public In.
~struetion for the Stale of Nsrddd:

bursements OF school moneys In this county, Tor
what purposes s expended, the amount ,Sn S o. Sssn ~ " ~, ,Ss
teachers employed, the number OF schools, ana the
number OF pupils attending the same. average at
TENDANCE; an abstract from the reports Of the Census
such general Information as the School Law requires.
Perhaps o few words, by way OF explanations and
suggestion, In this connection, may not be out or
The School Law, approved March 20. 1855, repealed
the special school law Of November, 1862, which ex.
empted Storey county from the school law approved
November, 1861. under which the Storey county
Board or Education was organized, and worked with
great efficiency for nearly three years. This change
abolished the old Board Of Education and brought
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. /
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 OF which,
from u pauclty Of population, could not maintain a
school for n time sufficient TO cntltle them to draw
the funds. distributed BY the State Board OF Educa-
ton, without ~resortIng to district taxation; though
one OF these districts embraced the extensive Re-
ductlon Works OF the Gould & Curry Mining Com
pany, aud seven or eight Quartz Mills-havlng an
amount OF taxable property. the school fund from
which, II expended In that district. would literally
support q tourlshing school for the entire year. Con-
slderlng so much Of the action Of my predecessor rs
Illegal, that divided the county Into four districts, /
restored the same to one School District, with view
Of making the schools more efficient, by bringing
them under one management, and appointed for
School Trustees for Storey School District, Messrs,
Louis Feusicr, D.. q. Addison and s. II. Robinson,
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit,
energy OF charactcr. business capacity, and devotion
to the Interest and prosperity Of popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves at once TO
inc impS e,, w0rT 5I SniSrIGinG; repairing rsnoSat-
which were constructed or lifted temporary for
school purposes In lS62 and l$3. with the idea that
they would soon be displaced by more commodiOus
and permanent school eilhces. These Improve
ments were attended with considerable expense. but
were indlspcnsahly necessary, Their laborS have
been arduous. They have already accomplished
very much. but much more remains to be accom-
plished. The result Is, the B0ari Of Education has
now eleven school rooms. which are comfortable.
neat, spacious, well lighted and well ventilated, and
equal 10 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
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 tlnish-
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 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 lncon-
v~eniencc. II Is safe TO affirm that there are not on
the pacInc coast, San Francisco not excepted, more
comfortably furnished rooms than those Of Storey
county. The corps Of teachers employed will coni-
pare f~avorably with any In other cities. Under their
administration 1 Ise sshoS S are rapidly rising e. IN pup.
Is diminishing, the schools have increased about IS
per cent, and arc rapidly augnenting In numbers.
Two new schools have been organized, and i am
happy 10 BE- able TO report that our schools are in a
healthy and iiourishing condition. The Board OF
Education employ u Singing. master. who dcvotes
in all the schools In tho county. In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been OF a s~otening
and s%ubduinG character. This enterprise thus far
The county school lax for 1864 and 1855 was axed
by the Board Of County Commissioners at IS cents
on each SlO0 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 LiRRAnIEs.
District School Libraries constitute one Of the
can be employed. Their importance, when wisely
selected and Judiclously managed, can not be easily
over estimated. There are books admirably adapt.
ed, both In style and thought, TO every grade or
mind, rich In Information. moral lessons and religious
instruction, untain;eI with ~Scctarian bias. Whcr-
ever these libraries have been successfully esta6-
llshed they have awakened and cultivated u spirit
for reading, and have essentially modified the char
acter or those districts for good. II the Legislature
would offer the Trustees Of each School District a
premium OF any cents for each person, between ak
and eighteen years. on the condition that private
donations In cash should double that sum, and 10 be
added thereto. / feel confident that In less than one
wear TOUl u phStuStO VI lilhl Z NOhlu W
reading matter for the little folks In every prominent
School District in the State, lnSuring pleasure and
profit 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.
VACCINATION.
II Is very important for the continued prosperity
OF our Public Schools, especially In towns and cities.
that all the pupils should be vaccinatel. Experience
has demonstrated that there are many parents and
guardians. abundan;ly able TO bear the small cS-
pcusc Of vaccination. who prefer their children
should remain At home than 10 conform 70 the rules
OF the Board. To Danish children from school on
account OF parental avnricc Is contrary to the genius
Of -four Public School system; works a hardship both
to the pupil and the public. and should not be toler-
school authorities should be Invested with the power
10 have such children vacclnatcd. at the dellnQuents
expense, after - days notice by the Clerk Of the
Board OF School Trustees for the district. -.
There are children ofindlgent parents who should
DC yaeeinated ut the public expense. In these cases
the county should bear the burden. as II Is for the
interes! Of the county that both children and adults
some disease OF small poN.
NEGRO, INDIAN ANp SoSooLIAS CHILDREN.
Some law moro efficient than now exists, should
be framed. 10 secure educational facilities to the chill.
drcn OF negroes, Indians md Mongolians. 4 severe
penalty Is attached TO any district that VIII admit
children OF any or the prescribed races Into the Pub
lie Schools Of this State-dcnying any School District
even by a unanimous vote Of Its citizens, the right
TO admit one Of these unfortnnates. The California
School Law. OF which ours In Its principal features,
Is q transcript, has been. / believe. 50 far nodded,
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 Monaghan
children In this county,, between SIX and eighteen
years OF age. The Board OF Education have expend'
cd much, both OF time and earnest labor, 10 organize
q Public School for their benefit; but there are mtl-
tual prcIudlces existing OF one race against another,
almost, II not quite, as strong ~ that OF the superior
race, which bolts the doors OF educational halls
against them all: but thus far. have been unable 10
accomplish their purpose. without %incurring q much
greater outlay OF money than the OCCASION, ~ thcir
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 1913. show that
the taxable property o. the colorcd people OF Virginia
City, for that year, amounted TO the sum OF SS2,0D.
Upon this amount q school tax OF two.nths. OF one
per cent. was paid Into the County school Fund.
This is gross outrage upon = helpless class-our
sclfrespect. II not our sense Of Justice, should coun.
sci us 70 terminate or modify this system Of wrong.
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
The genius OF our institutions rests upon tho pop.
ular will. The great highway Of the multitude can
be illumIned only by asystem OF popular education.
The Public School system. as now understood
which holds the State responsible TO furnish educa-
tional facilities to all the children OF the State, IRE
spectiye OF condition or clAss-ls emphatically an
the pride, Of our country. II the State IL 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 faclll.
ties. Rights and duties are CO relative. The public
cannot afford TO allow any class to remain In lgno-
rance o f~letters. Ignorance Is the natural enemy to
society. II generates and carries with II an I'M
healthy and contagious atmosphere, vastly more In
furious TO society, and more 10 be dreaded than
those loathsome and Infectious diseases, which
are so strongly guarded against, by all governments,
by a perfect system OF most stringent sanitary regu-
latlons.
The School Department Is the most important In
It's conservative influence Of any branch Of the State
Govcrnment-not In cure. but In prevention. The
power OF the State for all the purpose Of good aug
with the growing Intelligence OF the people
II. IN the train OF Ignorance follow dis
ease, poverty and crime. The records OF our criminal
Courts testify against Ignorance with an eloquence
and logic that should not pass UNDECIDED. Wisdom.
the fruit OF education, brings security andpeaee.
The sch0olmaSter conserves-lgnorance destroys.
II is vastly more economical for the State to main
tain schools and schoolmasters than criminal Courts
and criminal oficers-to construct School. Academy
and University buildings, than prisons, penitentla-
before tho warm and genial rays Of the ascending
sun, so rccedes crime with Its necessary appliances
In those communities rltallzed with u coInprehen-
slve education, softened by moral and religious In.
nuenees. The recent rehellion-the greatest war OF
the centuries-thR peopled nearly q million OF pre-
mature graves, and consumed the earnings Of the
and past generations, and mortgsged the
labor or 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 forcibly, In
this connection. Is Illustrated the truth or the pro-
verb, that Prevention II 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 inct staring US In the face, that
our State will be entirely dependent upon our Public
for their education -thnt more than four