Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-27
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
ANNUAL RERORT
OF the Storey County Superintendent
Of Public Instruction.

or Public Instruction.
Hon. 4. +. Waite, Superintendent Of Public In.
~s,ruetion for the Stole Of Nevada:
DEAR Sin: My statistical reports AFFORD you all
the Information In regard to the receipts ana dis
bursements Of school moneys IN tnis eounty' l1
hands OF the County Treasurer. the names OF the
teachers employed, the number Of schools. ana the
isndSnce' an abstract from The reports OF the Census
School Marshal, School Trustees, Teachers. and
such general information as the school Law requires:
Perhaps a few words. by way OF explanations anu
suggestion. In TINS connection, INA! hol NC OUT Vi
The School Law, approved March q. lS1, repealed
the special school law OF November. lS62. which c&:
empicd Storey county from the school law approved
Soyember, 1861, under which the Storey county
Board OF Education was organized. and worked with
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 tnls
small but comparatively thickly 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
ofnce Of County Superintendent without legal ali-
thorlty-into four School Districts, two or which,
from \ paucity Of population, could moi maihtann u
the funds, distributed by the State Board Of Educa-
iiOn, without rcsorting 10 district taxation; tho9gh
one q these districts smo o1Y g the extensive SIsn;lS cd ne.
uGllO W NO VI III NSuhA ~ 49, -hsaa' ~
pany, and seven or eight Quartz Mills,having an
amount OF taxable property, the school innd rom
which, II expended In that district, would literally
support a fourIshing school for the entire year. Con-
sidcring so much Of the action Of my predecessor as
illegal. that divided the county Into four districts,
restored the same 10 one School District, with 4 view
Of making the schools more efficient. by bringing
them under one management. and appointed for
School Trustees for Storey School District, Mcssrs.
Louis Feusier, D.. D. Addison and y. ii. Robinson.
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit,
energy OF character, business capacity. and devotion
10 the Interest and prosperity OF popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves at once 10
the important work of charging, repairing, rcnovat-
Ing. rentllnting and furnishing those school houses,
which were conSlTlsted or lifted Temporarily for
they would soon be displaced by more cOmmollous
aud permanent school edliices. These improve
mcnts were attended with considerable expense, but
were indispenSahly necessary. Their la6ors have
been arduous. They have already accomplished
very much, but much more remains 10 be accom-.
pllshcd. 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 u few years in the
future, These houses have yard room, which, In
this city, are fenced IN ami covered. In part, by sheds
10 protect the pupils from rain and sun. The Board
own Nil these school houses with the exception Of
two, Two OF these are well constructed. hard iinlsl-
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 arc
furnished with neat and convenient desks. by which
DuIllI HdNNN DllllO IL NNuNFs ulNb W
| means OF which can Use their states without incon-
venicnce. II Is safe TO anirm that there are not on
the Pacific coast, San Franclseo not excepted, more
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
| county. The corps Of teachers employed VIII COM
| pare iavorably with any In other cities. Under their
| administration the schools are rapidly rising In pub
lie estimation. Though the population u the county
is diminishing, the schools have Increased about -
| per cent, and are rapidly auginenting In numbers.
Two " new e H. schools sS1S !, r have T ,Sd, O 0TSa ssSsSI. a .Ts ! II am y
healthy and fourshing condition. The Board OF
Education employ q singing master, who dcvoteS
himself entirely 10 the work Of lnstructing the pupils
in all the schools In the county, In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been OF q ~softcnlng
and subduing character. This enterprise thus far
The county school tax for iSoi and lSd3 was fixed
by tho Board oil County Commissioners al Is cents
on each 500 Of surface taxable property n the eoun.
mcnt, 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 ~ciic!cat auxlliarics to our Public Schools that
can 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, TO every grade OF
mind, rich In Information. moral lessons and religious
Instruction. untalnted with ~sectarian bias. Wher-
ever these libraries have been successfully estab'
liShcd they have awakened and cultivated u spirit
for reading, aud have essentially modified the char
acter Of those districts for good. IL the legislature
~Oul1 O1eT tile lTuhletS VI edCn sCIOOl DlStIlSl u
premium OF my cents for each person. between nix
and eighteen years, on the condition that private
donations In cash should double That sum, and 10 be
added thereto, l feel confident that In less than one
year 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
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 AMI cities,
l that all the pupils should be vaccInated. Experience
has demonstrated that there are many parents and
guardians. abundantly able 10 bear the small cx-
pense OF vaccination, who prefer their children
should remain NJ home than to conform to the rules
OF the Board. To Danish children from school on
account OF parental avarice Is contrary 10 the genius
OF our Public School system: works II hardship both
to the pupil and the public. and should not be toler-
aled. In such cases Il certainly seems just that the
school authorities should be invested with the power
to have such children raccinated. at the delinquents'
expense, after - days notice by the Clerk or the
Board OF School Trustees for the district.
There are children OF indlGent parents who should
DC vs SSn eSo All 5n Sc ppp phS sHrrns a, Il IL cs he
Interest OF the county that both children and adults
should be qualified 10 successfully resist the loath'
some disease OF small poX.
NEGRO, INDIAN AND aOSGoLIAS CHILDREN.
Some law more cf1clent than now exists. should
be framed, to secure educational facilities to the chill.
dren OF negroes. Indians and MongOlans. A severe
penalty Is attached 10 any district that VIII admit
children Of any OF the prescribed races Into the Pub
lie Schools OF this State-denylns any school District
10 admit one OF these unfortunatcs. The California
School Law. OF which ours In Its principal features.
Is a transcript, has been. ! believe. 50 far modified;
to meet the advancing spirit OF the age. Ms 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 eSpeid.
ed much. both Of time and earnest labor. to organize
n Public School for their benefit; but there nrc mii-
tual preIudlccs existing OF one race against another,
almost, II not quite, rs strong az 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 mourning 4 niuch
greater outlay Of money than the occasion. IN their
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 lsS5, show that
the taxable property OF the cOlored people Of Virginia
City. for that year. amounted TO the sum OF 5000.
Upon this amount a school tax Of two-nlhs Of one
per cent. was paid Into the County School Fund,
This is gross outrage upon = helpless class-our
selfrespect. II not our sense Of Justice, should coun.
sci Us to terminate or modify this system OF wrong.
IMPORTANCE or EDUCATION.
The genius Of our Institutions rests upon the pop
ular will. The great highway OF the multitude can
be illumincd only by q SyStcm OF popular education.
x mich r SOISs t fSS'SSI State r ncsm TO Furnish eJUcn.
tional facilities to all the children OF the State, IRE
spectlve OF condition or clAss-is alphabetically an
the pride' o. our country. II Tie State Is morally
bound TO afford these facilities for the children. then
certainly the children are unueT oOIgnllon 20 w
State 70 avail themselves Of these invaluable ihclli-
ties. Rights and duties are co relative. The public
cannot anord TO allow any class 10 remain In igno-
rance OF 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 loathsolne and Infectious diseases, which
are so strongly guarded against, by all governments,
By a perfect system Of most stringent sanitary reGu-
lations.
The School Department Is the most important In
Its conservative. influence OF any branch OF the state
aforementioned In cure. hut In prevention. The
power Of the State for oil the purpose Of good aug
meuts with the growing intelligence Of the people
ease, poverty and crime. The records OF our criminal
Courts testify against ignorance with an eloguencc
aud logic that should not pass UNDECIDED. wisdom,
the fruit OF education. brings security andpeace.
The schoolmaSter conserves-lgnorance destroys.
It IA vastly more economical for the State to main
tain schools and schoolmasters than criminal Courts
and criminal oflcers-to construct School. Academy
and University buildings, than prisons, penltentla-
ries and gibbets. As the morning dew disappears
before the warm and genial rays OF the ascending
sun, so recedes crime with It's necessary appliances
in those communities vltalized with u comprehen-
sIve education, softened by moral anil religious In.
iluences. The recent rebelllon-the greatest war OF
the centurles-that pcopled nearly a million OF pre-
mature graves, and consumed the earnings Of the
present and past generations, AMI mortgaged the
labor OF generations unborn-would probably not
have occurred had the worth and Importance OF the
schoolmnster been better understood and Apprecla-
ted, and his presence and influence been invoked In
every part Of our Federal Union. How forcibly, In
this connection, Ia Illustrated the truth Of the pro-
verb, that Prevention Is better than cure" These