Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-10
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF the Storey County superintendent
OF Public Instruction.
Hon. 4. F. White, Superintendent Of Public In
s~truetfon for the STATE Of Nerddd:

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. By way OF explanations and
In this connection, may not be out Of
place.
The School Law, approved March 30. ls65, repealed
the special school law OF November, 1867, which eS-
cmpted Storey county from the school law approved
November, le6l. under which the Storey county
Board OF Education was ORGANIZED, and worked with
great efficiency for nearly three years. This change
abolished the old Board Il OF Education and brought
our schools under the provisions OF the new law,
which was poorly adapted TO meet the wants Of this
mall but comparatively thlcEly populated county.
The schools OF this county were placed under my
supervision on the 29th day. OF May, last past. l
found the county. which formerly consisted Of but
one School District, carved up. by NV predecessor
who. BY u decision Of the Supreme Court, held the
office OF County Superintendent without legal au-
thority-lnto four School Districts, two Of which,
from q pauclty OF population, could not maintain a
school for q time SUFFICIENT TO cntiilc them to draw
the funds, distributed by the State Board OF Educa-
tion, without ~rcsortlng to district taxation; though
one OF these districts embraced the extensive Re-
ducti0n Works Of the Gould x Curry Mining Com.
pany, and seven or eight Quartz Mills-havlng All
amount OF taxable property, the school fund from
which, " expended In that district, would literally
support n iiourishing school for the entire year. Con-
sidcrlng so much OF the action Of my predecessor as
Illegal. that divided the county Into four districts. |
restored the same TO ono School District, with u View
OF making the schools more efficient. by bringing
them under one management, and appointed for
School Trustees for Storey School District, MesSrs.
LOUIS fcuSlcT, ". ". hQklSOn anu >. III. ltODl1lNOn,
three gentlemen well known for their public spirit.
energy Of character. business capacity, and devotion
70 the interest and prosperity OF popular education.
These gentlemen addressed themselves ut once to
the Important work Ofenlarging. repairing. rcnovat-
Ing, ventllating and furnishing those school houses,
which were constructed or fitted temporary for
school purposes In 1852 and 1868, with the idea that
they would soon be displaced by more cOmmOdiOus
and permanent school editiceS. These Improve
ments were attended with considerable expense. but
were indlSpcnSahly necessary. Their labOrS have
been Hriuous. They have already accomplished
very much. but much moro remains 10 he accnm-
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 viii
probably serve a 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 and sun. The Board
own all these school houses with the exception OF
two. " OF these arc 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 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.
~vcniencc. II Is safe to aflirm that there are not on
the Pacific coast. San Francisco not excepted, more
comfortably furnished rooms than those OF Storey
county. The corps Of teachers employed will com.
pare farorably with any In other cities. Under their
lie estimation. Though the population OF the county
is diminishing. the schools have Increased about IS
per cent. and are rapidly nuSmcn,ing In numbers,
Two new schools have been organized, and / am
happy TO DC able 10 report that our schools are In a
healthy and fourishing condition. The Board oil
Education employ a singing. master. who devotcs
himself entirely TO the work Of instructing the pupils
in all the schools In the county. In vocal music. The
influence upon the scholars has been Of n ~soltening
and Subduing character. This enterprise thus fI
has worked charninsly.
The county school tax for 1851 and lax was fixed
by the Boarl OF County Commissioners at Is cents
on each SlOO OF surface taxable property In the coun
R..-a a haPlty apnat IN tho wants nf this flapaFl
ment. but with economy and no serious drawback;
VIC shall probably be able to maintain the schools In
the county through the year.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
District School Libraries constitute one OF III,
most efficient auNiliArics 10 our Public Schools tina
can be employed. Their importance. when Wisely
selected and judiciousiy managed. can not be easily
over estimated. There are books admirably adapt
ed, both In style and thought, TO every grade o
mind, rich In Information, moral lessons and religion,
instruction, untainted with sectarian bias. Wher
ever these libraries have been successfully estaG
lIshed they have awakened and cultivated a spirit
for reading, and have essentially modified the char
actcr OF those districts for good; i the legislature
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 sun, and 10 bt
added thereto. ! feel confident that in less than one
reading matter for the little folks II every prominent
School District In the State, insuring pleasure and
profit 10 the pupils. and q rich reNard, particularly
In the future, 10 the public. One thousand dollar.
expended In this way by the State. would produce
results Of great lei
VACCINATION.
II IS very important for the continued prosperity
OF our Public Schools. especially In towns aud cities,
that all the pupils should be vacclnated. Experience
has demonstrated that there arc many parents and
guardians. abundantly able 10 bear the small eN'
pcIsc OF vaccination, who prefer their children
should remain at home than TO conform to the rules
OF the Board. To Danish children from school on
account OF parental avarice Is contrary TO the genius
OF our Public School system: works a hardship both
TO the pupil and the public, and should not be toler
atcd. In such cases II certainly seems Just that the
school authorities should be invested with the power
to have such children vaccinated, at the dellnqnents
expense, after = days notice by the Clerk OF the
Board OF School Trustees for the district.
There arc children ofindigent parents who should
be vaccinatcd at the public expense. In these cases
the county should bear the burden, as II Is for the
Interest OF the county that both children and adults
should be qualified to successfully resist the loath'
some disease OF small poN.
NEGRO, INDIAN AND MoNGoLIAN CHILDREN.
Some law moro efficient than now exists, should
be framed, TO secure educational facilities to the chill.
dren OF negroes. Indians aud MongOllans. a severe
penalty Is attached TO any district that Will admit
Children Of any OF the prescribed races Into the Pub
lie Schools ofthis State-denyinG any School District
even By \ unanimous vote OF Its citizens. the right
TO Admit one OF these uniortunatcs. The California
School Law. OF which ours ln Us principal textures
to meet the advancing spirit OF the age. as to repeal
this penalty.
seven negro, thirteen Indian and lftecn Monaghan
children in this county, between six and eighteen
years OF age. The Board OF Education have eSpend'
cd much. both Of time and earnest labor. to oTSanlzc
tual preIudlces existing OF one race against another,
almost, II not quite, as strong as 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 a much
greater outlay OF money than the occasion, In their
Judgment :s seemed y 10 z, SSas1 nr;.;.n EI ,,ma .h ,sS cT nTHnoI,Y III
the negro has been taxed for the support of Public
Schools. The Assessors books, for ls6a, show that
the taxable property Of the colorcI people o; tirSinia
Upon this amount a school tax OF two.liths OF one
per cent. was paid into the County School Fund.
This Is gross outrage upon 2 helpless SIaTsm0nr
sci us TO terminate or modify this system OF wrons.
IMPORTANCE or EDUCATION.
The genius Of our institutions rests upon the pop
ular will. The great highway Of the multitude can
be illumined only by n system OF popular education.
The Public School system, as now UNDERSTOOD
which holds the State responsible TO furnish edtcA-
tIonal facilities to all the children OF the State, ire
spectIve OF condition or class-is emphatically an
American system. II Is the hope, and should be
the pride, q our country; II INC state y morally
certainly the children are under obligation 10 the
State TO avail themselves OF these Invaluable fncli-
ties. Rights and duties are co relative: Inc Pubic
rance o~fletters. Ignorance Is the natural enemy To
society. IL generates and carries with II an I'M
healthy and eontaSiousn atmosphere, vastly more 10,
those loathsome 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 II the most important In
its conservative influence OF any branch Of the State
Government-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
II. In the train OF Ignorance follow dis
ease. poverty and crime. The records OF our criminal
Courts testify against Ignorance with an eloQucDce
and logic that should not pass unhccded. wisdom,
the fruit Of education, brings security andpeace.
II Is vastly more economical for the State to main.
tain schools and s~choOlmasters than criminal Courts
and riminal oficers-to construct School. Academy
and University buildings, than prisons, penitcntla-
and gibbets. As the morning dew disappears
before the warm and genial rays OF the ascending
sun, 80 reccdcs crime with its necessary appliances
in those communities vitallzed with q comprchen-
slve education, softened by moral and religious In.
The recent rebellion-the greatest war OF
the centuries-tha pcopled nearly a million OF pre-
mature graves, and consumed the earnings OF the
present and past generations, and mortgaged the
labor Of generations unborn-wou)d probably not
have occurred had the worth and Importance OF the
schoolmastcr 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 OF the pro-
verb, that Prevention Is better than cure" These
great truths should inspire us TO cherish our Public
Legislature should give Joyfully for their support.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE,
With the great fact staring us In the face. that
OF the present generation OF children In
our State viii DO entirely dependent upon our Public
nnhs Of this number will be drawn Into the various
channels OF labor before they shall attain to fourteen
years Of age-that their own future for good or 70
character and quality Of our Public Schools. IL be.
hOoves the friends OF education, the people, Legis-