Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-22
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT REPORT.
suPerintendents Report-Continu.d,

these To . vc ~ SssiSialu!e has the powerto prevent
lstence, and feeling that a remedy sho,,T an.I eS,
In tho Legislature. the trainers Of tho sists c SeSsca
; ITtiic IisI II IN tb aat toSty In that body in Section
The Legislature NAV mas, cue, .u-
as VIII tend 70 secure general attendance OF Inc
children In each school district upon said Public
The great irregularity OF the attendance OF ch,.
dren Of well meaning parents Is an evil OF such mar.
nItudc as 10 require q remedy It Is In Its baleful IN.
huence next to non.attendance, which Is more cx-
tensIve than is generally considered. Children arc
detained at home for the most trivial reasons. This
Is otte done from thoughtlessness or from igno-
rance of the evils that grow out OF repeated absence.
A few days absence In q term generally drops the
| pupil behind his class. It may require u vigorous
u,e Of all his powers and prompt attendance 10 som.
mand o respectable standing. Soon disgust iolioWs
closely upon the heels Of disbursement, and there
is no longer any attraction either for school asso,
cIates, school teacher or school house. Mortincd
ambition cannot endure daily exposure. For inc
purposes Of education, children are, in o certain
sense, the property OF the State. The law demands
that property shall be taxed 10 support a Pubic
School for six months In each year. In return lor
the payment Of this tax, property has a right 70 de;
mand that children between certain ages snail avali
themselves of these expensive facilities for a ike
term, or their equivalent at private schools. TO IN
sure an efficient Public School system-to secure for
II In the public estimation that position and conn
dencc that the system should command, the stand
ard L Of SSh ,hai adIs0 ON 'G ne part pa iu Sr fsaSne, or s aefectIS We
education, unfortunate In other departments OF In
dustry, would not venture, a. q temporary eSpeal'
cnt. to aspire to the control of Public School. The
feeling Is altogether too prevalent, that any person
who can read and write Is competent TO Instruct a
Primary School. II Is my de lberate Judgment that
Il requires more skill. a greater amount OF tact, q
wider range OF general knowledge, and q clearer up
prehenslon OF the complicated la that control DIFF
ierent children In a school OF forty or MY little ones,
and to excite and maintain an interest among those
who have no idea OF the value OF education. than 10
awaken and maintain Il like interest among The
xnule number OF advanced scholars In n High School.
Many Of the wlsest educators In the country have
often expressed this sentiment with great ieellhg
and force. ] regard teaching rs the most import
ant Us well US the most difficult OF all the probes
siOns-one that demands OF It's members individ;
uuIIy q more comprehensive knowledge or mental
and moral philosophy, a quicker perception ana
knowledge OF childish likes and d!snRes oil inc hu-
merous springs OF action. and how to turn them 70
awaken interest, stimulate thought. pIedtce dlscl.
pIine and cheerful obedience. than those OF any
other Of the intellectual professions; No one Is re-
garded competent to practice any OF the learned pro,
fesSIOnS who has not gone through a long course OF
professional training under tho immediate dlrec-
lion Of their most eminent savans, to qualify MN 70
discharge intelllgently the responsible duties MS
profession may require. No one Is REGARDED eompe-
tent 10 make n shoe or q shovel. a house or a hand
saw, u coach or 4 cr0wbar. a broom, q BIZ or q
bucket, without first serving an apprenticeship.
The man VINO can make q steam engine, or VINO can
control It's movement afer II Is made, viii com.
mand more compensation than the public Is Wiling
TO pay an ordinary teacher IN 4 Public Scnool,
though every part OF the engine, from ITS iced 70 us
exhaust. with Its various Individual and combined
uses, could be learned In q fortnight by q well dlSci-
plined and well educated teacher. whose mind has a
should learn their profession BY n course OF discipline
and training, under the direction OF the most buc-
ccSsful and celebrated educators In the country.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Shut out and far removed rs our State Is from the
great educational centers OF the country, our oppor.
tunitlcs arc slim indeed 10 secure first class teach.
rrs. The best OF the imported educators 10 the
Educational Boards Of San francisco, sacramento
and other parts OF California, aud We have nothing
by which 10 invite superior educators TO our desert
homes. unless our School Boards offer extrayagant
pay. which cannot DO expected-which would not
Our great educational want Is a Normal School
an Institution to educate those or our youth ambi.
tIous to be teachers and for educational honors-'o
train them 10 meet the educational requirements 81
our times and for our peculiar locality; young mcn
ali or them, reside In our State. and who probably
viii remain permanently with us. An Institution
Of this character would, In addition 10 It's regular
supply for our schools OF well educated. well drilled
and live teachers, do much to awaken and foster
throughout the State a spirit OF intellectual culture
and to bring permanently before our people The
great value and Importance Of popular education
one Of the most populous towns OF the State. where
q sufficient number OF pupils could be procured fol
The SrSan la9 ! SS Of irs sshoSl sS SIGSan 70 ri, Ge s' iapSrl
tgnt adjunct would be as inefficient as q school for
the study OF practical chemistry that should Ignore
| the LABORATORY, Win us UltUbtT uuHlo dlu pTcClpI-
tants, or Of practical astronomy. without the aid Of
the heavenly bodies, Quadrunts and telescopes.
There Is, however, O considerable number OF young
people OF respectable Attachments In our midst who
have taught school more or less. and ambitious TO
obtain a respectable rank In the profession OF teach.
Ing, but whose knowledge OF the theory and prac'
tIce Of teaching Is altogether unequal TO the I'D.
vauced educational claims OF the present time
Many Of these would be drawn 10 an Institution VI
this character TO procure the proper
and u diploma, which should be current with School
Boards In every district, and should displace the
local Boards OF School Examiners throughout the
State. The stay Of this class would be longer OF
shorter according 10 their previous attachments and
ap.ncSs 10 acquire. A Normal School would give
forth It's first fruits from this cisss. Were the State
In Il pccuniary condition 10 organize and support al
Institution OF this character. II would not be ar
easy matter 10 over estimate It's value upon thu
public school interest In Nevada. But II need moi
necessarily be attended with great expense. Thu
rert OF a small building, the cost OF furniture and
the salary Of one Professor, with trihing additional
Incidental expenses, would be all the outlay that al
present would be reSaiTeI, I'm, dhe P pelin,S sdIngS
Of the school and the Increase OF the State schoo
Fund, II the State would offer two thousand dol
lars annually for the Iirst Two years: on condition
TO be added 10 II, l feel confident that that amount
could be raised, and & Normal School could be az
once put into = successful sHMad WORKING 70 eond ~ .. SONS ,hIs
amount by the State, without seriously depressing
any person or class.
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATION.
There Is one subject that ] would like TO bring to
your notice for your consideration. ] am somewhat
In doubt whether the present Il the proper time or
This the proper channel. but with my Ideas as re-
cards tho comprehensive character OF our PUBLIC
School system, the proposed suggestions In this con-
nectIon, will be both legitimate and proper. II Is
well known that the peculiar character OF the climate
Of the vast ranges OF these elevated tdblc-lands be
tween the Rocky and sierra Nevada mountains; IS
hut little known by our own people, and very I'M
perfectly understood by the people OF the other
States. 4 plan that would secure Inc proper re-
cordins of accurate meteorological oSssrvatlons ~
those parts OF the State where Public Schools would
be likely to be maintained Throughout the year,
would be a valuable contribution to science. and ~
the course OF a decade OF years would throw much
light in regard TO our climate. One teacher IN cach
OF the principal towns In the State, II furnished with
Inc necessary Instruments for determining the heat
and density OF the atmosphere. the direction and
force OF the winds, the amount OF the fall OF rain and
snow, and a book for recording the necessary obscr-
vntions-all OF. which the Smithsonian Institute
would undoubtedly cheerlully supply-would, with
a trlhIng addition TO his salary, Il so directed By law,
accurately perform the task. These observations
published either weekly or monthly, would awaken,
both OH the part ofthc teachers. pupils and the pub
lie generally, habits OF close observation IN regard 10
atmospheric changes,
XIspIREcrroS or TIE PROCEEDS OF TIE HALr MIL
scctIon6 OF Education, Article \ OF the State Con.
%stitution. II occurs 70 me, was diverted by the last
Legislature, from the use intended by those wdo
Law, approved March 9th, ISIS. provides that: IAN
moneys derived from the tax herein levied (hali
mill taxi shall be paid Into the State School Fund.
| and be apportioned In the same manner as other
| money In that fund"-that Is, the interest ~accrulng
shall 6c distributed 10 all the counties In the State,
according to the ascertalned number OF persons be-
tween the ages Of six and eighteen years In said
counties. for the support OF Public Schools. The
| object OF this half mill tax was designed particularly
10 create q fund for the support or the Mining Col
| lcgc-the mining branch OF the University. IL was
the general opinion of.the members OF the Constitu'
tIonal Convention that this tax would yield the first
| year from ten to illeen thousand dollars. with q
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 Regents 10 establish this branch ofthc
| University and to put II Into successful operation In
u very abort time. The section ~ referred TO above
OF the Constitution, is In the following language 10
wilt: ....
1.-THE Legislature shall provide q 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
vIded for the support and maintenance OF said Uni
| yersIty and common SCHOOL,"
The last three words, "and common Schools
above, were coupled with the word University 70
make Il appear manifestly clear that the HniVerslty
was a part of the Public School system. Inc intenI
| lion OF the Convention. In regard 70 inc dlsposal o.
Inc proceeds or this half mill tax. VIII more cisaIiy
appear BY reference TO section :, OF the Educaiionai
Article OF the Constitution, which reads@ 'ono"s'
9TH, Boari Of Regents shall. from the Interest
an. 1rs, h,nds from the hall MIL taxi