Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-05-09

On the suppoSitlou that there are SLr mtt-
lions of dollars Of taxable property in the
county, a tax Of fifteen cents on each one
hundred dollars will produce the sum OF
$1,000.
In the Virginia School District the per
cent. will be 4 triae below thirteen cents, and
in some Of the smaller districts the per cent.
will be somewhat higher.
This tax will not be considered burdensome
on the county for school purposes, when it is
understood that the county school tax for
each Of the two preceding years was but NJ
teen cents on each one hundred dollars,
whereas the school law allowed a tax Of
thirty cents. The annual sum for the past
two years from the school tax amounted to
about $1,000, about $1,000 more than is
allowed for the salary Of one county officer,
and about one half the sum annually expend-
ed on the County Hospital.
San Francisco, with an assessment roll OF
about one hundred millions Of dollars, has a
school tax Of hirty-6re cents in gold coin
equal to about forty-Seren cents in currency
on each one hundred dollars, and there are
in California about a half 4 score Of counties
tina, levy a gold coin tax Of thirty c~ents-equal
10 forty CENTS in currency-and yet are I'M
able TO keep their schools open but u little
more than half the year. There are now ten
schools in the county and ten teachers.
There were enrolled in the month Of March
on the school registers 1877 pupils. There IS,
in addition to the above, a pressing necessity
for re-opening the school for colored children,
closed some months since, we understand,
by the old Board Of Education, on account OF
~pecuniary considerations only. The School
Census Marshal Of this county returned
l.Ol0 persons between the ages Of six n
-. IA a1.n l2S haftraaD Tho anna
of four and six years. so Of whom, at least, Of
the last named class, we are credibly inform
ep, would attend school were facilities pro-
vidcd'for their accommodation. The same
report returned Ia persons between the ages
Of six and eighteen years who attended no
school whatever, and the probability Is that
these hgurcs do not fully represent the num-
Der of that neglected class. This unfortunate
condition OF affairs should not exist. The
public cannot well afford TO allow this mass
Of ignorance to grow up in its midst, to
ripen into vice and crime-to vaccinate
the well.meaning, well-trained and we'll
guarded children with the virus of their
own vicious conversation and demoralized
habits. Our educational facilities should
be enlarged rather than diminished.
Provision should be made for the education
Of all, and then public sentiment should be so
intensified on this point that parents would
be compelled BY virtue of its moral force to
look after the education Of their children, OF
school age. To close our schools for the
summer would be a public calamity, to which
the undersigned feel confident you would not
give your consent. It would not only great
Is rctard pupils in the progress OF their
studies, weaken their iuclinations for study,
but it would throw large numbers OF idle
children upon the streets, open to them IN
Vulnerable venue TO illurlng temptations
and prove destructive to the future, Of many
hopeful pupils. All these evils ultimately
fasten themselves on the public. In addition
to these and many other disadvantages that
might be named, il would SO demoralize our
public schools, which now possess the con-
Sdence of the public, that years Of labor and
large expenditures Of money would be neces-
sary 70 restore them to their present stand
ard Of efficiency and public confidence; be-
sides il would tend to drive away from US
many families which have been attracted
hither and retained among US, on account OF
the educational advantages our county afford.
ed-families which place the education OF
their children above high wages, lively times
and bright pecuniary prospects. We can Ill
afford to lose this class OF our population.
In another column will be found the calls
for an election in the several school districts
in the county, to determine whether a special
tax shall be levied for the amounts and the
therein named.
The undersigned, having now discharged
their duty in the premises, commit the mat
ter to you for your calm elaboration and ma
ture Judgment, confident in the belief that
you will not weigh the consideration OF a few
thousands Of dollars against the educational
claims Of our youth and the future OF our
society.