The Placer herald., 1873-04-26

great evil confusing schools and oppressive 10
poor parents. 1t is only advantageous to
book concerns. Our State Board should he
Invested of the authority to prescribe a uni
torm series at their pleasure
An Educational Journal, devoted to in
struc,ion, should be a medium through which
knowledge can he obtained in al matters ay-
pertaining to our schools; but when it be-
comes a medium of oflense and abuse,
think it should cease to receive patronage
from the people, treasury. Better lot it de-
pend on its merit for support.
During the year, my official relations with
YOU have been of the most pleasant and
lg~eable character, with few exceptions
rhe exception of which complain, is: that
teachers sometimes close their terms of
school, draw their salaries and leave, wiz houi
giving notice, or making the reports required
by law. In some cases they obtain the or
ler for their salaries from the Boards OF
Trustees, sell them to third persons, close
their schools without reporting, and when
requested to do 40, treat the request with
indifference Such course is in violation
Of law, and comprls, me- great expense, to
ravel to remote parts of the county, search
obscure records and make reports for them
The law requires me to withhold one mont IS
salary iii ali such cases; but innocent pur-
chasers can compel me to pay. For the
iuture, will have to adopt more stringent
measures. These complaints, trust, you
will receive i'll tho same spirit of kindness IN
which they are given, and profit by the ad
'nonltion.
AS to the manner of conducting your
schools, it ia unnecessary for me to offer ex
tended suggestions, because the State Board
If Education exercise full and absolute con-
lrol in all mat ers necessary. Practically
local authorities are ciphers, and TEACHERS
mere machines to act in obedience to thp,
will. will. however, offer few. thick,
IS a general rule, that we should pay NOR.
attention to morals and poliieness in our pu-
pills. The degree of immorality in the land
is shocking, and the absense of politeness to
be regretted. am aware that great respon-
sib'iies are placed upon you, but you have
chosen your profession, and should 90 equal
to the emergency. In youth we lay the
md men must stand; let them be laid wei
md true. and if parents avoid this duty, II
must be done by you.
A new system of grading and course of
study has been adopted, to take effect ON the
first day of July. which makes several ma.
terid changes. In the second, first and adj
vaDced grades is Il great improvement OIL
The present system, because it treats the pu
pills as rational and progressive beings, and
hp uI pr ai
practical, and Il credit to the gentlemen who
arranged them. The third grade | cannot
commend, because the second, third and
ourh divisions embrace work that should
he performed in the nursery. | am aware
that it is popular at the present time to re
.ieve parents of many, too many, of those
responsible duties designed by nainre that
hey, and they alone, should perform, and
urn their children over to the care of
ieacher, who under the rules, at once sub
jects them to our System of examining. ]
huk the three lower divisions of this grade |
wer' designed for orphans or children whose
parents a,e not capable of imparting sensible
IDEAS. This grade may be useful to cities
ehere the time Of parents is taken up il |
fashionable conventionalities, but for plain |
matter of fact people in the country, | think
useless. In complying with these several
!ivIsions, it is TO be hoped rocking cradle
and baby Jumpers may not he necessary.
You are required to co duet your schools
in accordance with law, and the law provide
hat you shall be supplied '.ilh copy. But
f, sufficient number Of copies have not YET
been printed, so am unable to supply, you |
IS required the fault is not mine. You arr
expected to see and work by the light OF
other days.
But the greatest objection is in the dutier
assigned to Superintendeuts. BY it, County
5uperintendens are required to personally
Examine and graduate each class from one
Iiviaion to another, and from one grade to
mother. TO comply with this rule will i'm
po-e an amount of labor in Placer county
beyond the ability Of two men TO perform
have forty seven schools to examine ano
graduate which, once in four months, vii
equre 94 days, which will, in eight months
require 1873 days, and allowing one day IL
lravel from one school to another, maxim. |
two visits. about 80 days, requiring 2Gs
lays. Eight school months embrace 16t
to be performed in 100 working days, with
)ut allowing any time for office work, what
ever. In making this rule. the State Boarc
have exceeded their authority under tn,
Jaw.
Al our last convention, a resolution was
,dop'ed requiring me to appoint two editors,
whose duty should be to conduct an educa-
fional column in each of our local news
papers. In obedience to Ihe resolution, ed |
llors were appointed, with an assistant Il
Zach, and the use of column WAS very
tlnuly offered by the proprietors OF each Z.
our papers, and for time all went lovely
out TO keep those columns filled with inter
sting matter required much more time thn
hose teachers who were appointed editors
,oud possibly afford TO give; appeals wen
frequently made to Il eh fellow teachers t"
.ssistance, but generally in vain. The re
,,lt q. th.t h. colu,nu II, ono Du,,or Ia