Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-01-06

Some Suggestions About the Con-
dition Of Our Public Schools.

8ONHhe 6ukkesthUnB ABDUL tnt &OU-
dition Of Our Public Schools.
The assertion by one Of the Board Of
Trustees, at a recent meeting Of the County
Commissioners, that there is not q class in
the public schools Of Eureka that is adj
vanced enough in mathematics to be
thorough in "long division" suggests some
serious reflections. 1t is not unlikely that
the Trustee, Mr.. M. NJ. johnson, n OF
our most worthy and substantial citizens,
and who is alive to his duty as q school
officer, overshot the mark somewhat, led
on by the rather personal turn that our
late unfortunate school trouble assumed
before the Board. But his remark was not
idle or ~unfounded. Whether it can be ac-
cepted as a precise statement Of the back
wardness that prevails in our school, how
ever, is not material. He makes it plain
to the public that our school boys and
school girls are not advanced as they should
be. The writer knows by personal inspec-
ton that Mr.. johnson is, in the main, pos
sibly altogether, correct. This is said, let
it clearly be understood, without any dis
position to find fault with anybody, or to
take sides with any parties in the division
among the school people. The SENTINEL
has refrained from ~espousing anybody's
cause in what has, it seems, gotten to be
something Of q personal quarrel out of
which no good can ONE and which does
serious harm to the school children and to
the community, the happiness Of the latter
being involved in the welfare Of the former.
No. 10 - - nnaaaar v On In 1,,;ra xuha Ia a . far1k
" Let the dead past bury it's dead"
The SENTINEL would like to offer some
friendly hints for the future, We are
soon to begin q new school term. The
school should not be put under way again
until IL is thoroughly r~eorganized. 1t
should first be graded as thoroughly as
possible, and the work for any given time
in each department accurately defined, so
that when pupils pass from one room to
another they may be at home through the
entire course. The absence Of systematic
and thorough grade training has probably
been one OF the serious defects in the Eu-
reka schools. And the writer takes pleas
ure in saying right here that the various
teachers have done good work in their
separate departments; some Of them have
shown extraordinary skill in their teach
ing, but the fault is that their labors alto
R6bu6f nave not DleUQeu III one COQUDu-
GUS effort along the scale.
Again, it may be that labor has been
lost on account OF the ambition universal
pear to advantage" Exhibitions for the
qualification of parents are good and
proper, but the quiet, solid everyday
work, conscientiously done, is what tells.
1t is infinitely better for children to know
perfectly a few things than to have a
gilded smattering of many. There is not
a taxpayer in the State b contributes to
the support Of free schools who is not sat-
isfied with his share of the bur-
den il he feels that the rudiments
are thoroughly taught. He is not
likely to be pleased with any
efforts at higher culture if he thinks
the rudiments Of a common English edu-
cation have been sighted. Whatever the
standard is, let that standard be safely
reached. This ia something to determine
by study. Possibly the standard in Eu-
reka has been placed too high, and not
having been attained, confusion and lack
OF ~thoroughness have resulted, and there
is now no true standard at all. After all
that may be said on the subject, the key
note to the whole situation is probably to
be found in the single word-thoroughness.
The question Is being agitated in Gold
Hill, on account OF the scarcity Of money
in the school fund, whether it would not
DO better, as there must be O sacrifice
somewhere, to discontinue the High School
altogether, in order to keep the lower de-
partments at work continuously, az the
rudiments are taught in them. The Gold
Hill News makes the suggestion, and it
will probably be acted upon. We are not
cramped for money in Eureka, and the
SENTINEL makes no such suggestion for
our schools. Let everything be taught
thai can be thoroughly taken in and di-
gested-and no more. Fix q safe, sure
standard let it be as high as possible,
and work up to it.
The schools Of Eureka, especially, now,
as they are in need OF reorganization from
beginning to end, require a first-class male
principal. He should not only be familiar
with the books from which he teaches, but
he should be a man OF wide culture-a
scholar. Nor should he be book worm. He
should be o man versed In human nature,
companionable, familiar with the ways Of
genteel society. He should not be an ILL.,
balanced fellow, or, in other words, q
pedagogical "crank." He should be q
Of soul and heartiness, whom the
children will respect and take kindly to.
The SENTINEL is unpersonal in its Jour-
nallsm, and III Goes not say Wnetner III mas
drawn a picture in the foregoing lines OF
Professor White or Professor Scanland.
The Trustees are the sole judge Of the
qualifications Of teachers-after examina-
ton. II they think either Of the two
gentlemen named flls the bill, give the
place to him, or to any other man in the
State who does. II not, send abroad. The
country is full OF teachers, and q first rate
Principal can be had. First rate teachers
have q high-marked price for their services,
however, and they get 1t where they are
appreciated. II the Trustees will allow
it, the SENTINEL will suggest that they get
a frst-class Principal for the Eureka
schools wherever they can find him, and
without regard to price pay him the market
value Of his talent, skill and experience.
Start out this new term with q thoroughly
cultivated and skilful teacher as Princi-
pal, retain al the ladies who have done
we'll enough in their departments. and
before another year begins Eureka will be
proud Of her schools, instead of feeling
bound 10 scold about them.
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