Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-05-12
A R0slon Idea of ruesnn,s sehools.

Mir. Thomas Bickneil, editor anC
 proprietor of the Boston Journal o
 Education, who recently passed througi
 Tucson, with one of the Ray ex
 curslon parties, has contributed to hli
 publication the following impres
 sion of this city, bearing chiefly upor
 the educational interests:
 ALcsOn, the younger, IS only foul
 years ot age; the elder Tucson Is OI
 oIaulsh blltn, centuries old. PubllS
 schools We're uuknONn uutlI the entry oi
 the Southern Pacific AaIlroad brought
 an American life tO develop the wealth Of tuIs portion of the country, rich lI
 grazing and mineral resources. The composite character of the population Of 5.OUO people, now In thIs city of the pialus, Is seen Ill the schools. A show oi
 hands In several of tne roUms revealed
 the fact that Boston boys and girls were studying aEd recIung with their peers from New York, Ohio, IlliAois, WlscOn sin, Minnesota, kausas, Colorado, ] Nevada, Arkansas, Mexico, New Mexico. l CallfOrnIa, Germany, South America, | parts adjacent and parts unknown, speaking the languages of at least four | great natlonallJIes. lu facf hIugham man, MT. Strauss, Is mayor of Tucson; | a Somervllle pastor, Rev. Mir. Sumner, breaches at tue COngTe. atIOnaI church; and an llllnOisian, Mir. Hap ward, edits one of the dalhes. Such Is the com muglmg of the varied elements of strength Ill this new sstern lie.
 A visit to the adobe school building, one story high, wItn five rooms on the l floor, with heavy balconies iu front and rear, protecting the rooms from the heat nt the sun, enable Us tc see Now well the pioneer schoOl-work of the cIty Is going on. Professor Hall, the principal, Is from Los Angeles, Cal, of Wisconsin birth, and a reader Ot the Journal from its nrst issue. We are indebted to him for many kind attentions add much valuable information concerning educa- tiOn.
 Professor Hall, though an experienced teacher ID the West, entered inc school ] under most trying circumstances, some of winch are well known. and others un- known, tO eastern teachers. He says First, large number of respectable cit lzens were hot pleased with the removal of the former teachers. Second, many of the pupils seemed c. partake of ghe- spirit Of dlssatlsl acton, and We're not inclined to acqul5sce IL the new order of affairs, but were disposed to toe some what troublesome. Third, he found ln the school large number Of Spanish American pupils, some of whom could uOt speak Englisa. Fourth, the school was organized with separate male and female departments. Fifth. the grades were not clearly defined. Sixth, many pupils were proficient ID some studies and quite deficient m others of the same grade.
 His inability to speak Spanish was for a time serious difficulty, but, by using as interpreters SpauIsh-speakIng pupils, he was enabled to make himself under stood This inability proved au adyant- age to those who We're deficient ID Eng lish, luasmuch as they have been com pelied Co employ all their Knowledge uf the language, and Co seek better ac- quaIutanco with lt, lu order to make themselves uudersto a. At present there are very few pupils Ia inc school whu cannot converse readily ID English.
 Al the end Of three years cOeducatIUn has been secured, graded system Is well established, and the public schools are now the most promising and popular work Ot the nrw society. We saw about three hundred pupils m the schools vis- Ited, as Eell-beuaved and studlcus as any in Our eastern cities. The swarthy Spanish face formed good background for the hghtfaced, blue-eyed Anglo Saxon, and the musical Spanish names destr pyed the mpnOt0uy of Smith, ones, and Brown, m the roll-call.
 A quick and cordial response followed our questions in arithmetic, grammar, spelling and history. Well known Eastern publishers furnish text-bcoks for Mexican, Indian, Spanish and Amer icau; California furnishes school furni- ture, and New York; while Nevada, Cal Ifornia and Kansas supply the teaching force.
 All are at work vigorously, intelli- gently and harmoniously, and the pupils appreciate their labors.
 Among the peful signs are:
 l. A new school buildIng. with twelve rooms, and all modern appointments suited to the climate, Is soon to be erected. at a cost of S40,ON.
 ?. A high school will soon be estab- ished, with course of study equal in GAtNlL tb Nuhh oA OuL u1ot LoMA oNIptlo ID the East.
 8. A complete gradation will be ef- fected on the plan already marked out by the principal.
 1. The attendance of the school pop ulation IS rapidly increasing, and. as consequence, Spanish and parochlal school are decreasing.
 .. Money Is freely appropriated for public education, and the best cItizens now support the schools by sending their children C. them. The sources of this income are lal Territorial tax; (b( county tax; Co fees for licenses on liquor saloons and gambling tables, the last amounting, in lSSsi, Co not less than 5000.
 It Is a work of no small magnitude to build up a system of instruction Tn a new town on the fron ter, and We shall always have a warme word Of encOur- agement and a cruer sympathy for these brave men aud wOme who are laying the foundation of great States in this far-off Southwest.