Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-03-18
school Report.

The annual report of Hon. Nj. II. Sher-
 man. Superintendent of Public Instruc-
 tiou for Arizona for 1881 and 1882, has
 been received. It treats of the difficult.
 ties heretofore experienced in the cause
 Of education, and gives copies of the re- ports of county superintendents and oi | some prominent teachers ID the Terri | tory. The whole work of the office is de- | tailed iu full
 In his general review the Superiuten- ! dent speaks of tue present county system as follows:
 l have no hesitation ID saying that ! the system Uf County Superintendency
 in our counties is radically wrong. The | Probate Judge Is ex-ohicio County Su- perintendent of Schools in his county.
 lnasmuch as his time is constantly | taken up with matters pertaining to his
 office as Probate Judge, he has no opportunity of visiting schools Besides,
 the office of County Superintendent should be filled by a man especially qualified and trained for that business. We might aS well expect County Re- cOrder Co til the office of District At tOrney. l am not unmindful of the fact ] intelligent men who are filling the office of County Superintendent in faithful
 manner, and are doing all in their power to advance school interests. 1
 would suggest an amendment to the
 present law, so that the office of County
 Superintendent should be 8 distinct
 one. The salary should be sufficient to
 induce good and competent men to seek
 tue position. No timid and nervous
 apprehensions as to caste should be
 allowed tOinterfere with the inahenable
 rights of our children to q suitable
 education. While We spend thousands ot
 dollars annually in our Territory to de-
 fray the expenses of grand and petit juries, magistrates and peace officers, iu
 order that crimes may be suppressed,
 would 1t not be well 10 consider that most potent factor m the prevention of crime-the education of cur youth?
 Under the present system our schools must necessarily langulsh for want of proper supervision.
 From the historical report of Prof. Geo. C. Hall, of the Tucson school, the following extracts are made:
 In the fall of 1874 Prof. W. B. Horton entered upon the discharge of his du- ties as principal, with Ignacis Banillas as assistant in the male department. The female department was ably con- ducted by Miss Packard who taught one year. She was succeeded by Miss Nesmith who also taught one year. Mrs. Aguirre next took charge of this branch and WIS followed by Miss Nora Smith ana Miss Sallie Wood.
 Prof. Horton held the position of principal more than SIX years. To bis hands was committed a difficult task, and to properly estimate tho value of his work one should understand and ap- preciate the obstacles and difficulties with which he had to contend in con- ducting a cosmopolitan school in which sheGe was more or less race prejudice anywhere, in the minds of certain mem bers of the community at large, there ex- lsted an unfavorsble opinion Of our pU b. lie system of instruction.
 The instability of society, incident to all frontier cities and the rude appii- ances with which he began his work were further obstacles. Many young men of this city and other places Tn the territory owe to him all that makes them useful members of society. Six years faithful service in the schools of a cIty should entitle a teacher to the gratitude of it's people.
 In February, 1871, the writer and his wife took charge or the school with Prof. M. NJ. Sherman and Miss Nora Smith as assistant teachers. The school was changed from condition of having separate male and female departments to a mixed school, a course of study was written and the work of grading begun. These changes met with some opposi tion at first, but be it said to the credit of those who opposed the innovations soon gained the approval of all.
 This sketch would be incomplete if did not mention the services of Judge John 5. Wood, ex-ofiicio superintend ent, who for eight years has rendered service to the public schools of | Pima county. He has done everything l in his power to further their interests.
 The outlook for the educational inter- ests of Tucson Is indeed bright. A new school building IS contemplated, and | after 1t shall have been completed, a | high school will be organized. Much | remains to be done and We propose to | make haste slowly but surely towards its 1 n+ n+Fcfr~na-A