Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-22
70 NEWCOMERS.
WHAT CALIFORNIA OFFERS YOUR
BOYS AND GIRLS.
A Sketch OF Educational Adsan-
tages in this State Public and
Private Education.

tional facilities OF the State. The man of
family makes it n prime consideration. He
wants to know what the chances are for
giving his children fair education in the
new land to which he is invited. To the an
swer the RECORD UNION devotes this space
In the outset it may be said the whole ques-
ton can be covered IN q single sentence
that in no State is the manifestation Of lib
erality for educational purposes greater,
TEE EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT
OF the State stands side by side with the
very best of the Union. In every county
in the State the free common school system
is in operation. The school funds are ap-
portioned among all the districts according
to the number of children of school age,
and in California this is between and II
years Thus the most distant county, that
least populated, has its share Of the funds
of the State educational department The
theory is that the education Of all the pee
pie is of interest TO all the people. Thus il
happens that many of the more populous
counties contribute much more to the
school fund than they draw back for edu-
cational purposes. Sordid minds fail to
they are unable to explain on what prin-
ciple Of common justice they would defend
the system they would Substitute for it, to
wit the support of each district by the i'm
mediate taxpayers thereof. The system
we bsVe,
IT WILL BE SEEN At A GLANCE,
Is comprehensive one, and insures to the
weak districts just as much per capita for
4 l.a- Cd, ,f l,,I &c L.
as Is accorded to the strong and rich dis
tricts. Between the ages Of and II. we
have nearly 100000 children entitled TO
equal educational facilities, so tar as the
State is concerned. OF this number, nearly
10000 attend public schools, and about
10000 attend private schools. Less than
10000 attend no schools. A large part of
this number is to be deducted from the APP
parent total, by reason of the law, which
empowers Trustees to exclude children I'M
der 6 years of age. The truth is, that but
Jew attend before they are years, and a
great number OF educators are of the opin-
ion that thai is full soon enough TO send a
child TO a public school, or indeed TO any
school.
WE HAVE IN THE STATE
No less than $500 school districts-the ac-
curate number is close 10 that figure, as the
forthcoming educational reports for 1856
will show. We have in all about l,150
grammar and 1900 primary schools, sup
ported wholly, or in part, from the public
funds. We pay an average monthly salary
to male teachers of about $S1, and
to female teachers of about sec. In our
State school fund we had on hand at the
beginning of the year 1S8f-the last report
at hand-the sum of 1851, 95S &C. and in
the year received TO the fund sufficient
money to make the aggregate sum 50 800
Us 80. TheState apportlonment per child
was for that wear 50 25 We paid out for
school expenses in that year 50, 072 ,057 55.
The total valuation of school property in
the State exceeds $4,000, 600 There is
provided for each district q library fund.
and all the larger districts have libraries
OF more or less prominence and practical
value. Teachers Institutes are held annu-
allo in majority of the counties. the ex-
pense being horne by the school fund. We
have two Normal schools in a highly pros
porous condition, supported wholly by the
State, where persons may be educated to
the vocation OF teachers, free of personal
cost for tuition.
THE SCHOOL FUNDS ARE DERIVED FROM:
First, the State fund; second, the county
fund third, the district or local fund The
State fund is raised mainly from property
taxes and poll taxes, and is supplemented
by income from interest on certain bonds.
held in trust for the State, and also interest
on balance yet due for school lands pur-
chased from the State. The bonded secur-
tiles held in trust for the school fund in
1854 aggregated nearly 100000, and may
be SAID to be about that figure at this
writing. Under our system, wherever
there is district having ten census children
provision is made for tree school, and the
expense is no more than if seventy attend.
Thus ii will be seen that we have provided
for an immense increase of population.
without any increase of expense to the
taxpayers, and this fact must strike the
newcomer with especial force In every
county there is School Superintendent,
and IN cities there are city or local Super
lntendents. At the head of our system
stands
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
AT Berkeley. Obviously we cannot, within
the compass of a general article, give any
adequate consideration TO that institution.
1t must suffice to say that it ranks with the
best, while it is among the Youngest. The
location is unsurpassed for salubrity of
beauty of scenery. and all the sur
roundings to stimulate the spirit of devo-
ton to study. 1t is composed of a group
OF colleges, including agricultural, mechan-
zeal, medical, dental, law, pharmaceutical,
scientific, and college of letters.
Beside the handsome endowment of the
University by the general Government.
many private donations have been made to
it, and handsome buildings erected for
special purposes and stocked by the mu-
nificence of private wealth II addition.
the State, with boundless pride in the
University, every two years literally ap-
funds for its enlargement and
the extension of its usefulness. II is a
well-equipped institution, with a large
faculty of capacity not surpassed by that of
any similar university. There are insti-
tutions
SUPPORTED BY THE STATE
For the deaf, dumb and blind. and one for
the adult blind and these are equipped
thoroughly, and with liberality of expend-
lture highly creditable to California There
are twenty orphan asylums, with schools,
IN the State, that receive partial aid from
the commonwealth, based on the census of
the inmates, taken semi-annually. There
are now before the people the questions Of
reform schools, work schools, and shell
tiers for the uufortunates who are not
orphans, but still are essentially wards of
the state There are several private insti-
tuuons, such as Boys and Girls Aid Soei-
cues, Girls Shelters, kindergarten schools.
ana the IKE supported Handsomely by pri-
vate donations, and lately the Gifts have
been made in sums of from s., 600 to SIo.-
OUO. There are very many church schools
and church colleges. Indeed, the number
oil these worthy institutions ranks. accord
ing to population, with those OF any other
State in the Union. We cannot dwell. as
we would like to, upon this topic. To at
tempt to eSumerate name and state the To-
cation of the many colleges and SCHOOLS
would exceed the limits of this article
The newcomer will learn that, whatever
his religion, he will find in this State some
good college adapted TO his faith for
the education of his children, and in aGdi-
uon, colleges of medicine, surgery. bust
ness, and theological universities and acsd-
smies that have given us some of the
20. nrlghtest men of the pulpit in the State
There are in this State tive large
SCHOOLS OF DEs5GE,
One Is at San Francisco and has heen l.,
existence fifteen years, and has had sue-
cess. such as is rare even with the best
schools OF art IN Europe. The other is at
Sacramento and is in its first wear. II oc-
cupieS the e. b, Crecker ArtGsllery. given
to the city OF Sacracsento by the generosity
of Mrs Margaret E Erocker, ard held in
charge and direction BY an incorporated
society, known as the California Museum
Association. The school has nearly as
many pupils as the Older one in San Fran
cisco, and has met with most remarkable
success. 1t occupies the loyeliest room
enloyed by any art school III the work., the