Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-07-22

ln4 the warnings OF the superintendent
r and the assistance which | gave them
1t is a fact that the county superintendent
A should according to law receive from nj
school directors an annual report, viii
the object Of showing the financial state
r ment of their respective districts; bu
when school directors do not comply with
this law it is not the county superintend
ent who should be blamed for it, and this
Is Just what happens to me to-day; but
leave my deeds and official figures to vim.
dlcate me. H. l.. ORTIZ,
Superintendent of Public instruction 10,
Santa Fe County, n. NJ.
QUALIFICATION OF SCHOOL OFFICERS.
notice another defect in the school law
to which | desire to call your attention
! School officers must now qualify within
ten days after election and organize the
board within five days thereafter, at which
time they must assume the duties of office
ana their successors retire. This occurs
at time when the business of the board
IS IN an unsettled condition and the treas
urer has not yet made his annual report
of the financial condition for the year. 1t
IS my Judgment that school officers should
assume the duties OF office on the 1st of
January following election.
FRANK w. PARKER.
superintendent of schools for Sierra Coun-
| ty, n. NJ.
| Section ll05 Compiled Laws of 1884 re-
qulres all school directors to qualify within
ten days after election. This requirement
| is the source of much confusion and an
noyance, lnsomuch as majority of the
directors fail to qualify within the time
specified. | suggest an amendment to
section llO5 which shall allow school di-
rectors the same time in which to qualify
That the county officers now have, and
providing that they shall take office the
ISL Oh January following general election.
d. G. NowIIN,
Superintendent OF Schools for Lincoln
Co., n. NJ.
BOARD OF EXAMINERS.
An amendment authorizing the county
superintendent Of the various counties
to appoint board Of examiners in each
commissioner district, said board con-
slstlng OF three competent men having
authority to grant teachers certificates,
subject to the approval ofthe superintend-
ent, would, in my opinion, meet with the
appreciation of all who are familiar with
the present system. The law makes no
provision for grading teachers certificates,
and the novice, barely competent to in
struct in the primary branches, is placed
upon an equal footing and may receive
the same salary as the graduate of the
best normal schools Of the country. This
is neither justice nor sound policy. As an
encouragement to trained teachers and
an incentive to those entering the profess |
sion we should have first and second class |
certificates, with salaries adjusted accord
lngly. l venture to recommend that an
applicant for first class certificate, in |
addition to the branches now taught, be
required to pass examination in natural
philosophy, physical geography, elemen-
ta.y algebra and geometry, and be enti-
led to receive at least SIS per month more
than the holder OF second class certifi-
cate. 7, G.. Now1JN.
Superintendent OF Schools for Lincoln
County, n NJ.
SCHOOL AGE.
The scholastic age in New Mexico is
from to 90. AS rule children of 5 or
years OF age lack the mental Development
necessary to profitable instruction at free
schools, and for this reason would favor
a change making the legal age to q
years. D. G. NowL1N,
Superintendent of Schools for Lincoln
County, N. NJ.
LANGUAGES.
The greatest majority of The people of
this county speak the Spanish language.
But generally they are very anxious to
have their children taught English, while
the English speaking population desire
their children taught Spanish. To do
this it is necessary to have teachers pro-
ficient in both languages But as these
teachers are ordinarily able to command
better salaries than we are able to pay, we
have but a small proportion of such
teachers. REV. JOHN B. BRUN.
of Schools for Valencia
County, N. NJ.
| will pen a few lines in regard to this
subject, which consider of great import
ance and one which for some time will
be the topic OF the day. In my first an
nual report advised all teachers in my
county to teach both languages, English
and Spanish, end now would insist on the
same. Because, when child has learned
The grammar of his own language it is
then easier for him to learn any other
language; but admit that English is of
The utmost necessity in this country, be-
cause it is the business language OF the
country, but it is fact also that when a
Mexican boy knows his Spanish gram
mar it becomes more easy for him to learn
English or any other language. Not
would require all teachers
to make a special study of the English
language for the children OF their schools.
H. L. ORTlz,
of Public Instruction for
Santa Fe County, N. NJ.
AS to languages, the schools are divided
rs follows: Sixteen are taught in English,
nine in English and Spanish and four in
Spanish. J. NJ. MADRID,
of Schools for Colfax
County, N. NJ.
TEXT BOOKS.
The text books in the several branches
equired by law to be taught in the public
schools should be uniform throughout the
;erritory. Other suggestions might be
made, but regard the foregoing as EN-
oracing the important and material
changes necessary in the school law.
J. M. MADRID,
of Schools for Colfax
County, N. M.
"Free Text Books" 1t has frequently
come under my observation that in some
districts many children do not attend
school because they have no text books,
neither have their parents the means to
procure them A certain sim Of the school