The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-07-05
MORE.

Phoebe needs more school room and
more school teachers. There are 3o0
children between six and eighteen
years Of age entitled to school privileges
in town, and about 100 between eight
and fourteen years whose attendance Is
by law compulsory. There IS no place
for many Of these children to go to school
no room for them in the school house
and nobody to teach them. The teachers
have of late been,struggling along making
heroic efforts to teach all that came that
is as many as could get into the house
and it is remarkable fact that they did
to some extent, succeed in their efforts.
We have been fortunate in having good
teachers who conscientiously gave their
whole strength to their work. But it is
absurd to imagine that one teacher can
properly guide the mental progress OF
sixty children, in all their studies when
there are three or four classes in each
study. That is what our teachers have
been trying to do. 1t is unjust to them
that they should be required to attempt
this impossible thing, unjust to the
children that they should not have q
better opportunity to develop theirmind
and, above all, it is unjust to the public,
the state, for whose benefit the education
Of her growing youth is carried on at the
public expense. The number attending
at the last session Of school required
three teachers. Let that number be
employed and an additional room provi'
ded for the third. Then by slightly
raising the grade for admission to the
higher department, and dividing the
lower department.into two sections SO
that each Of the teachers in that depart.
ment would have only half the number
Of classes she now has, an immense gain
would be had in every way.
The teachers would have the amount of
their work reduced to such an extent
that they could do it as it should be
done, and the pupils and the community
would receive the benefit. Not merely
this, but with such division of labor, if
necessary, greater number of children
could be taught by each teacher. 1t is
easier to teach twenty pupils in one class
than ten in two. Each child in the one
anger class would, other things being
equal, receive twice the assistance from
the teacher, that would be Seceived by
each child in the two smaller classes; be.
cause every word Of the teacher is an in
struction to every child in the class, and
it takes just as long to explain lesson,
or misunderstood point in study, to ten
children as to twenty.
Here is an opportun ity for good and
effective work by those commonly much
abused officers the school trustees. The
necessity for the action indicated has
never been as great as now, nor for
many years have conditions been so fav.
orable for taking that actions. The
money available for teachers will this
year doubtless be sufficient to pay three
for longer time than that during which
two have been paid heretofore;
The funds necessary for providing room
could be raised by other means prefer.
ably special tax. The ever recurring bal
and the subscription are alike to b.
avoided. The former realizes nothing t.
speak OF in comparison to the amount o.
money and labor spent upon it, the lattel
draws most Of the money from those who
are liberal or those who fear that vii,
beast '.they say" Both classes usually
give more than they can afford.
But the taxing plan takes from all alik'
according to their means, and is the onl,
truly just way Of raising money for
public purpose. But whatever plan b
chosen, all must agree that the situation
is certainly worthy of serious considera
ton Indeed it may be said to impera
lively demand some kind of action, be
fore school again opens.
A Belgian has lately invented mu
steal shirt, on the cuffs of which frae