The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
A GRAND SYSTEM.
CALIFORNIA; Public Schools Sys-
tenn Ably Discussed From
a Financial and Sta
tistical Point of View.
BY SAMUEL T. BLACK,
Superintendent OF Public instruction.

| In treating this question | shall do so on
a financial and statistical basis chiefly. as
it occurs to me that the people prefer ac-
curate information on all public questions
to elaborate articles made up of theories
| and the opinions of writers. In travelling
over the State / find that there is consid-
cradle misapprehension regarding the reia-
| tive cost of higher and elementary educa-
ton and the salaries paid to the teachers
| IN our common schools. Herewith is sub
| mltted exact information on these points.
The public school system proper consists
OF the elementary Chat is, the grammar
and primary schools, but for the purpose
OF this articla the normal schools and the
State University, together with the local
high schools, are included. 1t must be
remembered that the high schools receive
no aid whatever from the State, being sup
ported entirely by local taxation. The
normal schools are largely technical in
their nature being designed solely for the
preparation of teachers. Under present
conditions it is deemed necessary to ad-
nit to these schools graduates of gram
mar schools, hence professional training
must be supplemented by much acadeni-
cal study thus making necessary four
years course. Were it possible to require
a high school preparation for admission to
the normal schools much of the academic
work might be dispensed with, the course
| shortened by at least two years and the
expense of maintenance materially re-
duced Besides these advantages these
schools would become what they ought to
become, purely professional schools-just
as much so as law schools or schools of
medicine.
| With regard to the State University, no
account is taken of the affiliated colleges
in San Francisco, which receive no State
aid.
| The school census of the State includes
all children between the ages of 5 and IL
years, and is designed solely as a basis for
the distribution of school funds to the
various counties and school districts, and
ought not to be taken into consideration
in connection with school attendance.
The schools are open to all persons be-
tween the ages of and q years-a period
of time one year shorter at one end and
four years longer at the other than that
which determines the school census. In
cities where the kindergarten has been
established children may be admitted at
years of age.
School Census. 1894. 1895.
Boys. .15S.h35 l63,O74
Girls .155102 16O,O56
Totals. 1857 1923, 100
increase y, 4So
AS the following statistics are for the
year ending June 30, 1895, the census taken
April, 1895, must not be taken into ac-
count:
Total number of pupils enrolled. PAL 1922
Average daily attendance. 170,S61
Total current expenses. Sd .S75,1 75 35
Average cost per pupil enrolled ...... 20 90
Amount paid for teachers salaries. 4,0S1 $40 A
Number of male teachers employed. i 1873
Number offemale teachers employed. ,117-6. 305
| Average annual salary per teacher. $647 80
Average monthly salary per teacher az
| O0 "a
| AS teachers must live twelve months
during the year-they cannot hibernate
| during vacations-it is the only fair basis
on which to compute the average monthly
| salary. Now, San Francisco. Oakland,
and few other places pay higher monthly
salaries than are paid elsewhere, and pay
for twelve months each year. Were they
stricken from the list, this already small
average would be materially decreased.
in our larger towns, where longer terms
prevail than in the rural schools, and we
find that the average annual salary of
the country teachers of California is Zap
proximately) $435, or trif1e over $36 per
month for twelve months in the year. In
the face of these figures. then, it is no
wonder that SO many bright young men
use teaching as mere steppingstone to
some more remunerative calling, leaving
the important business of teaching our
children largely in the hands of inexpe-i-
enced girls. Notwithstanding these I'M
favorable conditions it is an acknowledged
fact that the rural schools of California are
the best in the United States. This is
largely due to faithful and conscientious
| supervision on the part of the County SUI
perintendents, many of whom are men Tor
women) of education, ability and pro-
gressive ideas. The teachers, as a class,
even the inexperienced girls referred to
above, are faithful and conscientious
Again, the gathering of teachers together
in teachers circles. institutes, associa-
tons, ETC., when they come in contact
with the best educational thought of the
State, has had a wonderful stimulating
effect on the teachers as body.
OF the total number of teachers en-
overwhelmingly 1858, less than % per
cent, are graduates of normal schools. OF
| these 1926 are from the normal schools of
this State.
The records show that $50 teachers in
the elementary schools hold high
school certificates, 4591 hold grammar
grade certificates and 1871 hold primary
grade certificates.
Total number of school districts. ............31S2
Total humble of schools ...................5 03si
Total number of schoohouses. D. AGO
The average number of months schools
have been maintained is ST., ranging all
the way from months in some of the
thinly settled counties to 10 months in
many OF the cities and larger towns.
RECEIPTS FROM ALL SOURCES.
Amount received from State. 81, S29, COS "a
Amount received from county taxes. 1854 so
Amount received from district taxes. 797,OSS 81
Amount received from miscean-
eous sources. .................f..... 62,427 Is
Amount received from sale OF bonds
for building purposes. 445,776 GA
Total receipts. ..................s5,S0 9, 749 81
Valuation OF school sites and furni-
ture .$l5 291 1865 90
Valuation of apparatus. ............. 415,2l6 OO
| Valuation OF books Uibrary) 100. O4S OO