davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Sacramento County.

The first school was established in Sac
ramento City early in August, iS49, on the
bank of what is now known as "China
Slough" The schoolhouse was made of
rough lumber, with old sails from dis
carded vessels to form the roof and sides.
The school opened with four pupils.
There was an unexplained delay in pro-
viding system of public instruction in
the county. AT the close of the year 1851
there were about 400 children reported in
the county, and no schools except two pri-
maries and one academy and high
school in the city-all private.
The first public school was opened in the
city on February 20, 1854, and there were
present fifty boys and forty girls. Up to
that time such educational advantages as
had been afforded were in private schools.
The schools OF the city are under the
control of board of nine directors, of
which Winfield j. Davis is president and
0. w. Erlewine is the superintendent.
The statistics are not at hand for the pres
ent year. but the enrolment at the end OF
1894 showed 1865 pupils, Of whom 200 were
IN the high school, 1907 in the grammar
schools ana the rest in the primaries. The
census enrolment shows about $500 chill
dren between and II. The school en-
rollment given does not include those at
tending the night and kindergarten
schools. There are about 100 teachers en-
ployed. Twelve regular school buildings
are owned by the city, the estimated value
of which, exclusive of grounds, is about
$780, The average salary of principals
of primaries is $3.50 per annum, of gram
mar principals $1666; maximum salary of
primary and grammar school teachers
$3.50, and the minimum 5000.
The high school is under the principal
ship of James Fl. Pond, who has six assist
ants. One school is maintained for the
exclusive education of Chinese children.
The system of public education in the
county outside of the city is controlled by
County Superintendent B. F. Howard
and the local Board of Trustees. There
are 76 teachers employed in that jurisdic-
ton in II districts. The number of census
children IS 2S70 and the enrolment 24S2.
We feel in Sacramento City and County
that we have as efficient and practical a
department as any other city or county,
and that it is conducted with as low pro
rata expense per pupil as in any other part
OF the State. j. M. MORRISON,
Cha irman Board Supervisors.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Riverside County.

In visiting the schools of Riverside
County one is subjected to natures sharp
est contrasts, The name Riverside per-
haps brings to the ordinary mind the soft
breezes of the semi-tropics, laden with
perfume from the orange groves; but the
boundaries of this county reach far out
side the golden orchards and take in the
distant north and the far south. 1t is
grand place to teach. geography-to give
Young folks a wide and comprehensive
notion of the earth-for here, within
single county, can be shown nearly all
conditions of surface, soil. climate, lie,
that can be found anywhere on the round
old earth The San Jacrnto Mountains
are nearly II 600 feet high, and in the
tangled masses of their dark foothills are
nestled many schools.
In Aguaneja district the children some
times ride in sleighs, through valleys
walled in by pine-clad heights. Some
times the frost comes every month IN the
year. The frowning summit of the noun
tain hangs over ALL a giant refrigerator,
always cold with snow, always the great
condenser of the streams of air that
flow over it, around it, in passing be-
tween the desert and the sea. The
children can watch the snowstorms,
transforms and hailstorms forming
about the topmost peak and spreading to
the slopes below, where the pines give
place to oaks and the Alpine changes to
the temperate zone, oranges, tropic fruits
and flowers.
Riverside County was created less than
three years ago from parts of San Diego
and San Bernardino counties: its area is
1000 square miles. 1t contains ffty-eight
common school districts, three union high
school districts and three district high
school districts. 1t has 1900 school-chil-
dren and employs l15 teachers. The num-
Der of BOYS is almost exactly equal to the
number of girls; but there are eighty-six
women teachers to twenty-nine men. The
highest salary paid is $3.50 per month; the
lowest $45. The average salary for male
high school teachers is $107; female, 500.
For male common school teachers, $50;
female, $63. More than half the teachers
are normal school graduates; more than
half the country teachers lose their places
every year. Six new schoolhouses have
been built within the year, and three new
districts have been formed.
Besides the public schools there are two
Government contract schools and three In
dian schools The attractiveness of the
country as dwelling-place draws the
highest type of parents and the highest
type of teachers the effect upon the
schools is not hard to see in the present
nor to foresee in the future.
EDWARD. HYATT,
County Superintendent.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Fresno County.

Fresnos claim to be the leading county
of the southern San Joaquin Valley is not
the less well founded in the line of educa-
ton than in other desirable features.
There are at the present time 126 school
buildings in the county, containing more
than 1870 schoolrooms. Within the last
two years twenty modern and well.fur-
nished school buildings have been built in
the county, and one large eight-room
brick structure has been added to the
number of ward schools in the city of
Fresno. A 100000 high school building
is now in the process of construction in the
city, which, when completed, will be one
of the handsomest and most substantial
structures of its kind in the State.
The teaching force of the county con-
sists of 1876 members, apportioned among
the 121 districts. Followingis statement
OF the average monthly wages paid: Male
teachers in primary and grammar grades,
SIS rs; female, $64 so; male teachers in
high schools, $137 so; female, $11S IS.
The female teachers are considerably ir
the majority, numbering LAT as compared
with 40 OF the sterner sex.
During the last school year school was
maintained more than six months in every
district, and eight months or more in
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
San Luis Obispo County.

The people of San Luis Obispo County
are keenly alive on all subjects pertain
ing to the education of their children.
San Luis Obispo County has an area of
nearly $500 square miles. 1t is thus con.
siderably larger than the States of Della,
ware and Rhode Island COMBINED. :
The schools of the county are organized
and graded according to the provisions of
the school laws of the State. At the
present time we have forty-ninc primary
schools, the same number of grammar
grade schools, and four high schools. The
total number of teachers employed in the
schools so far during the present school
wear is 1873. The average number of
months school was maintained in the
county during the school year ending
June 3d. 1895, was 80.
There are now four high schools in the
county.
San Luis Obispo County has now school
districts, primary and grammar. SO; high
schools, 4; census children, 5 to II years,
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Santa Clara County.

The first public school in Santa Clara
County was organized in San Jose in
March of 1853, and Rev. Horace Richard
son was appointed teacher. Before this
school was organlzed-as far back as 1911,
a parish school was taught by one Rafael
Villanicencio. and attended by the chill
dren of the pueblo. Also in 1851 Protes-
tant school known as the ''San Jose
Academy was opened by Rev. e. Bannis-
ter. A young ladies private school, known
as the "Bascon Institute" was started in
1853. the first principal being Mrs. R. C.
Hammond.
The first systematic arrangement of the
county into districts was In 1856, when
fifteen school districts were organized.
A break occurs in the school records to
1868, when S. S. Wilds was County
Superintendent. There were then seventy
three teachers and 4043 school children.
The receipts of the County School Depart
ment were $23,760 and expenditures
$2i ,956. Then comes another break in the
records TO 1866, from which year until the
present time the records are complete,
with very slight exceptions.
The statistics for the past school year,
SIS; teachers, 24S; census children, Ii, S37; ;
enrolled, 10, 122; receipts, 1929, 03S; disburse-
ments, $263,95S.
Notwithstanding the fact that some
twenty new schoolhouses have been
erected during the past five years, the
bonded Indebtedness for school purposes
is only $50, 600, and the total valuation OF
school property is $563, 347.
OF the 24S teachers, 1853 are graduates of
State Normal Schools, and those who are
not Normal School graduates are teachers
of considerable experience, many OF them
holders of educational and life diplomas.
The average monthly wages paid male
teachers in primary and grammar grades
is $S7 u; in high schools, $15S. Average
monthly wages paid female teachers in
primary and grammar grades, sos 30; high
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
San Francisco County.

From the standpoint Of the future there
is nothing in connection with the manage
ment of any great city or community that
is as important as the education Of chill
dren. The enrolment in the San Fran
cisco schools during the school year
amounts to about &C, 600, with an average
attendance OF about $4,000 pupils. Who
can measure the Importance OF the work
done in our schools when you consider
that every day in the year 50, 900 children
are pursuing their studies in charge of
about 900 principals and teachers? 1t
should be said, and said with emphasis,
that the teaching force of San Francisco
is, in point of scholastic ability, skill in
teaching and general culture, equal to that
OF any other large city in the Union. The
teachers of San Francisco have the conf
dence and respect of the people who send
their children to the schools. There is,
perhaps, no community in the United
States that pays for the education of their
children with as little complaint as do the
people of San Francisco.
Those who have visited the schools of
the large cities of the Fast testify not only
to the excellence OF our teaching corps,
but to the especially mature and intelli-
gent appearance of the children in our
schools. There is no doubt because of
our great advantage of climate that boy
or girl natures younger, and in conse-
quence is more vigorous and intelligent
naturally than in the cities where severe
winters interfere with their physical and
in consequence with their intellectual de-
velopment.
In San Francisco as in every American
city, the chief business of the schools is,
and must be, to tit the children for intelli-
gent citizenship. The keynote to this is
an ability to read and write. 1t was Car
lyle who said that "the whole OF an edu-
cation is ability to read and so we find
all of the schools deyoting much attention
to the primary branches, chief among
which is reading. Then there are arith-
metic, grammar, geography and history.
We are giving some little attention to
what are known as fads, but in the main
our work is devoted 10 the substantial side
of an education. We have cooking and
carpentering and sewing in some of our
schools, but these things are not gener-
ally introd uced into the department.
There Is no question of the utility of in
structIon in these branches, but there is a
very serious question whether San Fran
cisco or any other American city is pre-
part of their course Of instruction.
MADISON BABCoCK,
Superintendent OF Schools.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Santa Barbara County.
County Superintende

In the year 1855 the children of Santa
Barbara were first given the advantages of
school system. The inhabitants were
mostly Spanish, Mexicans ard In
dams, with scattering of the more ad-
yenturous Americans who were the fore
most of the great immigration TO the
coast. The teacher in this first school was
Peruvian, his textbooks were published
in Mexico and were in the Spanish Ian
guage. Among other things the pupils
were taught that the United States was
country to be dreaded, for "the inhabitants
were mostly pagans."
The birth OF the public school in Santa
Barbara County really belongs to later
period in 1860 the first building for educa-
tional purposes was erected.
A few years later the need of more ex
tensive and modern accommodations for
the teaching of the young became appar-
ent, and in 1870 the city voted $10,0
bonds for the purpose OF building larger
house. From that time on the influx OF
Americans has caused the steady improve
ment in the educational standard, until to-
day the schools of the city and county
compare with any in the Union.
Within the county there are now three
high schools, thirty seven grammar
schools and sixty-eight primary schools,
employing in all 116 teachers. The aver
age monthly salary paid male teachers in
the high schools is $120 and female teach
ers 500; in the primary and grammar
| grades under SIS, and $50 is the average.
Two valuable acquisitions to the school
| system of Santa Barbara within recent
years are the sloyd school and the kinder
| garten.
1t is probable that in another year the
kindergarten will be incorporated with
the public-schooI system.
g. f. THURMoND,
County Superintendent.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
San Mateo County.

Few counties possess greater educational
advantages than San Mateo County with
the fine schools of San Francisco on one
hand and the great Leland Stanford Jr.
University on the other, and within our
own boundary good public schools and pri-
vate institutions that have a reputation
abroad.
The pride and interest of the people in
their public schools have been shown in
their iberalitY of voting school bonds
and in the levy of tax for school funds.
The vote last year was twelve cents on
each 500 of taxable property, which was
valued at $16, 769, 900.
The total valuation of school property
this last year was $212, 639. The amount
paid for apparatus was 1892 %, and for
library books $671 20.
A careful course in English, requiring
its study TO commence with the lowest
grade, has been added to the list of studies,
as we'll as geometry and natural science.
San Mateo County only numbers thirty
two districts, each with a suitable build
ing and one or more teachers as the dis
trict demands. There are at present fifty
eight teachers, OF whom nine are male and
fifty female.
The average monthly salary paid to
male teachers is 500 6215 and to female
teachers $6l 70. The average length OF
term was SO months. The total enroll
ment of pupils was 2051 and the percent
age of daily attendance was SO. The two
largest districts are Redwood City, with
nine teachers and an enrolment of 347
pupils and San Mateo, with eight teach
ers and 4l2 pupils composed of parts oil
San Mateo. Santa Clara and Santa Cruz
counties and union high school dis
trict.
The teachers OF this county have shown
their earnestness and desire of keeping
abreast OF the times by organizing teach
ers' association that meets once month.
The results of these meetings will be seen
in more organized and scientific methods
in the schoolrooms. E. NJ. SILLoN,
County Superintendent.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

to the city, but is model OF convenience
and admirably equipped for good work.
WatsonvilIe has erected beautiful build
ing for her high and commercial school, of
which her people are Justly proud.
FELTON, has completed beautiful two
room building, modern in every respect,
and Ben Lomond followed her sister vii
lage by erecting one OF the neatest and
best equipped school buildings in the
county.
Besides these, new buildings have been
erected at Casserly, San Vicente, Alba,
Vega and Valencia. The school property
of the county is valued at $275, 600.
Last June diplomas of the grammar
grade were issued to 100 pupils, represent
ing thirty-two of the fifty.seven districts
of the county.
The Santa Cruz high school has $50
students, and the high and comm ercial
school at Watsonville has about 100.
Both OF these schools are equipped with
chemical and physical laboratories.
There is marked progress along all
lines of educational work in the county
each year. Never before was there SO
much thought and study on the part of
our teachers looking toward more care
full understanding of the needs of the i'm
mortal beings committed TO their care,
and to the best methods of imparting IN
struction. They need the hearty CO.
operation and encouragement of all the
friends OF education, and criticism which
is not based on ignorance, but which rests
on clear understanding of the necessities
of the age and the conditions which con-
front our young men and young women as
they approach the dawn of the twentieth
century. |. W. SINCoTT,
County Superintendent.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

In the excellence OF her system of pub
lie schools California is one OF the four or
five States in the Union which take the
front rank. And when a first place is
claimed in the schools Of the State for the
public schools OF Alameda County, the
claim is one that might be justly expected
from the large educational opportunities
our people have enjoyed.
The school system OF Alameda County
presents remarkable growth and devel-
opment.
This growth and development may be
exemplified in a remarkable way by a few
figures from the records. By the report
made to the State Superintendent for the
school year ending June 80, 1876, the num-
Der of teachers in schools below the high
school was 1873. OF these only 80, or a
little more than % per cent, held first
grade certificates. In the school year end
ing June 80, 1886, there were, excluding
high schools, 276 teachers, double the
number of ten years before, and OF these
276. 205 or more than "a per cent, held first
grade certificates-a truly wonderful record
of professional improvement. Again, in
the report of last school year, ending June
port quoted, the number of teachers in the
county schools not including high schools,
was $50, and Of these, 354, or more than 81
per cent, are the holders of frst-grade GER
tilicates This in itself is great advance.
In the first record quoted IL per cent OF
the Alameda teachers held certificates be-
low the first grade, while in the record OF
last year less than per cent OF the teach
ing force held certificates OF an inferior
grade.
This betterment of the teachers has re-
suited in an Improvement in the character
OF the work done all along the line.
Another cause of improvement of the
schools has been the establishment OF
high schools. No county in the State has
taken advantage of the law for the estab-
lishment of union high schools to a greater
extent than has Alameda. Besides the
high schools Of Berkeley, Alameda and
oakland, the county has three others
located at Centerville, Livermore and Hay
wards, all well equipped and doing excel
lent work. These high schools represent
twenty-elght school districts outside OF
Oakland, Alameda and Berkeley.
Twenty-Five years ago there was not q
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
institutions That Are Depended Upon for the
Preservation Of the Republic.

high school, in the county-to-day there
are six, with an average daily attendance
of over 1900 pupils.
There is another important factor which
has been at work III the improvement Of
orr schools. 1t is the influence of the
trained teach er-the influence of the State
Normal School. These are the teachers
who are beginning to be in demand.
Another influence in making the schools
what they are is supervision. Among
the early Superintendent of the county
are three men whose work in the forma-
tive period of our schools was of charac-
ter to insure the degree of excellence they
have attained-W. It. B. Lynch, the pio-
neer Superintendent, a man of large
heart, quick sympathies and great love for
children; J. C. Gibson, wise and untiring
worker, whose eight years of service left
every school in the county on higher
ground, and P. NJ. Fisher, under whose
administration the schools took new
departure in the change of the course of
study.
1t is beginning to be understood that the
schools are for the children. While there
are schools whose teachers have not
learned anything of the evolution Of edu-
cation that is abroad in the land, it is a
pleasure to be able to say these schools are
IN the miuority-a minority that is con-
tinually growing smaller.
This demand for better teachers and for
better teaching is heard on every hand,
and must be needed. It comes from our
high schools and our great universities.
r. ho ady t1rs Of
our own and other countries. 1t comes
from the great National assemblies Of
teachers.
Colonel Parker says, "When the chill
dren think, kings tremble." Right think
ing is character. and in the character of
our children is the safety of the Republic.
]. P. GARLICK,
County Superintendent.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Marin County.

The extent to which the physical fea-
lures of country determine the character
of its people is we'll illustrated throughout
California.
The one bond that serves to unite the
mixed elements of society in the rural dis
tr1cts of Marin County is the public school.
The one object of common interest is the
public schoolhouse. Here ana there and
yonder. in the narrow valleys and on the
hillslopes, may be seen the symbol floating
as proudly as if from the dome of the Ma
tons Capitol.
In plain, unpretentious structures, amid
natural surroundings of interest and
beauty, daily gather groups Of children to
be trained for future citizenship. From
scattered homes of Celt and of Saxon, OF
Teuton, of Slav and of Gaul, come these
juvenile representatives, who will develop
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
County School Superintendent
Report Great Popular
Interest and Tend
ency to improvement.
All the Larger Cities Are Well
Equipped With Handsome
Buildings, and Even the
Most Remote Districts Have
All the Needed Facilities.

There is, perhaps, no subject in which
the people of California are more deeply
interested than in that of popular educa-
ton. There are but few States in the Union
where the school children are better pro-
vided for than IN California. The COM
mon school systems OF this State, and OF
the various counties, is not perfect-none
are-but it is UP to the standard of the best
modern school systems of the elder
Eastern States and surpasses many OF
them in efficiency and practical results.
The following reports from the various
county school superintendent of the State
speak for themselves and need no COM
ment. They show a condition of which
every Californian has reason to be proud ::
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
COMMON SCHOOLS OF CALIFORNIA.

twenty-five teachers. Each circle elects
its own president and secretary and meets
once month to read and discuss topics in
systematic, professional way.
The services of DR.. Dresslar, who occu-
pies the chair of pedagogy in the Normal
School, have been called into requisition
to lay out definite plan, of pedagogical
reading, and great results are expected.
STURGEON Y. RILEY,
County Superintendent.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

metrically by strengthening all his pow
ers-mental, moral and physical. Inc
lines of work followed lead to those ehos.
What is the ultimate purposeP 10 MAKE
good citizens, says the State.
ROBERT FURLoNe,
County Superintendent.
The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
Los Angeles County.

The public schools OF Los Angeles
County have never been in more flourish
ing condition than at the present time. In
almost any other section of the globe such
a growth as the schools have made here
would have excited widespread attention