Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1895-01-18

and 191 females employed, making
total of 293, gain of "a over last year.
OF these III now hold first grade certifi-
Gates as against 166 last year, and 116
hold second grade certificates as against
"a in 1898. The balance have been
teaching on temporary certificates.
The average monthly salary paid to
teachers in 1898 was $7S.1S and this
year the average is $3.50. $221 ,213.2S
was expended in maintaining the
schools and in the purchase Of school
furniture, the erection of school build
ings, etc., in 1898, and in 1894 $176.-
GIL .02 was expended for the same pur-
poses.
Last year the total valuation of
school property in the territory was
$344, 646.49 and now it reaches the
creditable sum of $405, 1852, an in
crease of $50, ,7S4 "a, or gain of over
II per cent in one year.
The school district bonded indebted
ness of the territory is given at $lO9,-
600.
The superintendent recommends that
the Territorial board of education be in
creased to seven mem bers, representing
all grades of the public school work,
and that the powers and duties Of the
superintendent of public instruction b o
enlarged. Also that the county sup
erintendent be required to be teacher.
In reference to the county boards OF
examiners he says, "The Seventh leg
islative assembly repealed the law pro-
hibiting teacher from serving as a
member of the county board of examin-
ers. 1 desire to see the coming legisla-
ture take another step forward and Tx
the same qualifications for member OF
the board of examiners that have been
suggested for the county superintend-
ent. | fail to find single reason why
such law should not be passed. There
is no good reason. We have simply
fallen into and have become NOR
bidly inclined to tolerate a GUS
tom, which it attempted in any
other profession. it would be held
up to ridicule by the press of the coun-
try from ocean to ocean. What would
have been the effect on the community
if Chief Justice Baker had appointed a
farmer, cowboy and dTessmaker as a
committee of court examiners? Sup
pose Governor Hughes had appointed a
butcher surgeon-general instead of
appointing reputable physician and
surgeon. Suppose he had constituted
the territorial dental board of black
smiths and day laborers and had ap-
pointed horse doctor superintendent
of the asylum. The people would have
been as thoroughly astonished as if an
angel from heaven had alighted in their
midst clad in the robes of the Celestial
kingdom. Yet just as good reasons
could be offered for making such ar-
pointments as can be offered for ap-
pointing anyone but teachers on ex-
amining boards
The following in regard to school
! libraries is worthy of attention: I'm
regard to the npracticability of the
present law regarding school libraries,
it is plainly unjust. No district having
school population OF less than 100 can
legally appropriate any of the school
money for library purposes. In those
districts where the prohi ibitory law ap.
plies is where libraries are needed the
worst. In thiekly settled neighbo
hoods there are always private Ii ibrarles,
more or less complete, to which a per-
son may have access. Not SO in the
small isolated districts. A stipulated
amount should be set aside each year
out of the fund of each district, for
library purposes, and it should be made
the duty of the board of trustees to ex-
pend the amount for library books, to
be selected from the first list prescribed
by the territorial board of education. -
A provision is recommended for the
establishment of high school districts,
and for the more equitable apportion-
ment of the school fands.
The biennial report of Superintendent
Gates of the territorial prison, was par
TALLY outlined in the recent quarterly
report from the board of commissioners
and the officers of that institution.
The following figures showing a de-
crease in the cost of the institution dur
ing the last four years are given: 1891,
cost $54, ,74l SS, per capita per diem
81 O2; 1892, cost $54. .633 AZ, per capita.
"a; 1894. cost $4S, 1905, per capita,
.7S7. The reduction of gross expenses
during the lart two years over 1891 and
1892 is shown to be $11 ,631 .63; per
capita per diem IL.