Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-09
THE CAUSE OF EDUCATION.
Gratifying Facts from the Biennial
Report OF the superintendent of
Public Instruction of New
Mexico.

Hon. Amado Chaves, superintendent of
public instruction for New Mexico, has
submitted his biennial report to the gov
ernor for the use of the executive and
legislative branches of the territorial gov
ernment. 1t is deeply interesting and
highly instructive document.
In spite of the scarcity of funds, which
has hampered all branches of business as
past year, Supt. Chaves proudly proclaims
that the public schools of New Mexico
"have kept steadily on the highway of
progress" He says: sit is only few
days since the magnificent building, to be
from now on the abode of the first normal
school of New Mexico, at Silver City, in
Grant county, was officially turned over
by the contractors to the board of regents
of said institution. Some of the towns
have improved their already splendid
school accomm odations, second to none
in the whole country, and several new
school houses are either in progress OF
construction, or have been built during
the last year in various rural districts.
All the people of this territory work I'M
ceasingly to perfect in every possible way
and manner our system of education.
Our teachers, without one single
exception, labor with true love and
energy in the vast field stretch
ing out before them. Let it be repeated
here again, that the bona fide residents
of New Mexico are capable, more than
capable, of filling all the positions in on r
schools, and that there is absolutely
neither any need nor any necessity OF
importing teachers from beyond the
boundaries of the oldest settled country
in these q nited States. The graduates OF
the University Of New Mexico, of the col
leges of Agriculture and Mines, of the old
and renowned college of San Miguel and
of the famous Academy of Loretto are in
every respect the equals of those who
come here, armed with diplomas of SINH
lar institutions in the east. 1t is not only
a very short sighted policy, but also a
great injustice, that the best positions
should be given to strangers, and that
our own people should be relegated tc
the remote, poorly paid district schools
Charity begins at home, and very little
honor 1T is to prefer under equal circum
stances the unknown stranger to the wei
known child of the territory. This i'm
portant matter should engage the serious
consideration of the gentlemen who with
in few days will meet to legislate fol
rights, justice and benefit of New Mex
ico."
Mr.. Chaves naturally is glad to an
nounce that "there is not to-day single
village in New Mexico in which schoo
is not taught some portion of the year
and the noble band of teachers who hav'
had charge of our institutions of learning
are entitled to the highest praise"
Annexed is resume of the school worl
of the year in the form of figures: Mum
Der of schools, $50; number of teachers
745; average number of months taught
s; census, 1874; enrolment, 27,0S7; tota
daily average, 1880; total receipts
$500, 2S9sl; total expenditures, $3.50 $40.
rs; total value of school property, STA,
O8957; total amount of Indebtedness
$6s,023.96.
The report then gives detailed &C
count of the progress made by thu
schools in the several counties, with mucl
valuable information regarding the va
rious private and sectarian schools o
the territory, all contributing to thu
proof of the creditable proposition tina
New Mexico is fully abreast of the time
in tho ll1atto1 Of education.
Those who have watched the conduct o
Mr.. Chaves as superintendent of publ
instruction during the past eight years
regardless of partisan considerations
generally unite in commencing his faith
fulness and intelligence in the discharg
of his official duties.