Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-03-14
THAT REPORT.
The Optics Correspondents Gives
His Views on That "EmbeI-
Ilshed" School Report.
Special to TEE Orrro.

hshea >Cnool Report.
Special to TEE OPrro.
SANTA FE, March 1s-As con-
siderable has been said about
the printing of reports Of Territorial
officers and that Of the superintendent
Of public instruction 10 particular, and
as the legislature has ordered $500 ex-
ira copies, embelIished with cuts Of our
educational Institutions for distribu-
tion. More particularly in the east a
review Of this report at this time will
not be out Of place.
On the first page the superintendent,
speaking Of district schools, says: "The
rural school, In which are found a great
majority Of the entire enrolment of
the Territory. are in many instances al
most without organization, system. or
supervision" Further on, spesking of
the school law, he says: sit has failed
to keep pace with the progress of the
times" In speaking of county super
intendenis he Gays: "They have DO
power 70 correct evils of any nature,
and at present county superintendent
is q mere figure head, with no power or
authority" All this. as to county SUI
perintendents, we contended in several
communications when the bill was
pending raising their salaries at the ex-
pense of the school funds in the several
counties, and to that extent deprjving
the school children of the benefit of the
money, that they had little to do under
the existing law and were not even re-
quired to keep an Office at the county
seats. But the legislature and the gov
ernor have thought differently and, by
the high salary bill, have lessened the
school funds to that extent, although
the superintendent agrees with ua that
the county uperintendents are
MERE FIGURE-HEADs.
But when the author of this report
comes to figure on iliiteracy, populations,
school enrolment and attendance, he
seems TO be in his element. After Civ
ing the common schools such bad
send-off, he claims that the percentage
of ilIiteracy has certainly decreased In
the few years, since general education
has been attempted, at least % per cent.
In one place he says: "The total en-
in the district schools alone
the last seven years is $1,000, which is
an average of 80 per cent Of the total
school census of 3l6,O00.'
This, at first glance. is not exactly
clear. While it is, no doubt, intended
to cover period of seven years. per-
son. not familiar with the subjects in
New Mexico, would naturally suppose
be meant the annual enrollment which
Is usual In reports Of this character.
Again, after stating "thatin mABy in
stances the rural schools are almost
without organization, system or super
vision," he says, on page 202: ut aaay
be safely asserted that there Is nis a
child in the Territory between the ages
Of eight and sixteen, who fails to attend
school," Then on page 244 he inserts
table in which "the number of scholars
of school age In the Territory is given
1t 1929. The total enrolment in the
schools is given at 23,06l, and the aver
age daily attendance is "A, 3SS1l, or less
than one-third of the total number
given previously in the report of school
children in the Territory. Then the
manner In which he arrives at the con-
,lusion, that, in these few years the per
cent OF illiteracy has been reduced at
east % per cent is unique to say the
east; as is also the manner in which he
arrives &C the number of Inhabitants in
The Territory. He does not estimate
the number, but says the actual num-
Der is 243,0OO--not one more or one less.
The report speaks of the census of !
$780, which says over 81 per cent of the
then inhabitants Of New. Mexico were
unable to speak the English Language,
aud adds the same factor proving the
decrease of iIliteracy, also proves the
increase of the English language
First the death rate of the original set |
tiers and the actual immigration of 70,-
900, all speaking English. etc. etc.
think any person who will read this
part OF the report carefully will con-
clude that the author actually knows
but little about the subject and the ig-
ures given is not even safe est innate
upon which to form the conclusions at
which he seems to have arrived. The |
report concludes this subject by saying:l
"From the above facts conservative
estimate can be made, proving that to-
day the percentage of Inhabitants of
the Territory unable TO speak English
will not at the utmost exceed fifteen
per cent" Here is phenomlnal gain |