Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1904-04-27

The attendance on Saturday even
ing at the formal opening of the Pres
sott high school was not as large as
the occasion merited. While the au-
ditorium was about half full it should
have been crowded. Yet the lack of
attendance cannot be charged to a
lack of interest on the part of the
sitizens of Prescott in the cause of
education as they have demonstrated
several times that they favor the best
there is to be had, in every respect in
this line. The fact that Prescott has
such beautiful andwell equipped struc
ture as its new school building, and the
further fact that it has a high school
% building, fully equipped with all
modern appliances, to be formally
opened, are in themselves tangible and
eloquent evidences of the interest
taken in education as it was by the
votes of our people that these were
provided.
An interesting though somewhat
informal program was rendered, as
follows:
Piano solo-Miss Annbell Bailey.
Conduct, Management, and Fin
ances of Our Public Schools-W. NJ.
ClaypooI, chairman of the board of
trustees.
Comparative Educational Advan-
Asges in Arizona-B. ID. Billinghurst.
The Financial Advantages of Pub
lie High School for Prescott-B. E.
-EIIinwood.
Vocal Solo-'Oh Happy Day. Miss
Lee with violin obligato by A, B.
Nader.
The Efficiency of Prescott's Public
Schools. B. Jolly, county super
intendent of public instruction.
The Advantages of a Modern High
School Education - Judge r. E.
Sloan.
Quartette, 'Schubert's Serenade, "
Misses Lee, Smith, Hoff and Bailey,
teachers of the public schools. As an
encore they sang "Old Kentucky
Home"
Reese Ling and Judge E. W. Wells
we're called upon Tor remarks, although
not on the programme, and they made
interesting extemporaBeous addresses.
While all the addresses we're exceed
ingly interesting those of Prof. B. D.
BiIlinghurst and Trustee W. NJ. Clay
pool possessed special interest to the
community, the former dealingwith the
educational advantages possessed by
Arizona, as compared with those of
other states, and territories, an
pointed out special advantages in
which the public school system of Ar
izona excels that of other places.
The first is the small number of
members of school boards, by which
better results are obtained and with
greater promptness. In Arizona a
school board consists of three men,
bers, and the number throughout the
United States ranges from this num-
OcI W IL pAdOCcs
The second advantage is the manage
ment of the public schools and the
high schools. in districts where high
schools exist, by a single board of
trustees, thereby harmonizing the in
terests of the two. very important
point.
Third, and probably the most i'm
portant one of the FIVE is the high
grade of scholarship and qualifications
required of teachers and the uniform
ity in granting licenses or certificates
20 teachers. Examination papers are
prepared by the territorial board of
education, hence are uniform in every
county in the territory and the licen-
ses are issued by the above board max
ing it practically impossible to show
favoritism. The professor in calling at
tention to this feature of our educa-
tionaI system cited to the fact, that
Governor BrodIe in his report, refer
red to California, which claims much
for the training of her teachers, and
with her five normal schools and two
universities, can boast of only thirty
five per cent of her teachers as being
graduates of normal schools or col
leges, as against seventy per cent for
Arizona, while in Prescott every
teacher is graduate of some normal
school or college.
Fourth was the progressive spirit of
the people of Arizona, and as an IL
lustration the sewing department al
ready established in Prescott, together
With the agitation for manual train
ing department, the establishment of
which is practically in sight, we're re-
ferred to.
The fifth advantage for us in Pres
colt is the splendid material equip
ment which the citizens have provid-
ed 10 their two school buildings. and
the standard Capitalization required
of their teachers. The present corps
of teachers is as follows:
Prof. B. D. BiIlinghurst, superin-
tendent and teacher of sicence in high
school.
Miss Millicent NJ. Cuplin, mathe-
matics, history and German in the
high school.
Miss AlviIde J. Lee, eighth grade.
Miss Agnes Mason, seventh grade.
Miss Blanche Fulton, sixth grade.
Miss Anna Beidlemsn, fifth grade.
Miss Clara Hoff, fourth grade.
Miss Clara Swanson, third grade.
Miss Garlic A. Edwards, second
grade.
Miss Helen Strange, first grade.
Miss Mary McGill aud Miss Anna
Belle Bailey, kindergarten.
Miss Anna L. Corbett, sewing
teacher.
Mr.. Clapyool's address dealt with
the financial affairs of the Prescott
school district, specially calling atten-
ton to the fact that the trustees we're