Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-07-06
Has Kept Pace With
Territory's Mar.
velous Growth
PAST YEAR A BANNER ONE
Superintendent of Public In.
struction Issues Brief
Special Report.

That New Mexicos school system
has kept pace with the remarkable
commercial and industrial growth of
the territory is shown by brief spec.
ial report just issued by Superintend.
ent of Public Instruction j. E. Clark
for the year ending June Goth last. In
the course of his report Superintend-
ent Clark says:
"The advancement in school condi.
tions in our territory during the past
year has kept pace with our marvel.
GUS commercial and industrial growth.
The large immigration of staunch pi
oneers has given strength to educa
tional matters. Results are evident in
longer school terms, better qualified
teachers, higher wages for teachers,
improved school buildings and larger
attendance of children, as we'll as in
many other ways.
During the summer of 1907, the in.
stitute attendance of teachers was the
largest in the history of our public
schools, G65 teachers being enrolled,
(city teachers exempt. On January
Is, 1908, 205 districts were reported
as having had no school for the pres.
ent year. but 2S,7O4 children had been
enrolled, (15,399 English speaking;
1S,204 Spanish speaking; 101 negro,)
and 939 teachers were engaged in their
instruction, (6S5 in rural schools; "a
in town and city schools 1886 men;
593 women.) Nearly all of these dis
tricts have since opened school and
in many cases two teachers were EN-.
ployed. The annual report will un-
dOubtedly show a total enrolment for
the year of fully 10000 children; 41O
of the 74O rural districts own their
own school buildings; 81 Of which are
are in good condition. The total value
of school property is $964,1S4; $396,934
in rural districts; $567,25O in cities
and towns. The total bonded indebt.
edness is $533,911.23 ($169,762.23 in
rural districts and $364,149 in cities
and towns.) The school census taken
in August 1907, enumerates S4,942
people from to 81 years of age (78,.
3G0 in 1906. On January 15 1908, 3,425
pupils had been enrolled in private
and sectarian schools and 1,726 had
been enrolled in the U. s. Indian
Schools. This indicates that about GO
per cent of those of school age have
been enrolled in the schools (For the
United States as a whole, 70 per cent
of the school population was enrolled
in 1906.) New Mexico's percent on this
item is low because we enumerate fol
school purposes all children from five
to twenty-one years of age. Only sew
en- states enumerate children of sc
wide range of ages; Texas, for in
stance, enumerates children from
eight to eighteen years.
Over 600 Teachers Employed.
"Of the 683 teachers engaged in thu
rural schools up to January Is, 1908
10 held special permits; 1913 thirt
grade certificates; 155 second gradt
certificates; 1874 first grade certi
Gates; Is five-year certificates; three
year professional certificates; 1S five
year professional certificates; 9 pro
fessional life certificates. All certifl
Gates above a county third grade arr
Of standard equivalent to those il
the states. The average salary pai'
teachers in rural schools was $51.4S
(For the United States in 1906, the ay
erage salary was $5OO4.) In cities ant
towns, the average salary paid i
$6S.20, ranging from $56.S7 at La
Vegas to $82.14 at Gallup. The enroll
ment in cities and towns during tn
first half year was S,497 English speal
ing children, 2,7S0 Spanish speaking
children, 7S negroes; total of 1885
with 1868 additional in private an
sectarian schools Census 19,101.)
During the past year the Depart
ment of Education has published a.
institute course of study OF 100 page
for 1907 Flag Day program of 4
pages for 1908, and fifteen new circr
lars and blank forms for systematic
ing reports. Manuscripts are now be
ing prepared for an Institute Manua
of 200 pages for 1908, a Commo
School Course of Study Of 200 pages
and the first general elaborate repol
of the Territorial Board Of Educatio
"a volume Of 400 pages to be elabo
ately Illustrated and bound
"This year just closed has been tn
banner year for the territorial educ'
tional institutions as is shown by tn
following brief statements:
Agricultural College.
College students, 1865, SO; 1907
159.
Preparatory students, 1865, 12s
1907-S, 1853.