White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-12
School Books

the rates given the MOST
state. The problem of selecting
school books to the best possible ad-
vantage is yet an unsolved mystery,
as will be seer by a careful study
Of the books that We're adopted here
two years ago. The last legislature
did much towards solving this prob
lem at the last session. when a free
textbook law was passed. School
books are uniform throughout the
state. except in high scbbols. This
problem is alsc one upon which fas-
orable progress has been made III
Nevada. We are now in the front
rank of the advanced states, and o ur
schools are not suffering much I'M
der present conditions.
Courses OF Study
The state board of education is
supposed to be responsible for the
courses of study in the elementary
and high schools of the state. In
fact the deputy superintendent have
done the work to a very large extent
in the preparation Of the courses, af-
ter which they were adopted by thu
state hoard. Six years age, when
the present system went into effeet
there was no course Of study, an
no uniformity oe text Docks. Eaer
Ccbno1 wae nm &C a cNparata inst.
tuition. and as there was practically
no supervision Of schools, the effie-
.iency and order of advancement was
wholly dependent upon the teacher.
Frequent changes OF teachers had a
nest domorallzing effect upon T.
progress made
! was the first man TO insist upon
n uniform coHrse of study for the
elementary schools, and have per
sistently put forth every possible eff
fort 10 keep the subject matter down
to a point where it can be covered
thoroughly in the time allotted to Il.
In spite these efforts, we now hay
a very much crowded curriculum.
and il will be necessary to lengthen
the time for doing the grade WORK
before the highest degree of general
efficiency will be reached by q r.
jority o { the schools. Many of the
schools are now admitting children
under six years of age. This is done
in most of the states and is not
found TO be detrimental. Admission
at five years OF age, and an arrange.
ment by which nine years instead OF
eight viii be taken for the element
airy school course. will probably be
the hest solution for this problem.
instruction and Supervision
Our courses of study provide for
the usual instruction given in schools
throughout the United States.
Courses in manual training and do
nestle art are given in a very few
of the town schools, and in n or
two places elementary agriculture
has been attempted. But, as a part
of the state system, we have not YET
adopted these courses. At the last
session of the legislature a law was
made whereby bookkeeping or some
form of industrial training became
a required subject in the elementary
schools. No action mas yet beer TAX
en- by the state board of education to.
wards installing these subjects, and
II seems probable that another year
viii pass before much is done in
that direction. However, have
planned a course in bookkeeping to
meet this demand. and hope to see
some work done this year. The
state superintendent has signified
his intention to hold back until 1914
With the uniform course of study.
insisted upon a state diploma o.
graduation from the common school
course, This has been granted dur
ing the past six years, and it is nov
generally recognized wherever pre-
sented as a sufficient guaranty OF a
common school education.
Music and drawing are required
subjects. and are taught to ONE ex-
tent in the public schools. On the
whole, the elementary course of
training in the Nevada schools is as
efficient as that given in any state.
and the advantages offered here are
as good as those given in other plac-
es. BY comparison the children who
have been trained in IL schools are
found to be more proficient in their
work than many who come to us
from other states. and | do not
FEow of a recent case In which ads
! child has been denoted upon leaving