Resident Editors' Department. OUR GOVERNORS ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.-In Gov. Stanford's retiring message to the Legislature, sent in since our last issue, we find the following, touching the condition of our School Fund, and the Governor's views on the subject: At the date of my last annual message, there had been purchased by the Board of Examiners, under the Act of March 16, 1859, bonds of the civil funded debt of the State to the amount of $120,000, and since that time there have been purchased additional bonds to the amount of $41,000. Total amount purchased and now held in trust by the Treasurer of State, under that Act, $161,500. At that date there was a sum of $475,520 due from the General Fund of the State to the School Fund, which had, under previous administrations, been received for school lands, and diverted from its sacred destination to pay the ordinary claims upon the treasury. I then indicated the palpable injustice of such a state of things, and advised the passage of a law whereby all bonds of the State redeemed thereafter, instead of being canceled, should be transferred to the School Fund until the above amount was realized. Such a law was passed and approved April 14, 1863. Under the provisions of the Act there have since been purchased and placed in the hands of the State Treasurer bonds to the amount of $107,000. This gives an aggregate of $268,500 of 7 per cent. State bonds to the credit of the School Fund, while at the commencement of the present administration there was but $79,000. By that Act this fund will be from time to time augmented, until there is a further addition of $368,520 added to it in interest-paying bonds. The School Fund is placed upon a legitimate basis, and it is not probable that the moneys received from the sale of school lands will again be diverted from their proper depository. As the railroads that are being built in different portions of the State extend into the interior, the demand for these school lands will increase, until the fund realized from their sale will swell into proportions that will make it a credit to the enlightenment of our time; and the annual interest derived from the fund will take the place of the additional taxation that must until then be resorted to to meet the wants of our common schools. Until this result is attained, it will be a privilege, as well as a duty, for our people to tax themselves liberally for the support of those institutions which serve as the base and the chief corner-stone of republican liberty. Had the system of common school education that prevails in our Northern States found an early entrance into and been nourished into life in those States that are now at war with the Union, the civilization of the nineteenth century would never have been shocked by the rebellion that now disgraces its annals. At the North the principle of education is the governing law that binds into a solid phalanx that proud array of free communities. At the South ignorance rears on every side its hideous front, until the masses are steeped in the degradation that has for years been preparing by their unprincipled leaders. The North is united in battling for a principle which education has taught them to be the very life of their institutions. The South will become assimilated to the intelligence and loyalty of the Union as soon as the result of our vic tories shall have dispersed the cloud of ignorance that has, with them, overshadowed the causes and consequences of the unnatural contest. Let us, then, as Californians, take these lessons to ourselves, and, rather than allow our schools to languish, take every legitimate means to elevate their standard and insure their success. As will be seen by the Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, there is a wide field of usefulness that has hitherto been but superficially cultivated. He finds the number of white children in this State, between four and eighteen years of age, to be 78,055; under four years of age, 39,081; white children of all ages attending public schools, 29,416.; attending private schools, 9,158. This leaves about 40,000 children between four and eighteen who attend no school. The average period in which schools have been kept during the school year of ten months, is five and four-tenths months. The average daily per centage of attendance of the whole number of children between four and eighteen, is twenty-five per cent. Amount received from all sources for support of schools this year is $581,055 77. Governor Low starts well on his duties. We are glad to see that he does not forget the State Normal School in his inaugural : The cause of education must always be regarded as of the very first importance by those who desire the perpetuation of our free republican system of government. The right of the people to govern themselves is of no value unless coupled with the capacity to govern themselves well. It is essential, then, that all classes of the community should enjoy the benefit of a liberal and enlightened educational system. Probably this has been as well cared for in this State as our rapid growth would permit; but there is ample room for improvement, and I sincerely trust that at the close of my term of office it will be found that such progress has been made as the times shall have demanded and our means justified. The proceeds of the bounty so liberally granted to the State by the General Government for school purposes should be inviolably preserved to their proper uses, and the debt due to the School Fund-which under no pretense should ever have been contracted-should be preferred before all other claims. The State Normal School, now in its infancy, will doubtless prove the same indispensable auxiliary to the general cause that similar institutions have become in older communities, and should be liberally fostered. The conditions imposed by the Acts of Congress granting lands to the State in aid of institutions of learning of higher order, render it necessary that steps be taken speedily to avail ourselves of the benefits to be derived from these munificent donations. SENATOR HAWES.—This gentleman, in making his preparations for spending the winter at Sacramento, found that about two acres of land standing in his name and finely located at Redwood City, were in just the place for a schoolhouse whereupon he deeded over to the trustees the title, with all the "hereditaments," etc., thereunto belonging. The trustees are around, getting plans for the right sort of a building, and will proceed immediately to erect a four-thousand dollar school-house. We commend the example of Senator Hawes to all the members of the Legislature. If it were a condition precedent to each session, that every Senator elect should donate for public schools fitting lots for fitting houses, and that every Assemblyman elect, should see to it, that in his own district the school-house and lots are in good condition-we might be willing to have annual sessions hereafter! STATE SCHOOL TAX.-It is very desirable that all the petitions for the State School Tax should be received at the Department of Public Instruction as early as the tenth of January. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS AND TEACHERS. - The following table contains an accurate list of the County Superintendents and their address whose present term of office expires on the first of March prox.; the County Superintendents elect, and their address, and the number of teachers in each county, as returned by the Superintendents in their last annual reports. The final column contains the number of subscribers in each county to the CALIFORNIA TEACHER. While this number is by no means equal to what it should be--for there should be at least as many subscribers as teachers in the State-we are yet proud of it, and challenge comparison with any other educational journal's list of a similar nature. Besides these, we have subscribers in Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. Alameda Amador. Butte.. Calaveras Colusa Del Norte..... El Dorado... B. N. Seymour... Alvarado... S. B. Osborne... Oroville... County Superin tendents elect Post Office Ad- from March 1, 1864. B. N. Seymour... Alvarado.. Isaac Upham... Oroville..... Robt. Thompson. Mokelumne Hill. Rev. W.C. Mosher T. J, Andrus... Contra Costa..... D. S. Woodruff... Contra Costa.... J. T. S. Smith.... Fresno..... Los Angeles.. Mendocino.. Merced.. Monterey Nevada. Placer... Plumas Sacramento.. C. N. Hinckley. Crescent City.... R. J. McLellan.. E. R. Budd.. Mariposa. Monterey.. Rev. A. Higbie... Napa Fiddletown. 31 27 17 Mokelumne Hill. 22 9 21 20 7 0 Placerville... 64 48 Scottsburg 1 0 11 Sawyer's Bar.. A. H. Goodrich.. José M. Estudillo. San Diego... G. W. Simonton.. Green Valley W. H. Bahney.... Red Bluff 30 919 691 A GOOD EXAMPLE.-County Superintendents will read with interest this model notice, which we cut from the Indiana School Journal: *Sonoma County. Examination of Teachers.-The undersigned, School Examiner of Hendricks County, Ind., will hold public Examinations of Teachers at Danville, at 10 o'clock A.M., on the last Saturday of every month until further notice is given. Applicants unacquainted with the Examiner are required to bring satisfactory evidence of moral character, and must be fully acquainted with the six branches required by law before they can receive a certificate; and those holding certificates of low grade will not be licensed a second time unless there is at least ten per cent. improvement. Teachers who do not read educational journals cannot keep up with educational improvements; therefore, no teacher who is not a subscriber to an educational journal will receive a certificate for a longer period than six months, no matter what his qualifications may be. Five per cent. will be added to subscribers of an educational journal. N. B. No license granted except on regular examination days. D. M. Cox, School Examiner. SHASTA COUNTY TEACHERS' INSTITUTE.-Met on November 19th, and continued in session three days. The meeting was called to order by G. K. Godfrey, County Superintendent, after which he delivered the opening address on American System of Public Schools. We organized and adopted a constitution. There were not so many teachers present as should have been, but all present took a lively interest in the cause of public education. We are surprised that so many teachers appear so stupid in regard to attending Teachers' Institutes. If they really desired self-improvement, they would be in attendance. The following order of business was adopted, discussed freely and frankly by the teachers and County Superintendent : 1. Relation of teachers' experience. 2. Discussion of the following subjects: object teaching, calisthenics and gymnastics. 3. Uniformity of text books. 4. School discipline. 5. Should teachers receive pay during attendance at the Institute? 6. Benefits to be derived by visiting schools. 7. How should we supply our public schools when the public funds are not sufficient for a six or nine months' school? 8. Singing in school. 9. At what age should children be admitted into public schools? The following resolutions were offered by the President : Resolved, That it is the first duty of every Civil Government to build school houses, and provide a good common-school education for all children, and to secure this object by suitable legal enactments, enforced by penalty.-Carried. Resolved, That we recommend to the School Trustees of this County, in view of the importance of public education, the propriety of petitioning the Board of Supervisors of Shasta County, to levy the highest tax that is allowed by law on the property of the county, for the support of public schools.-Adopted. A resolution was passed to give our hearty influence in support of the CALIFORNIA TEACHER—the organ of the State Teachers' Association—by contributing to its pages, and by increasing its circulation. On Saturday evening the President delivered an address on the subject of American Home Education. It was able and timely, and well calculated to arouse the attention of trustees and parents to a deeper and more efficient interest in maintaining our public schools as an act of self-preservation. The following resolution was then adopted: Resolved, That the especial thanks of this Institute are hereby tendered to G. K. Godfrey, our worthy County Superintendent of Public Schools, for his faithful and energetic services during the past seven years, and also for the able manner in which he has presided over this Association. B. M. PARKER, Secretary. SACRAMENTO TEACHERS.-We find the following in a well-written article in the Union, over the signature of "Plain Man." Our public schools-excepting that for colored children—are ten in number, viz. : One High, under a male Principal and female Assistant; one Grammar, in charge of a male Principal and two female assistants; two intermediate, with a female Principal and Assistant each--and six Primaries, each also having a female Principal and Assistant. The salaries paid are one hundred and twenty-five dollars per month to the Principal of the High School; one hundred and twenty dollars to the Principal of the Grammar School; eighty-five dollars to the Assistants of the High School and to each of the Principals of the Intermediate; eighty dollars to each Principal of the Primaries and Assistant in the Grammar School; and thirty dollars to each of the other eight Assistants. This last sum is too small by at least ten dollars, and the salary of the Principal of the High School should be one hundred and fifty dollars, and one hundred and thirty-five or one hundred and forty dollars for the Principal of the Grammar School. It must be borne in mind that as the schools are kept open for only ten months in the year, pay is drawn for that time only. So that the receipts per annum are but ten, and not twelve, times the sum per month. The best talent cannot be secured and maintained for a less sum. The Board has been fortunate in attaining that end so far, at the lesser price, but the writer has all along felt that it was a personal sacrifice on the part of both those excellent Principals, and he fears now that better offers elsewhere-which both could easily obtain-may take them from our schools and city. This would be a loss not so easily supplied as the reader may think. The state of the city fund has heretofore forced this economy on the Board of Education. As soon as the same will be justified, it is to be hoped the desirable advance will be made. 66 Of the teachers, as a whole, the "P. M." can speak with some positiveness, from personal acquaintance, and from the occasional visits he is privileged (for it is a great privilege) to make to the schools, there to test by actual observation the practical working of the system, and the capabilities of the instructors for their chosen vocation. It is with pleasure that he bears testimony to the excellence of one and all. They are the right persons in the right place," and if the "P. M." could have the entire say in the matter he would make no change in any of the departments or schools for an unlimited period in the future. The teachers differ much in disposition, and even in their aptness for instruction and discipline, but as a whole, they will not suffer in comparison with others, either in private or public schools, anywhere in the State. The general discipline of the schools is good, and the progress of the pupils rapid indeed more so, as actual tests from time to time demonstrate, than the most of those who go elsewhere. The rules prescribed are efficient, and very generally enforced. During the last year a complete system of grading was established, the good effect of which was almost instantly perceptible, and the good work goes on toward the "better and the best," the writer hopes, with all reasonable speed. Ambition has been excited, and so thorough and complete is the grade of studies established that those who finally leave the High School with all the honors of its graduation, need not fear a comparison with those of the best institutions in our State. POETRY.-We have only received one extended poem since the establishment of this journal-a surprising fact, when one remembers how many young ladies |