After the Gold Rush caused the collapse of his law practice and Minns lost all of his savings, he became a teacher at the Union Grammar School, the first California high school, and became principal of the Normal School the following year.
After the Gold Rush caused Minns to lose his legal practice and savings, he transitioned into teaching at the Union Grammar School, the first high school in California, and then took on the role of principal at the Normal School a year later.