The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-02-17

During the consideration of the bill
in the House, illusions were made to
the undesirable way in which in some
districts the present school laws and
customs work as regards the poor.
An amendment was adopted, which
will go great way towards remedy
ing that evil, and insure instruction
in common branches at low rates.
Permit me 10 take up some Of the
ideas advanced IN the House, and
enlarge upon them.
There is a territorial school tax,
which is appropriated to the various
district schools in proportion to the
children attending, so much per
capita. and the money goes to the
tea her. The idea involved in this
appropriation, must suppose. isthat
many patents are not able to school
their children, and the appropriation
is mainly to aid such parents in
giving their children an education. If
ell the citizens were well to do, all
could pay for the education of their
children, and consequently there
would be no need for taxation nor
appropriation for that purpose, for the
parents could pay the tuition money
directly to the teachers, and thus cave
the expense of the tBx-collecting
machinery. The appropriation, then,
is to help the Door. But does it do 80?
To some extent il does, but not to so
great an extent as some people may
imagine. As some district schools
are managed, the poor are systemati-
cally squeezed out OF them, and con-
ssquently out of the benefit of the
appropriation, which should not be
the case.
I will illustrate. Every teacher
naturally desires TO work his school
| up as high as he can. The result is,
We have no common schools. The
public schools are district schools,
graded schools, and the tendency is 10
run them up into high graded schools,
high schools, or as much like high
schools as they can be made. The
children are pushed up the grades as
fast as can be. Now let US see how
it works. Suppose the lowest grade
is number one, the next higher
number two. A poor man sends four
children to school. Suppose We say
they all 60 into the first grade, and
are charged fer tuition 81 each per
term, in addition to the territorial
appropriation, which is equal to all
children, whether rich or poor. and
whether in high or low grades. The
four children are soon pushed on into
the second grade, tuition 81 each per
term. Chen into the third grade,
tuition So each per term, Then into
the fourth grade, tuition 81 each per
term. Then into the fifth grade,
tuition So each yer term, and 60 on
till the tuition runs up to So or So |
each Der term. The children get oD
famously, but the poor parent does
net. He cannot stand it, for it is |
ruinstion to him. The territorial ap-
preparation scarcely helps him at ell,
for it is still only 81 per head per
term, though the tuition bill is s.. Sc,
or s. per head per term. Then there
is a set of books for each child, and
the books in the higher grades are
numerous and expensive. The con-
sequence is, the children mus. leave
school, but they are far from having
received a common school education.
Thus they are squeezed out OF the
benefit of the territorial appropria-
ton, which was designed expressly
for such children, and they are also
squeezed out of the district school.
There being no common school, they
are squeezed out of school altogether,
and SO far the benevolent intentions
of the Legislature are frustrated, and
the children get no education.
Now how can this undesirable state
of things be remedied? To some ex-
tent by the provision spoken OF above.
But l should like to see the idea
carried to much greater extent. In
this letter l will confne myself 10 the
particular provision or amendment
referred to. 1t is in brief that the
parents OF child may direct that his
studies be limited to the three
branches OF reading (spelling H.
cluded, writing, and arithmetic, and
that the tuition fee of such child
shall not exceed 81 per term, in sd- {
ditlon to his share of the territorial
appropriation. This amendment has {
advantages, among which c
may be named the following
1. Though il does not provide free
schools, yet it comes near it for the
poor.
2. It does not hinder the district
schools from being graded schools. Ia
and even high graded schools, with 8 $
large variety of studies for those e
children whose parents are able to T
pay literally. r
3. It involves no increase of the D
territorial appropriation. b
4. No child is squeezed out OF the a
district school by high fees. o
5. A good education in those COM q
mon branches is insured to all chill ,
dren OF the poor. .
6. The choice of SO limiting the :, =
variety of studies is open to all the a
whether poor or rich. =,
z. The children of the poor can 90 rs
% school and continue there Withou.
heir having the stigma of pauperism
imposed upon them.
8. 1t is likely that but few OF those
parents who can afford 20 pay for q %
more varied range of studies for their st
hildren will have them limited to VI
hose few branches re
9. No child can be said to be illit- di
rate who is we'll versed in the three w
ranches named, for they are the of
roundwoIk of all scholastic educa- vi
on.
10. II a child, we'll instructed in
hose fundamental branches, has q r.
stursl aptitude and an ambition for
more extended education, the way
i'll not be likely to be closed against Nj
in. Providence will cause it TO ye
zen before him, in some way or thu
her. SCHoLAETICUs. vel