The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-31
EDUCATION.
SALT LAKE CRY, Dec. 50, 1882.

medium OF your popular paper, 10
present a few educational, facts for
the con sideration of the public.
There is nothing worthy Of more
thought than that of the education
Of the young. 1t affects the whole
social, Intelligent, and physical con-
ditions of the human race. The
people of our Territory may boast
of their many schools and low per
cent. of illiteracy, still, this is no
argument that there is not an
abundance of room for improve
ment.
In order that a mechanic be sue
cessful in the construction of any
piece of mechanism, it is necessary
that he have a plan OF that which
he wishes to construct. The archi-
tect, in the constr uction of a build
ing, must know where to place
every piece OF material of which
the structure is composed. If in
the common vocation of life plan
or system is essential, then how i'm
pOrtant is it that there should be
system in the direction and devel-
opment of the immortal mind
which affects the whole condition
of the human race, both individu-
ally and collectively.
We have a school system in our
Territory, yet. it is far from being
complete-it is only a fragment.
True, we have some good schools;
but if these schools are not properly
directed; if there is enmity exist
ing-one working against another,
can we expect the beneficial results
that would follow if every part of
the system were properly adjusted
and working to accomplish the
same eEd? We acknowle ige the
University of Deseret as our gov
ornamental school-our normal
school. Can that institution do
the good it is designed, when sother
popular schools of our Territory
are working against it? In fact,
should we have more than one
normal school? 1t may be said that
the demand for teachers requires
more; but could not teachers be
prepared as well, if not better, in
one school as another.
The public demands school sys-
TEN that works for the interest of
of the whole territory, and to the
interest of any particular county to
the disadvantage of another. All
the grades of our schools should be
bound in one system, the elemen-
tary school, the high school and the
university. Pupils, after complet-
ing the course of instruction given
in the elementary school, could
then enter the high school, and
from there to the university.
Never will we have thorough
school system, until we have school
officers who understand the various
departments of education. Experts
should direct in every department.
1t would be folly to employ preach
erS to. construct railroads,or farmers
to direct manufactures but per-
sons are held as superintendent of
schools who probably have never
taught school day in their lives,
J or if they have it has been so long
ago that they know nothing of the
present educational advancement.
Their principal labor consists in
making out their reports and draw
| ing their salary. We need superin-
tendents who are or have been prac
teal teachers. Because a man has
a college education, it does not
Equality him to be a superindent of
district schools.
One great fault with many of our
present school books is that they are
written by educated men and not
practical teachers. A county OF
territorial superintendent should be
such a person that on entering 9
school he can tell whether the
teacher is really educating his
Pupils or "cramming" their minds
land making machines" of them.
must say word in regard tx
Jour school books. Recently, the
educational convention met, anG
Iadopted certain books to be used il
Jour district schools for five years
tSome of these books, no doubt, are
| the finest that could be chosen, while
lothers are certainly inferior. Book,
lare tools for pupils to use, and grea
discretion should be used in thei
choice. The Independent series O
readers was adopted, which doe
mot give the best satisfaction. Their
ARE other readers considered by th
best educational men Of our coun
. try, as much better. What induce
the convention to adopt them2 Wa
it because they thought thes
readers were cheap and
free exchange was offered? If sc
why could the company sellin
i them afford to do better than othe
publishing companies? Was it tn
good quality of the Readers tina
made such a..demand, or have the
Z been rejected by the intelligen
states of our country, and the con
pany not being able to dispose @
them, and having large stock O
hand, shipped them off to our Tel
rltory as a cheap article, and W
were eager enough to take them
The Independent Readers are NJ
of modern style, and have not til
benefit of our late educational az
vancement like the Appleton, Lii
lpincott Or Monroe series. 1t new
pays to buy an article because of i
cheapness. Respectfully,