The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-02-21
THE NEW SCH0OLL4W-H.F. No. 80.

the introduction of an entirely new
school law. From hasty rerusal
Of it, we notice number of changes
on the old law, and we mCst con-
TESS that even these changes that
have been made do not strike US
very favorably. In the frat place,
the old school law itself is not q
very bad one, and unless a very
great improvement is made in the
new one, the change is not worth
the while. The old law needs to be
thoroughly understood, and then
properly executed. This once done,
experience will suggest such minor
changes here and there as necessity
may demand. We understand from
those that arc in position to know,
that the one great difficulty with the
the trustees and superintendent
has arisen from au ignorance Of the
duties prescribed by law, but with
the assistance of an efficient Terri,
torial Superintendent, they will be
able to carry the law into execution
in its true spirit; but jast now, as
they are beginning to become well
acquainted with it, an entirely new
law is to be made before the old one
is thoroughly tested. There is no
way to get at the best result but by
experience, and let experience, and
not. theory, suggest the proper
changes.
We notice in some places that the
University of Deseret is entirely
ignored, as in the matter of choos-
ing textbooks for our common
schools. We can see no reason for
this, as, If this institution is to be
anything at all, 1t should stand at
the head of educational establish-
menGs, and should be the great GEN.
ire towards which all other schools
are tributary. Too many of our
legislators seem to forget that the
University is an institution of their
own creation aud subject entirely to
their control. If they do not wish
to keep up the establishment, or
have become ashamed of their
progeny, the best thing they can do
is to close down upon it at once. 1t
is Disgrace to the Territory, that
the University should be housed In
such miserable quarters rs long as
it has been, and now that it begins
to make some Roadway, its position
in the educational interests of the
State, is to be lowered. The jealousy
shown towards Salt Lake county
should not 80 stultify the good judg.
ment Of the members from the coun-
try that they must regard every ap-
preparation to the University as so
much money donated to this county,
whereas on the contrary it Is only
so much money conferred by the
Ststeo State institution which
the State has seen ft to locate in
Salt Lake'City, and in the Seven
tenth ward of that city, not for the
special benefit of that ward, or that
city, but il the Legislatures iudg-
ment can be relied upon, for the
greatest good to the people of the
Territory as a whole.
One of the most Objectionable fea-
lures Of the new bill, however, is
the appropriation of $4,000 to the
Normal Department in Ogden City,
the same amount also to the Normal
Department in Beaver City, that of
st George and how many other
places no one can tell until the bill
is cut OF the hands of the legislators.
The Normal Departments in Ogden
City, and other places have no off,
cial existence that we know of; and
whether they have any other kind
of existence, we are not able to tell
for certain, but we believe there is
none. But no matter whether there
is or is not, the Legislature can, &C
cording to the present law, do no.
thing in the matter after the money
has been appropriately and no one can
be held accountable to them, let the
money be spent in whatsoever way
the county officers may choose, un-
less the expenditures are made un>
der the direction of the Board of Re-
gents Of the University, but we be-
lieys this provision has been stric-
ken out.
Now can any Of our lawmakers
tell us what need there IS for SO