The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-01-11
FROM sANPETE.
The District School Question in the
South.
MANrr. January 10. 1881.

MANTI, january IL, 1901.
To the Editor of THE HERALD
We have to laugh at the Comedy of
Errors" now being enacted in the Third
Judicial District Court, Messrs. Zane,
yarian and others principal perform
ers; scene of the comedy, Seventh
Ward, your city.
We imagined there was something
under that white heap. We thought,
perhaps, the labor of the mountain
might have brought forth a mouse.
From my extended acquaintance with
school-teaching, off and on, l have
never practiced, seen or heard of sec
tarianism taught in a public school.
The prayer used was always of that
broad Christian spirit that should
characterize every movement, having
for its apex peace and good will to all
men," and the universal brotherhood.
have sometimes acted as fruStee and
in the applicants for the position OF
teacher ability was the question, and
whilst my prediction might be towards
my household of faith" yet / have
ever leaned toward the ability regard
less of wh9 offered it, sound morality
being in each applicant. As | seek in
the markets of the Territory the best l
can command. Certain, the slip-shod,
the sloyenly educator is now thing
of the past. But, sir, | have thought
that one scene of the comedy might be
very properly avoided, viz: the levying
of the local tax. 1t is dangerous, cum
bersome, expensive and litigous. Ii
the law was repealed as to this one
feature and in the general Ter
ritorial assessment all these essen
tials were included, and the
state assumed the whole question
OF building school houses, furniture sup
plies and payment of teachers, then this
vexatious, expensive mode OF our doing
would be avoided. Imagine some non
resident having property in a district,
living four to ten miles away, the school
tax assessed must go through all the
formula of appointment, bonds, blanks,
notices, equaliZations, attachments, &c,
assessments at percentage. The day
of collection comes around, and the
party assessed won't pay, the amount
being from SOC. to 75c., as IN a dozen
cases l know of. The collector also
having percentage cannot collect these
remainders, the same "shall be turned
over to the county collector" Shades
of the imperial ermine! What prolix-
ity, and perhaps to find that the trus-
tees, in levying the tax, had done some
little act that Yitiated the whole thing.
The Legislature wisely engaged all
the necessary forms to be used Ill the
several departments and occasions OF
the school business, yet | have ire
quently seen these disregarded, entirely
omitted. have a trustees notice before
me, where the important question o.
leyying school tax is only incidentally
I alluded to thus: Also to vote on
school tax, >" no approximates, purpose
etc. are stated, why this tax is wanted
its estimated amount, and its purpose
| etc. The notice was for the election
of trustees. This should hay,
been addressed to the REGISTERED
voters. The levying of +;
tax should be addressed to the tax
payer Many who. like myself haC
no need to attend the meeting TO
electing trustees, as'I cannot vote bu
on the question of taxing, | have ;
voice. What perplexing mixture! Oh
reform the school law. Let the State do i
all, the teacher drawing his pay from
: the county treasury on the certificate
OF the trustees. (See Illinois way.)
But to return to my opening theme
have ever been free from the dictun
of any priestly power in my school
my choice OF men, etc, as was in the
State of Illinois. The church has {
powerful, potent power in her Sunday
: schools. She has no need of the par
ticular spiritual pabulum in the dis
trict school. The great universal fami
ly PRAYER, the reading of the beatitude.
of Christ give enough of the ac-
a acknowledgement of God and of the
odor OF religion in the district school
That we need a reformation in many Of
our schoolhouses is self-evident to the
traveller. A sehoolhouse on half acre
lot, close TO the street, the common play
ground, no trees, no shade, no good
water; the conveniences OF propriety, il
any, are in fearful proximity as almost
to shock; the walls OF the schoolhoust
in many instances unadorned, seventy
> five to eighty pupils seethingly huddleo
together, while seYenty-tive to eighty
remain outside for lack of room.
We need more rooms than one in oul
! schoolhonses. | thought so the other
day as | approached schoolhouse,
) While some distance away | heard the
teacher descantng ON some problems In
Rays fifth part, confusing some poor
little heads who were substracting IS
) from 80. 1t would seem TO me that the
; Liberals, as they are termed, are
generally the opposers of the tax. They
ought to aid us by every means to have
good teachers and good schoolhouses.
Yet, alas, they are our OPP onents.
Not an unmixed good must come from
the Seventh Ward performance case.
/; Circumspection, close following of the
law, and a judicious selection of teach
ers, who will at least not turn upon us
regiment of infiiels Is the Univer
/ sity of Deseret Ingersoliic?