The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-12-25
TRUSTEES AND TAXES.
The University of Deseret
and Its Work.
FACILITIES FOR LEARNING.
Free schools, Party Politics, Sec
tart Institutions aud Remarks
on Teachers and Teaching.
TIE SCHOOL LAW.

TIE School Law.
j. this article It is not the intention
to furnish the reader with statistics OF
Sga-es relating to our schools, but
rather 10 give g general statement Of
our educational status at the present
time. together with some brief COMPARE
s0n with Its past and the prospects OF
Is future. By q reference TO the school
law - viii Be seen that the whole Terri
Rory IS divided By the county courts
INTO school districts, each large enough
b. sustain, by the number Of its children
\ e school age and by the taxes on its
property, q school of respectable size,
wherever the division could be made,
4 II consequence OF the close prox-
unity Of the inhabitants, bat IN
srher cases Ehere the population
q so spa.seIy scattered, it has been
necessary to divide into very small
c5str.cts IS far as number and property
40 Eo-czrned, so that but very little
caE b. accomplished in these districts
iOr some time TO come id the way of
establishing good schools. But this is 9
condition consequent upon the youth OF
al newly settled countries, and will be
50 Wiz or Territory for some time TO
aqEzs Each of these districts is
managed b a board OF three trustees
ch1ser ty the resident taxpayers Of the
district,
1 wise provision Of the law allows two
o. more adjoining districts TO consoli-
dste for the purpose of building school
houses n common, or high schools for
the mutual benefit of the several
districts SO united. The trustees may
also send their pupils to an adjoining
district where facilities are better and
ytill ALLOW such pupils the benefit of the
school monies belonging to their own
1 districts. 1 believe, however, that very
LITTLE i any use has been made OF these
! provisions Up TO the present time.
TRUSTEES.
! Each county elects biennialIy super
4 intendent Of schools, whose duty it is
I 70 E-sit the schools of the different
/ districts N his county, lat least twice
4 each year examine the trustees records,
! audit their accounts, ana see that the
trustees are diligent in the discharge Of
4 thsl- duties he also exercises a
4 genera. supervision over the dlstribu-
: H. "a a. AA4I 1A-AAg- AA-4As A4gAA " -A4A-
ever source n MS county.
10 has also been provided by law that
. Territorial superintendent OF district
. schools should be elected biennially by
vote al the people, and this has been
I done t1T a number OF years IN the past,
~. a. present different view OF the
matter has oeeu taken by many and the
! Tight u the Legislature 70 provide for
tne filing OF such al office has been
4 seriously questioned and IS now before
rhe courts Tor adjudication, though the
night ~ cle Legislature 10 create such
! AZ Oflge IS recognized by all parties.
! according 70 the provisions Of the
. Organic Act, OF the Territory. Il is the
. iu-- %. his officer 10 visit the different
1 counties o. the Territory. st least once
Ts4-. Tor the purpose Of examining
j s1e schools. consulting the county
! superintendent, lecturing before county
. Institutes and addressing public
assemblies on subjects partainin- to
i education. He Is required 70 make a
biennial report to the Legislature
, setting sOrth the condition Of the schools
during his term OF office with such other
] information and suggestions as he may
hink proper.
me law also provides a board Of three
examiners IN each county, who are
required 20 examine all applicants for
teS cher and il their moral character is
aood ard their qualifications are deemed
] sufficient by the board, they receive a
/ certificate emitting them 10 teach in the
county FOR the period OF one year from
j The date u the certificate.
SCHOOL TAX.
However intelligent the officers may
! be Il the discharge Of their duties, they
ian accomplish very little unless some
material means be a. their command "a
provide schOOl-houses, furniture. paw
teachers, etc. In the law providing
revenue for the Territory a tax Of three
mills on the dollar is devoted exclu-
sIyely 20 the payment Of teachers, and
Is appOruOned among the several dis
t-iCtst according to the school populs-
ton from the ages Of to Is years
This has enabled the trustees TO lessen
The rates OF tuition and in some case:
where the school has been held but 8
short season each year, 20 do away
sntirely with any tuition charges. Thi.
TAX e q step toward s free schoo
system. II Is also further provided that
JaE OF one fourth of one per cent. NAV
be levied by the trustees for school pur
poses without putting it TO a vote Of tn,
district and alss that tax of not more
than two per cent. per snnum may b,
levied for school purposes by a majority
vote o. the resident taxpayers Of tht
district. Thus We see that ample mean.
are a. hand for providing each distric
With q good school house, with all ths
necessary furniture snd conveniences
The above are the salient points in tn,
school law, and enough is presented I,
show that good schools, with few excep
lions, may exist throughout the who'll
Territory, If only the right men ar
chosen TO i'll Offices ;the requisite mater
ial can be found for making goo
teachers, and lastly the people them
selves are interested IN the cause Q
education.
EDUCATIONAL IMPROvENEST.
Our facilities for education are ever
day increasing and improving as an
enc may Judge who is st all fsmIlia
With she coalition OF the common