The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-09
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Superintendent Stewart Inter-
viewed on the Change.
WHY THE CHANGE IS MADE.
-Four $4,000 School Buildings Can be Built
The Imperfect System Now in Vogue
Throughout the City.

| AA JSoSSAAaJ ALAlh6 AhhALO'
To the County Court of Salt Lake County:
Gentlemen-I believe that the public school
interests Of Salt Lake city will be best promoted
! by uniting several Of the present school dis
tricts into one. give the following as my rea-
sons:
1T would enable better supervision.
| PIT would promote . thorough system of
graduation.
st would produce economy in the expendi
ture of the public ,hoool funds.
| At would enable the establishment OF high
schools.
cit would make fair distribution of the
| local school taxes.
For the above reasons respectfully ask your
honorable body to unite the school districts of
Salt Lake city into four new districts follows:
The first district TO include all that part of the
city lying south eff Second South street and west
OF Main street.
The second district to include all that part OF
the city situated south Of Second South street
and west of Main street.
The third district TO include all that part of the
city lying north OF Second South street and east
OF Main street.
The fourth district to include all that part of
| the city lying north OF Second South street and
west OF Main street
w. M. STEWART,
Superintendent District Schools of Salt Lake
County.
The time for hearing the above petition
was set for November 6, and the sheriff in
structed to give notice to that effect.
The following petition was also presented
To:the county court OF Salt Lake county:
GENTLEMEN-For the same reasons set forth
in my application for the union of the school
districts OF salt Lake city, respectfully ask
your honorable body to unite the school districts
OF South Cottonwood and Mill Creek precincts
into two new districts as follows:
Districts No. 80, 81, 36 and 80 to be united into
one district, to be known as Mill Creek district
No. 80
DISTRICTS No. "a, %. % and 45 to be united into
one district known as South Cottonwood dis
tr.c., No. "a. Respectfully, WIN NJ. STEWART,
Supt. District schools, salt Lake county.
The hearing of this petition was set for
November and notice ordered given.
SUPERINTENDENT STEWART INTERVIEWED.
Superintendent Stewart was seen by a
HERALD reporter yesterday and inter
viewed concerning the various PROPOSE
lions of the above petition, the plans he
proposed to adopt in carrying out the idea,
and the present condition of the school
system.
What were the causes that led to the
presentation of the petition?" asked the
reporter
1.-THE plan is nothing new. For years
county superintendent and others inter
ested, have made effo-ts to accomplish
the consolidation of the school districts of
OIlS CITY. EOUOu dIJST ! was tlecLcu
superintendent l endeavored to accomplish
the same thing and have been working at
1t ever since and even prominent Liberals
have promised to give me support"
docs the present growth of our city
necessitate the consolidation Of the school
districts}"
sit most certainly does, and change has
been needed for along tune. The school
facilities at present are but one-ha'f in
lHn 70 lot 1f-&p- Of - =.
sufficient acc modatioLs in school buildings
to seat the school children RESTING in the
district. Nearly all are oVercrowded with
the present attendance"
docs the present school law meet the
present educational requirements"
"No, sir, it does not. Many changes
should be made and city school system is
much needed
why not wait until the coming session
of the legislature and then make an effort
to effect a change?"
Until the school law shall be changed
or amended by the legislature. it is the
clear duty of all interested in the educa-
ton of our youth TO use the present CON
ditions to the very best Advantage. And
then there may be no changes made at
present and in event of the question being
taken under Amusement the action taken
now will not affect any changes which
tend to make the best use of the law we
have"
"You infer in your petition that the pre-
sent system of taxation is unfair. In what
way is it unjust2n
1.-The trustees in each district have the
power to levy tax of a quarter of one per
cent. on the valuation of the property In
some districts tax of One-fourth of one
per cent. will net $4,000; in most of the
others the same rate of taxation will bring
in only $500. Thus the tax to build good
house in one district will scarcely be felt;
in another, it will be enormous. And it is
a fact that the poorer districts have the
most children to educate"
Under the present division of districts,
is the supervision all that could be de-
sired?n
''The supervision is very imperfect.
Sixty three trustees now manage the
schools of the city. These trustees receive
little or no compensation, and it is difficult
to get that number of men who are willing
and at the same time capable to manage
the schools without compensation. As an
example of the difficulty experienced in
making improvements in our schools
wished to have Professor Z. Stephens
teach vocal music in the schools. In order
to do this was compelled to call meet
| ing of the sixty-three trustees. After a
weeks work l succeeded in getting only
| thirteen or fourteen of the districts to &C
cept the proposition"
How will the changing of the twenty
one school districts into four new ones bet
ter the school systema"
1.-THE new arrangement will, if carried
| out, enable the establishment of four good
grammar schools, or high schools. The es-
| Establishment of four such schools in this
city would result at once in vast saving
of time and effort to teachers and pupils,
and of money to taxpayers. The present
district schoOlhouses would continue in use
| for the primary and intermediate grades,
and are most of them about large enough
for that purpose. In the coming December
meetings, nearly every district in the city
will levy taxes for the coming year, mostly
as temporary expedient for relief from
the present overcrowded condition of each
school If action is taken in this matter
before these meetings occur, the districts
can govern themselves accordingly, and the
extra expense of making additions to build
| ings could be avoided, and by q consolida-
ton four $4,000 school buildings could be
erected, which would much improve our
educational facilities
"How will this arrangement affect the
political control of the various districts '
cat the last election the First precinct
of this city was carried by the Liberals,
who are also in large majority in the
Twelfth and Thirteenth districts, while
the Peoples party have majority in the
Eleventh ward only. The Liberals, there
fore, would probably carry the southeast
district, and gain the four former districts
at once, while without the change they
must wait at least three years and perhaps
| for an indefinite period before gaining con-