The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-13
THE USUAL REPORT.
The Condition Of the University
at the Close of the Term.
A VERY SATISFACTORY SHOWING.
He Recommends the Establishment of School
of Mines, and Several Other I'M
provements.

lately submitted to the chancellor and
board of regents:
To the Chancellor and Board OF Regents:
Gentlemen-At the close of the first
term of the present academic year of the
university, am pleased to report to you
a healthy and encouraging condition of
the department of instruction. Notwlth-
standing the many new schools above the
grade of the district schools that have
been organized with attractive induce
ments, here and elsewhere throughout the
territory, the patronage of the university
at this initiative term has exceeded that
of other years. The total registration is
80, comprising 1876 males and ia females.
The same term last year enumerates a
total of 24S, while that of 1887, 23l.
This shows an increase in the registra-
ton of the first term this year over that of
last year of siXty-two, and over that of two
years ago of seventy nine.
The grade of qualification, however, Of
most of these students, 1 regret to say, is
not what it should be for an institution Of
the grade of the university. Nor is there
that representation in the higher courses of
study, and in the advanced years of in
struction, that there should be.
The reason for the low grade of initiative
qualification l attribute in great measure
to the continued lack Of sufficient number
of schools in the territory Of higher grade
than the common or district schools. Such
higher grade schools, if sufficient in num-
Der, and appointed to train their pupils for
still more advanced instruction, would act
as efficient feeders to the university. But
they do not exist There is not adequate
provision made in our present school law
either to encourage or secure the establish
ment of higher schools in many of the
places where a condition exists that
40 nd fhn mi
Versity has no legal authority to change
or construe the law in any way to meet the
necessities Of new conditions and a pro-
gressive educational sentiment, yet as the
highest public institution of learning in
the territory, it ought at least to take the
initiative in agitating reform that will
secure ample facilities for better public
schools and their Systematic graduation.
Its own SAFETY and progress would seem to
demand this, even though it should ignore
the more liberal sentiment of popular ne
cessity.
have referred to the lack of prepare
tory schools as feeders to the university as
a prominent reason for the low scholastic
grade OF our matriculates, and as one cause
why such meagre number of orr students
pursue, net to say graduate from our
higher courses of study.
In justice, however, to all earnest efforts
in education, and to guard against any un-
warranted hope from the best system Of
graded schools. / must say there is evident
throughout the country a tendency ia
shorten the term Of school life So prevalent
is this inclination, that many of the high
est and best schools of learning in the
country are seriously contemplating the
necessity OF reducing both in time and
AUNT sr Of studies the equisites for gradua-
tlon. In our own schOoI 1 lind great haste
among the majority of students to get into
business. And when they come to US, as
most Of them do, with no better prepare
ton than will admit them into our elenen-
tary studies, it seems impossible to induce
them to remain three or SIX years with uB
in order to graduate, the latter being the
least time possible necessary to obtain an
honorary degree.
All Of our students are above fourteen
years Of age and many of them above
twenty; and At twenty or twenty-five they
should be able TO quit college with diplO-
ma and an honorary title. SO II we shall
ever expect numerous patronage for our
honorary and titled courses, the prepara-
tion for progressive line OF study must
begin in the primary schools, and even
then with the best system of graduation in
these schools, We must not expect too much
in this way, when the tendency is SO great
to shorten up on college life.
NORMAL DEPARTMENT.
The normal department of the university
has been patronlzcd this year to tho full ex-
tent of the legal provision. One hundred
normal students have been appointed by
the territorial comm sSoner of schools, and
are now enrolled III the classes Of the lnsti-
tuition. In addition TO this number there
are twenty-five others who are taking the
normal course independent OF the commits
sioners appointment, which makes total
of 125 normal students now in attendancein
this department. As class these students
are lHuusuIious and enthusiastic in their
work and believe the most of them will
make good teachers.
heretofore, and to some extent the evil
still exists, the list of appointed normals
has been largely made up of persons Who
solicited the nomination only for the free
tuition it afforded, and who never expected
to become thoroughly trained and profess
sional teachers. No blame, however, for
such appointments can be attached to the
commissioner of schools, who has power
only to select from the nominations made
by the county boards of examination.
l do not know that a better plan than
that which the law provides can be devised
at present, to secure the best available tai
ent in each county, and still distribute the
patronage proportionately throughout the
territory. If any one person better than
others in each county should know the pLr-
pose of the law in this respect and be able
to select persons with proper ability for
normal students, it is the county superin-
tendent of schools, and he is one of the
nominating board.
The university, know, has been criti-
cised for not turning out more graduates
from its extensive list of normals But
such criticism know to be unjust, as it
is impossible to show good work to advan
tage without good material on which to
operate The training and ability of the
small percentage of graduates should be
taken as the criterion to judge the charac-
ter of the work done, rather than the tickle
number who swell the ranks of atten-
dance From this standpoint, take pride
in the results of our work, in referring to
our normal graduates who have done much
in past years to advance the cause of edu-
cation in our terri tory.
LITERARY COURSE.
The literary course is nearly parallel to
the last named, The normal course. 1t
differs from it chiefly in the substitution
of Latin or German for special pedagogical
studies, and in embracing fuller course
in natural science and literature.
There is an encouraging tendency toward
this course which it is hoped will soon
lead to a more satisfactory patronage of
both the scientific and classical courses.
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC.
The department of music has given bet
ter encouragement than was looked for
when it was established year ago. The
vocal class under the immediate tuition of
Professor Stephens, the last term numb
cred 130 Also, for the last term there
were the following number of students in
instrumental music; piano, eleven; organ,
one; violin, three; guitar, four, and banjo,
two.