Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-20
CHURCH SCHOOLS AND DISTRICT
SCHOOLS.

IeilllOu 70 Tue tlstricl SCHOOLS.
this is SO it is wrong. and the wron
should bs remeiiei at once.
probIbly arises from a misunde,
standing.
The establishment OF schools IN
der the direction OF the Church wa
not intended to interfere wit
schools regulated by law. Til,
Church schools were designed to b,
chiefly high schools, into which
young people who had received
instruction in the rudiments couI,
be drafted, and receive q highe
education which would includ,
religious training.
or course, If circumstances per
mitted, it would be better if tn,
children OF the Latter-iBy Saint.
could attend schools from the begin
ming in which the doctrines anc
spirit and ordinances of the gospe
are taught. But under the laws Of the
Territory a general tax is levied fol
the support OF district schools, and
these must be open 10 the children
OF persons not OF our iaith as well as
Of those who are members Of the
Church. They are and must OF
necessity be common schools. Those
who pay the taxes must receive the
benefit Of the lakes, no MISTER what
may be their religion or lack OF
religion. Therefore no particular
creed or tenets can be legally taught
in the district schools.
But the children Of each denomi-
nation can he taught religion in the
Sunday Schools, by private instruc-
ton, ami by such other means and
methods as each church provides,
and this should be done 50 as not to
interfere with the district schools in
any wy
Morality may and we believe
ough 10 be taught in all schools,
whether they bessculsr or religious.
But this need not involve any
particular tenet or theological
dogma Right and wrong and the
necessity of choosing good and re-
framing from evil, from a purely
moral standpoint, should in our
opinion form part of the instruc-
ton in every school in the Terri.
tory.
The Church schools, at present at
least, are intended to be of a grade
between the district schools aud the
University or College institutions.
They are to be established wherever
practicable, SO as not to come in the
way OF the maintenance of the dis
trict schools. And if anyone
imagines to the contrary he has
made n mistake.
It is very important that local
taxes in the respective districts, for |
the maintenance OF a school or
schools in each district, where it has |
not already been attended 10, shall
be at once assessed. If a district
school is not maintained in
any particular district for at
least twenty weeks during the
school yelr preceding-uuiess it is
2 newly formed district-it will not
receive its apportionment of the
Territorial school tax for the year.
Thus, the property holders will have
paid the tax but they will have
no returns, their proportion of the
school moneys will go to help those
districts that have complied with
the law.
Another thing to be remembered
is this: All local special taxes for
the maintenance of district school
must be LIVED in the district before
the 3lst Of December in each year.
and within ten days after such levy
certified returns Of the per cent.
levied must be certified to the
county CLERK and the county as
SCISSOR.
IT there has been opposition to the
district schools, whether In the
form Of resistance TO a necessary I
local tax, or because such schools {
are secular and religion cannot be
taught therein. or because Church
schools are established near by or
contemplated, this opposition ought J
TO be Withdrawn in view of the facts
we have here presented. q
Scioolh uses Of sufficient capsci- C
y, with the proper appurtenances r
anu conveniences, ought to be found .
m all the school districts of this q
Territory. Where they do nc, ex. b
81, that is mark of lack of pro- u
,ress and refinement. The old q
buildings adequate for by-gone DAYS q
're not suited for present require .
nents, and our friends should be I'D cl
With the times.and see to ii that every d'
iecessary facility for the educa- al
lon Of the young is provided. They b
lou!d rather ne f;J,e5 NTH ,,. hl
on and DESTROYS Of having just as 70
pod buildings AMI schools as any 70
their neighbors, than to be care pr
IS or obstructive or niggarily in oP
!ation to this importan. matter. IN
Inc district schools should be oe
p?ortei ani encouraged for no
e young children, religious pc
ition being provided for them de
the primaries, and the bit
inday Schools, and by such other ou
Engagements as can be made suit ten
ie and convenient, without hin. 500
ring the district schools. And the
IN these the older aud advanced der
pills eau be placed in the Church '
zoos, where they can receive Til
taeF religious as well as secular Pm
lang, and thus the purpose in est
" VIII be achieved, harmony orig
u prevail between all branches of Alto
educational system, and ignor. pres
= VIII not be allowed to hold S'c
y IN any part OF the Territory. sno'
int
5tG6LERF AND CANNON. to g