The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-07-15
BENNER BOUNCED.
Due to Trouble in the Salt Lake
Academy.
The Board Tenders Him q Public Reception,
but he Declines Il Without
Thanks.

Some years ago Prof. Edward Benner
came 20 this city and took charge Of the
Salt Lake academy, which had just been
established, and solely through his untiring
efforts. the school in . worry short time
ranked among the foremost institutions Of
learning In shis territory. 1t continued to
prosper and extend lts field Of usefulness
until some three years ago. when the scsd-
envy becxme TO large extent under the
control Of the New West Educational COM
mission. The influence exsrted by this IL
stitution was most discovragipg, and
ever since its influence has been felt
the school has been going down. New
ideas OF teaching and training which the
principal sought to introduce were discorr-
aged, the membership steadily decreased
and the school lost much Of it old-time
prestige. Prof. Benner opposed this infu-
ence from the Arst, and thus won the dis
pleasure Of those members Of the board of
trustees who were in synPsthy with the
thst sone Of the school trustees are also
trustees Of the Congregational church, and
recently when the church was looking for
q site for Q building, these latter wished 70
let the church have the property OF
the school at . sacrifice, evidently
caring more for the advancement Of
their church than for the school Prof.
Benner stood out against this and carried
his point, but the feeling against him in
the board was increased and finally IL Gull
minated in the forming Of . ring whose
sole purpose was to Gust the principal
Tney have at last succeeded.
The board met on Monday afternoon At
o'clock and remained in session until s, the
proposition before IL being to turn the
academy over to the commission, giving It
the power TO nominate the teachers. This.
Of course, means that Prof. Benner must
retire. There was something Of Tight over
it, some members Of the board standing
by Prof. Benner. The latter made IN ad-
dress in which he told the gentlemen who
thought of them, showed them the effect
their influence had upon the school and
gave them their record for the past three
years.
In order to smooth the thing over, the
members OF the ring had . proposition
sprung 70 give the principal big public re-
ception, but he refused to become Q party
TO such deception, and informed the board
that he was through with IL.
OF course the proposition TO turn the
academy over to the commission went
through, as per programme, and Prof.
Benner and his family will soon leave for
New Hampshire.
his departure Will % QlSLlucL loss 10
the cause of education in this territory, and
his place in Salt Lake academy will never
be filed. But Prof. Benner can look back
upon his work in Utah with satisfaction
and with the consciousness that he has
performed his duty well and faithfully.
He has been Q father TO many boys who
have come under his care, and there
are many young men in this COM
munity snd in the east and west
who have now distinction in vari-
GUS fields, who are glad to acknowledge
that whatever success they have won has
been due largely to their noble teacher,
sturdy friend and safe counselor, Prof.
Benner.
So far q the old school il concerned, 1t
Is hoped that the feeling aroused by the
action Of the board will be healed and that
it will start upon q new career Of useful
ness.
Prof. Benner's departure will leave
vacancy in the board Of control Of the re-
form school. He has been one OF the most
active members Of the board and will be
greatly missed just at this time when his
counsel 10 needed.