Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-01-12

County Superintendent OF schools.


OGDEN, Utah, Dee. 10, 1871.
GovERNuR ARTHUR l.. THOMAS,
Salt Lake CITY, UtGh.
Dear Sir am glad OF the opportunity
to suggest 60 yourself changes that |
think should no male in the Utah
school law.
Fist aud most important, n more
literal provision should be male for
school money. (al think It was n
great mistake h take from the trustees
the right 20 declare u tax Of OuciOurth
nj unu per cent. that the olis law gave
them. la u few districts In Weber
county last year the pcOpl. voted down
thu tax altogether. Every district
should be taxed nj least Ouv-iOufth pf
one per cent. TO furnish funds Tor ina
pfovements. Trustees generally realize
the Importance ~ the tax more than
the people, aud nm firmly convinced
that they should sgln be given the
right 10 declare this tax,
(h.l Our schools arc overly
crowded. Shall mail you copy
Of the Standard contain Y m article
wherein [ urge the people N enlarge
their school facilities. But how are
they going to do 1t? AS you know,
there - little demand for o per cent.
school bonus, ami usually per cent.
! tax will build hut half or thiri Of a
good school house. Therefore, ! sug.
/ rust that the rate be increased TO per
cent, aud thpt the people be- allowed to
| tax themae,vrs u nigh an tseuty milis
10 build and ami furnish school houses
/ and To- Improve the grounds.
C. / think the Trustees should have
/ the night 10 examine the assessment
/ roll ami corruct omissions, etc.
81, The Appropriation money IL not
/ futlicieut 10 run the small ech1ols
| sufficiently long. Therefore, pruvi.lou
should be- made that the people In the
| districts can vote special tax for the
/ running rs well ~ the building Xxx
| penses.
e. Utah's summer institutes are too
much parade aud do not accomplish
| VII they should. We nre In great
| need OF SUMMER schools for teachers.
! | understand Missouri greatly i'm
proved her school work by trovidlug
funds 20 hold Institutes during the
whole month OF August. | think
the time u the Institute should
bo Increased from two 10 four
weeks, and thOre should be Mt
least 800 provided to defray ex-
peuses; that the institutes bo training
schools Tor teachers; that able couduc-
tors he emplpyeI;- 1T would be well %
have efficient and successful conductors
from the east come to Utah and take
charge OF our summer inalilutes. This
matter Is very important.
n There should hn a central eXamln.
lug board TO examine for aud grant
territorial certificates. There II too
much inequality about the present
System.
% Provision should be made TO pay
trustees something for their services.
! take II, that better results would fol-
low II hut one trustee were Ia district
ani he be paid salary.
M County superin,endenta should
be required to prepare or have prepared
courses OF study, and all tho schools,
country and city, should be graded.
TheschOO's OF Utah have run too long
underg loose system. Ii IL highly i'm
portant that tho schools Of county
work together anu TO method, and
that connecting link DO made
hetween them and tho Desetet
Unlver-ity. The university should
not be obliged TO have preparatory
department 10 prepare pupils FOR the
college course; | take 1t all the neces.
sary preparation should bO given In
public schools.
We arc meeting with success In the
attempt to grade our schools. We have
monthly examinations, studies fire.
quently neglected are required 10 loo
taken, school life Is Increased, greater
interest IL taken by parents, pupils and
teachers, and greater uniformity IL In
progress throughout tho county than
under the system where each school
works TO its own plan. am convinced
that the law should require the county
schools 70 be graded, las vol as the city
schOpls.
The provision In the Massachuselt.
law which requires high school fol
every Ave hundred families would
work well here. Generally the count,
school houses ace immediate the smni
children only, There are hundreds o
young men aud young women In tn,
districts who should 40 10 school
We have opened four higher school
this year and they are excellent,
well attended. Now II provisini
: were made In the school Law