The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-12

The communication says: 1t is with
profound pleasure that can state
that the law making the district schools
free TO All of school age, is daily grow
ing in popularity and the. system is
becoming each year, more and more
firmly fixed in the affections of the
people of the territory. The growth
of the system is extremely gratifying
to the friends of education, and its
growth is rapidly developing a deep
and abiding interest in the cause Oh
education all over the territory. The
advance in many quarters has been
as wonderful as it has been satisIac-
tory New and more commodlous
buildings have been and are pelng
erected throughout the territory, ana
a great many of them are large and
admirably adapted to the purpose for
which they have been erected, ana
are Justly the pride Of the whole peo-
pie. There is no disposition manifested
anywhere to give up the free school
system, but the anxiety is to see the
law which gave us the system, i'm
proved and made as nearly perfect as
it is possible to make 1t.
DEFECTS IN THE LAW.
He then goes on to review his work
during the past two years, and sug-
sests some radical changes in the
school law, one of which is in regard
to the selection and discharge OF teach
ers. On this subject he sayg Any
system that should be adopted light
he abused. but the one least likely
TO be abused, would certainly be the
preferable one. Where the whole mat
ter is left to the school board, local
and social influences sometimes have
too much to DO with the selection and
also the discharge of teachers. And
-o1,ooI rar-r7s IIoxy one of their
number-or he is allowed to assume
the aMthority-to select and discharge
teachers at his pleasure. AS conse-
ouence it is possible that social or
other local influence will lead to the
selection of teachers who would not
do the best work, and to the discharge
of good teachers from some mere whinl,
thus causing injustice to be done TO
competent anG worthy teachers. A
central authority should exist In every
county, whose consent should be nee
esssrv to the selection and discharge
of every teacher. This central author
ity might consist of the county super
intendent ard chairman of the school
board.
UNION INSTITUTES.
The commissioner is inclined to
think that authority for holding union
institutes is carried beyond what was
intended by the section giving the |
authority. He believes that if teachers |
are. required to attend these Institutes, !
their expenses, at least, should be paid, |
and no charge should be allowed to be |
made against anyone for any lecture
or other matters at any such institute,
and no one should be denied admission
to any lecture or other matters in the
line of instruction at the institute.
CERTIFICATES TO TEACH
AS to certificates to teach, the COM
oil oh
1he grade or class of teaching to which
they apply. There should also be some
authority, although not obligatory, for
the examining boards to consider the
certificates coming from other states |
and territories. AS the law now stands, |
no one coming from outside the terri
tory no matter what his experience
and standing or qualifications, can
teach without an examination in the
territory and that examination with |
out regard TO the well known and
acknowledged qualifications Of the
party.
Conflicting requirements in the law
referring to the issuance of school
bonds are called attention to, and
amendments suggested.
UNCONVENTIONAL SCHOOLS.
concerning schedules attached to the
renort. Mr.. Foreman says: / regret I
that I have again to call attention to
the meagreness of the reports from |
the denoninational and private schools
I have exhausted every means at my |
command to get fun reports. but with
out success. It evidently will have to |
be made the duty of some local officer, |
perhaps the superintendent in every |
county and city, to gather the statistics
regarding all UNCONVENTIONAL and pri-
vate schools. There seems to be no
other way in which the necessary in
formation can be obtained.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
AS to school libraries, the report .
saws: The time has arrived in the his
tory Of our territory, when attention
should be given to the creation and I
maintenance of district school libraries.
The thirst for knowledge in the young
minds must be met with good books
and the best current literature Thus
their tastes and their morals will be /
trained in the right direction. l hope /
that authority may be given the school
boards TO establish such libraries and {
that a reasonable per centage of the (
school funds be made available for
this purpose.
SCHOOL POPULATION.
The following report is given of the
number of school children of the ter
ritory between the ages of and Is
years, The enumeration being made be-
tween August and 10, 1898:
Beaver, 1,227; Box Elder, 1855; Cache.
outside Of Logan, 1855; Logan, 1,616;
Davis, 2,5e5; Emery, 2,04s; Garfield, l.
119; Grand, AS; Iron, 957; Juab, 1865; /
Kane, 6S7; Willard. 1881; Morgan. Coz;
Piute. 534; Rich, 6S4: Salt Lake out
side Of city, 5.906; Salt Lake city, H.
294; San JUN, IA; Sanpete, 4,S42; /
Sewer, 2,4S4; Summit, 2,622; Tocele, /
1,26S; Uintah, 1,120; Utah, outside of
Provo. 1854; Provo, 1923; Wasatch, l.
AL; Washington, 1,45z; Wayne, eS1;
Weber, outside OF Ogden, 3,0S7; Ogden.
1885. Total, 71.709.
DISBURSEMENTS.
Beaver, $9,127.49; Box Elder, $50, 9O3. 16:
Cache, SIS, 001. so; Davis, $33, 403 "a; EN-
cry, $40, los 81; Garfield, so, 09s So; Grand,
s.. S3l SO. Iron. ST., 390.95; Juab, s16 o31. AZ
Kzne, s6.S2l.09; Willard, 5,47s.41 Nor
gan, S6.71ST2; Pfute, $4,27S.74; Rich.
S7.355.05; Salt Lake (outside of city).
$780, 931.53 Salt Lake city, $61e, O35. 26:
San Juan. $2.52991; Sanpete, SAC. 1856 IL;
SeTier. $43, 95405; Summit, SSS.31S.54.
Tooele. s19.761.39; Cintah, 1892 90:
Utah (outside CT Provo, S22, 95518
Provo sity, S2s, 562.S4; Wasatch. scr.
S91.04; Washington, S9,4S603; Wayne.
Se.327.31; Weber Outside of Ogden).
S45,l4z-Si; Ogden city. s17o.O75.SS; total,
s.. $50, S12 As.
CITY AND COUNTY SUPERINTEN-
DENTS.
Beaver. r. Maeser. Beaver city; BOX
Elder, Angus Vance. Box Elder; Cache,
Samuel Oldham. Logan; Davis. David
n lar