Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-03-20
Professor Willard Done Submits
His Views on That Subject.
SUCH A SCHOOL NEEDED.
Religious Training uust Necessarily
Take Into Consideration the come
mon branches OF Learning.

I was very much interested In read
Ing the article written b. rr0f !. n.
Paul In Saturdays "NcWa' with refer
cnce To the maintenance OF the Latter
day Saints College. lie has made u
clear. fofcihlo statement of tho case aa
he views IT,. ana has presented. II
seems to me, the chief arguments that
can be adducpd In support 81 his post
ton. Yet. | am hrmiy uf opinion that
the plan he presents, oven if Il be not
considered actually Objectionable N at
least lmprnctlCnblc. 20 Tar as VI relates
60 the students OF state or municipal
Institutions. ! am also convinced that
the results produced. even VI the plan
were feasible. would b. FAR below ok
pcctntion, ! desire to present my rch.
SONS for these conclusions.
A. stated by Prof. Paul. the College
n duplicating the four years work af
the Salt Take city liigh school, and
the University preparatory department.
| thank him FOR his commentator %
the quality ~ the work done. In the
fact that the curriculum M the college
includes the branches % am ordinary
liigh school course, IN addition tu work
In Theology, consists. II souma to me.
the main value uf tho Institution In
my opinion u Ia not the chief object ~
the church schools. a. countorHrt the
Objectionable tendency NJ u non-rviig-
iouH training; II II. rather. To give puai-
AlNf IfllhlNNN lNNNfh'NiNNf NNN NNlN w
purely Theological subjects, hut also IN
connection with the ordinary branches
~ science. history ana philosophy. A
religious training would be- weak In
deed, which did not look 90 the cn-
ordination ~ the common branches
with theology. ana did not Insist on
their presentation In such "a way A. to
remove all fnith-dcstroyinF features.
II four-nfths ~ the students work II Ia
bc strictly non-rcilEiouH, u II scarcely
to be- expected that our-nfth OF ~ can
be made efficiently religious.
Again. II 10 the spirit, not alone the
letter, of religion, that SHOULD ic fos-
tered. There would b. FAR sruHtur OPP
portunity for the development ~ this
spirit n an the work of the student
were carried IN under religious infiu-
encc. than " only a portion OF a were
No conducted. II ~ the purpose To- keep
the student under that influence all the
time, The time IL indeed brief enough
considering the fact that this work ox-
tends through only four years az most.
The development Of praycrfulnrHa. ~
testimony, 81 the spirit Of devotion, ami
Of religious zeal. can be- better accom-.
pllHhed by such means than by inter-
mlitcnt. frngmenthry work. Title Cath
ollie schools present n strong, though
possibly an exaggerated. example OF
the efficiency 81 this course.
Hut. one says. the number reached
VIII be- 80 much greater na 10 counter
balance this disadvantage. very
much doubt H. As Prof. Paul "a ~. the
average student has little Hpnrr time
Ia devote 10 branches outside his rcru-
lar course what rpnrc time he has,
he ~ very much more likely to devote
10 work which will give him additional
credits. than 20 branches which cannot
receive such credit. | say ''vtn not.
because ~ Prof Pnula virtual imiH-
sion. notwithstanding It's value In tho
way ~ culture and general MT rinn-
ton. theological work; Bible study.
etc.. VIII never. npprchcnd.
be recognized ana accredited In our
public schools. True. the student who
follows this course viii have the cui-
turc, but h. n looking for that cui.
turc which counts Toward ultimate
graduation, pcplorable ~ this fact may
appear 60 some. " N, nevertheless fcc-
ornized as a fact by an who have had
extensive experience with ambitious
students. aud "" cannot get away
from n, Practically. every student
measures his years work by the mum.
Dor ~ hours" he has gained toward
graduation. Therefore. II N not To- be-
expected that many students viii de-
vote four or I'VE hours week to
theological instruction. at the rifk uf
requiring i've years, instead Of four foi
the completion Of their course. ~. on
the other hand. tho course IL 30 ar
ranged that theology, with itH rrcnF-
niEod cultur,-vaiue. IL an Integral part
this objection l. removed. There may
be added 90 this the difficulty. on nc-
count 81 changing programs. IN ar
ranging suitable hours for the work In
theology,
II wnr stated az tho beginning ~ this
article. that tho plan suggested by Prof,
Paul may be considered objectionable.
This seems Ia me 10 be highly probable.
without going into details. ! viii
merely say that In my opinion there
are many NJ the citizens % Utah who
would object vary seriously "a what
they would consider. Notwithstanding
all disclaimers, 10 be an Injection ~ a
church element into tho State schools.
Why should We run tho risk of arouH-
Ing this foellnFf
80 much with reference 10 the
apparent purpose u the plan
proposed by Prof. Paul, liut
there ~ another side from
which the subject may he viewed. "
such an Institution ~ tho one proposed
II 10 be- established, let Il be- absolutely
independent ~ every other school Lot
II be- located In the most convenient
part u tho city, and let all who are
worthy and dcsifouH ~ such training,
be- admitted 90 IT. courses. This plan
would. | believe, remove an objection
able features ana secure much better
results than the plan suggested by my
friend.
/ wish. however. 10 go on record AZ
being cmphatically In favor NJ tho
maintenance ~ the Intter.dny Saints
College. with itH present courses of
study. n II can be- supported ON an 81
ncient financial basis, I am firmly of
opinion that no other plan win accom-
pilHh the results Co be- secured by
woll-sustnlned Church school ~ Sec
ondary grade. There N large and
Overwhelming field for such an insti-
tuition IN This city,
Therefore. the Important question II
the maintenance ~ the College az az
present constituted. With that question
decided In the negative there would be
ample opportunity 10 present other
plans not ~ substitutes Tor the work
N the College. hut as independent
lines NJ cnori, without rcferoce 90 tho
work ~ the past,
personal ends 10 serve The thought In
my mind IL the accomplishment ~ the
greatest possible good. While / am na
strongly opposed as any one 10 tho
continuance ~ tho College on atarvn.
tlon rates. and M well aware a. any
one, OF the difficulties In the way of It's
maintenance YET I wish again 10 volre
and u emphasize tho statement made
hy one N the speakers In the late
stake conference, that n would be- "A
calamity 20 close tho institution.
WILLARD DONE.
MONDAY AND TUESDAY, MARCH 40