The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-12
PROFESSOR FRANK B. COOPER.
Comment of Des Moines Papers on
His Coming to Zion.
(Des Moines Daily News

Comment of Des Moines Papers on
His Coming to Zion.
Des Moines Daily News)
If Superintendent Cooper has any IN
tention of resigning the superintend-
ency of the Des Moines schools to ac-
cept that of Salt Lake City, there will
be an attempt on the part of the board
at this place to induce him to remain
here. A number of the board were in
terviewed this morning. In response to
a query in reference to the Associated
| Press dispatch appearing in this morn
ing's papers, it was their belief Mr.
| Cooper did not entertain any intentions
of going away from Des Moines. Some
time ago a visit was made the Salt
Lake City schools and a conference
held with the school board at that
place. Mr.. Cooper was favorably con-
sidered at that time. but there was no
action taken relative to extending him
a call The dispatch minated the call
had been extended, and in all probable
ity would be accepted. Those who are
! in position to know, say Mr.. Cooper
made plans relative to the propagation
of the work here in the Des Moines
schools after his return from Salt Lake,
and Judging from the character of these
plans, It is the opinion Of a majority of
the board that he will refuse any offer
made him along that line. Director l..
| G. Kurtz was seen this morning He
said he did not think a call had been
| extended superintendent Cooper but in
| the event there was, he did not regard
1t as probable it would be accepted.
| There will be an effort to retain Mr..
| Cooper. We need him in the work here
in Des Moines, and cannot afford to
make any change at present. He has
| placed the schools upon a high plane of
excellence second to none in the west.
! By his faithful, persistent efforts along
| the lines of school work. he has made a
friend of every teacher in the district.
l think the majority of the board will
voice my sentiments when | say there
must not be a change made at this
| time, even If there has to be some extra
Inducements offered to retain him"
| Director kiest said he did not believe
there was a great deal in the Associat-
ed Press reports, but if there was, he
was in favor of making an effort to
nave Mr.. Cooper consider the invitation
unfavorablv.
Just how Mr.. Cooper regards the in
| vitation is a matter of speculation. He
| is out of the city, and could not be seen
this morning. A representative of this
| paper talked with him not long ago
in regard to his trip to Salt Lake While
! the position is a very desirable one and
| SO4ioIuCI CiOIC VI d DIOUlOUlOn from the
| Des Moines office, there did not seem to
be great amount of enthusiasm on his
| part toward making the change. The
| matter will likely be settled definitely
at the next meeting of the school board.
Des Moines Capital.)
dispatch from Salt Lake, Utah, to
the effect that the superintendent of
the schools of that city would be ten
dered to Professor Frank b. Cooper of
Des Moines, created a small furry on
| the west side this morning and many
| interpreted the dispatch to mean that
west Des MOineS schools were to lose
their popular superintendent The dis
patch stated that Professor Cooper,
out of list of four or five prominent
candidates, is the most likely to be
rendered the position at Salt Lake and
that, on his recent trip to that city,
which was by special invitation the
school board We're very favorably i'm
pressed with the DeS Moines educator
who in turn expressed his admiration
for the Salt Lake school system, and
had a private consultation with the
board, at which he said he would re-
greet to sever his connection with the
Des MoineS schools. Professor Cooper
could not be seen today, as he is in
Iowa City attending a meeting of the
southeastern Iowa Teachers associa-
ton, but it can be stated on good au-
thority that Mr.. Cooper will not leave
Des Moines for at least another year
and the Salt Lake dispatch is looked
upon by those in a position to know
the facts, as a story of some special
correspondent who was writing to fill
space.
Mr.. VIII Harbach of the West Des
MoineS school board was seen this
morning, and gave it as his opinion
hot h IT,
as there was the greatest harmony be-
tween the members of the board and
Professor Cooper, and that the super
intendent was well pleased with the
schools in Des Moines, as were the pat
rOns of the schools with Mr. Cooper
Other members of the board expressed
similar views and they look upon Mr..
prominent educators of the country,
and just the man for the Des Moines
schools. That the Salt Lake people
would be pleased to have him at the
head of their schools there is no
doubt but it is not believed that he
has given the school board of that city
any encouragement whatever, nor that
his recent visit to that. city had any
significance in connection with the re-
port from there. He was simply en-
joying a short vacation investigating
the methods of the more important
city schools in the west and went to
Salt Lake for this purpose. and in re-
Spouse to an invitation from the board
O. % o.
Oes Mones Leader.)
Professor Cooper is still in Iowa City,
and it is not known how he stands on
the question of going to Salt Lake and
assuming charge of the schools at that
place. The general impression among
the West Des MoineS school directors
is that he will not go. Will Harbach,
member of the board. said he thought
it improbable that Professor Cooper
would leave. Director Kurtz said:
There win be an effort to retain Mr..
Cooper. We need him in the work here
in Des Moines and cannot afford to
make any change at present. He has
placed the schools upon a high plane
of excellence second to none in the
west. 1 think the majority of the board
will voice my sentiments when 1 say
there must not be a change made at
this time even if there has to be some
extra inducement offered to retain
him"