The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-29
SPLENDID SCHOOLS HAVE
SALT LAKE AND UTAH
Healthy Public Sentiment CompeS the Authorities
to Maintain Best Of Schools.
In the Larger Cities Magnificent Buildings Have Been Erected
System Complete From kindergarten to University

W the mountain valleys Of Utah
began to make their homes in
any new quarter Of the territory. as
soon as they had supplied for them
selves new houses in which to live they
started the building Of a school house.
This building was often the first one
completed in he settlement. and even
before the frs crop was planted upon
which they would have to subsist. the
schOolmistress was sowing the seeds of
knowledge In the fertile soil of the lit
tie ones busy brains.
IL was on a public opinion of this
character that the school system Of the
state was built up, and built up so well
thaL there Is nothing more efficient be
tween the oceans. Il long line of edu-
Gators have left their impress upon the
schools of the state. Among them
stand out pre-eminent in the past. for
belf-sacrifce and devotion, the names
or Kari G.. Maeser and DR.. John PARK.
The first struggled with the problems
OF widely distant settlements and a
sparse population, and often with a
confusion Of tongues, to make possible
the education Of the young Of the early
life as nearly equal as possible to the
older states Of the Union: the latter
20 weld into a homogeneous whole the
creations of the first. Both. as has
been stated, were aided by a healthy
pubic opinion and more than all by a
class OF young men who had grown uD
under THEN hands. Of whom the present
state superintendent, Professor y. c..
Nelson, is a fair sample Both lived
10 see the fruits Of their endeavors in
the splendid school system the state is
now enjoying.
The schools Of the state are support
ed by the state government, a special
tax being levied upon all the property
real and personal, for that purpose.
This sum, which in the past year. to-
getheT with the county funds and the
funds collected in the four large cities
or salt Lake, Ogden, Provo and Logan.
amounted to SS54671.25. was supple
mented by special local school taxes.
which swells the amount to approx
mately SL400,000. an increase o-er the
year before Of nearly 100000, the fig
ures of 1900 being 81, 30l, 610.54.
These figures, however, do not repre-
sent the entire amount expended in the
state, as the University of Utah, in
this city. the Agricultural college at
.e--tlAA anu AAlE ONllDtA ADA NLE NEd4t
dumb and blind at Ogden. together
with the private and sectarian schools,
notably the Brigham YOUNG scad-
emies. Latter-day Saints university,
All Hallows college and Rowland Hall.
are all supported from moneys Othel
than the public school funds. and which
would swell the sum for general main
tenance of schools of the state To prob
ably 10000 600 The public school build
ings of the state. outside Of Salt Lake,
are valued at 81, 430 353.6S. Many Of
them are recent structures, and are
equipped with everything possible to
aid the work Of instruction
The school population OF Utah. &C
COTding to the last school census, is
SI134 pupils, and 1,4I5 teachers draw
salaries from the public funds. OF the
number only q comparatively few owe
their education to other states, and
these are employed almost entirely in
the larger cities. For a number Of
years the Utah state normal school,
which is a portion Of the state uni
versity, has been training teachers.
The various stake academies Of the
Mormon church have also fitted many
young men and women for the pTOfes-
sion Of teaching. Still the demand for
Utah educated teachers has become so
great that several years ago the state
legislature made an appropriation for
the building and maintaining Of
branch normal school in the southern
portion Of the state. This institution
was established IN Cedar City in Iron
county.
Iliteracy. among the native-born peO-
pie Of Utah is a thing almost entirely
unknown, and in q few years at most
viii be impossible, as the Utah system
provides for compulsory education. de-
manding the attendance at school of all
children between the ages of and Is
years for a portion of each school year. I
In salt Lake City school books are
supplied free, so that there is no rea-
son that can be urged by the poorest /
in the community why their children
should not have at least the rUdiments
Of an education.
Salt Lake Schools.
If there is one thing Of which the
people of Salt Lake are prOuder than /
all others, il is theI public schools. The /
school system is as perfect as the ex-
perience Of the years can make it. /
There is no one thing which has been I
overlooked which could add TO their I
efficiency and keep Z EN- up t. the high /
est possible standard. Throughout the /
GLLN dlE SLdAAEAEA sN4tDDt DHAAAAAt7N }
which. in architectural design and /
beauty Of surroundings, are unequaled /
In any city Of its size in the United /
States. The magnificent SUM Of 81 /
III, 601.76 has been spent in the pur-
chase of SITES and the erecting and 4
equiTring of these school buildings. /
The Interior OF the schools is as perfect /
as their exterior beauty. All that is 1
modern IN the way of heating and fur 4
nishing has been supplied, until the /
very acme Of comfort and healthfulness /
has been attained
In all there are twenty-siX school /
buildings in the city, which are used /
for public school proposes, most Of
which are Of recent structure. From
The irst the schools have been Kept l
free from partisan politics, and some
of The best citizens of the city have
considered il an honor to Oe members
of the body and bring TO il thei- ripest
experience. The highest possible abil-
sly has been always their object IN the
selection Of teachers for the various
GRADES, and as a consequence the 3I8
ladies and gentlemen who are directly
employed in the schools as teachers.
principals and special directors form a
body Of educators which would DO
credit TO any city in the world.
To tell the story Of the development !
OF the Salt Lake City schools would be
20 tell the history of he development Of
the state. The present system how
ever is Of comparatively recent date.
and has grown 10 its present state Of
perfection within the past decade. In /
the SOS there came a great influx of |
population, and the erstwhile provis-
isnal town awoke one morning 10 Eud
itself d metropolitan city The old
echnnl huiIdIngs. Mhi--h Id MT The !