The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-14

hardly be said that my cooperation in
the enactment of wholesome and neceS-
corded.
Condition of the Schools.
OF all the sources of state pride. there
is none 50 great and so indisputable as
the educational facilities offered the chill
dren Of this state. From the kindergar-
ten to the common school. up throughthis
to the high school ana thence to the uni
versity. a complete system of public in
struct.ou is provided and all Of it free to
every child of the state. Il is true that IN
some parts of the state there are no high
schools, bat these are gradually iucTeaS-
ing in number as well as in efficiency.
there being no fewer than nineteen with
IN he state, located at the following
places. salt Lake CITY, Ogden. PARK
City Brigham city. Draper Sandy. Pay
son, Springvillc, American Fork. Lehi.
Nephi. Eureka. Fillmore. Richfield, Mo-
rOni. St. George. kehaD end Moab Ger
tatnly the enthusiasm of our people over
orr splendid educational advantages is
amply justified by the following statis-
tics.
Increase in attendance in public and
private schools during the seven years
since statehood. 6,496. Increase in eX-
pen liturc for schools per anuum S553.5l0.
Increase in valuation of school property.
$i.S33.3H. II anything further is needed
i'm support of the fact that. our eduCa-
tional standard is well advanced il is
of Education Harris who gives in his
report for 1906 the amount per capita eX
pended for school purposes in the various
states. Tho lowest was North Carolina,
where 81 cents per capita was spent; the
highest was Nevada, where $3.50 per cap
it4 WIS -sLe1lt
In Utah during that year S4.OS per cap
tia was spent, ana in the succeeding years
in Utah. viz. in 1901. S4.N per capita, and
In 1902. 500 per capita. While these con-
ditions are comparatively most faVOra Bile
q 10 81 az no ed
Gator, the question to be considered by
you is whether from the standpoint o.
the taxpayer they are not more favor
able than the state can afford. and
whether or not our educational advance
ment is not more rapid than our reVe-
MUGS justify The report of the state SUI
perintendent of public instruction is re-
plete with information concerning our
educational status. and his suggestions
for further educational progress are the
result of experience and wisdom. and
should be weighed by you as the expires
siOns of one who has only the interests
of the school children at heart
y l especially direct your attention y
y to his recommendation that the \
y school districts in each county be =
q consolidated into one district. to be +
y under the control of board of edu- =
= cation, consisting of from three to y
y seven members. ! agree with him
y that if this consolidation can be ef- y
= fected 1t will do much to simplify, y
y strengthen and economic our pres =
His recommendation that the University
of Utah and the Agricultural college be
supported from a fixed levy out of the
state tax instead OF rom legislative APP
preparation is based upon the idea that
these institutions would thus be placed
upon a frmeT and more certain basis. so
that their respective boards Of control
would know exactly what pls rs might
be made ana carried into successful ODer-
alton Inasmuch as each session of the
legislature would nece ssarily have to fix
the levy for these purposes. and could
fix ii at one mill or half a mill. or any
ensuing biennial term. l am at Il loss to
see how the revenues for the support OF
these institutions would be rendered any
more secure or certain by the change
than they are at present.
The question of school for the feeble
minded, also recommended by the super
intendent, while Enthusiastically d step in
the interest of humanity and one which
older and richer states have deemed
necessary TO provide for, nevertheless
opens the door To a new and perhaps
large expenditure which IT is your duty
TO keep closed as tightly as possible. II.
NEVER. after careful examination OF
our financial eXpectancies for the enSu-
ing two years, you shall deem it wisdom
TO make n beginning tn this direction. I
suggest that instead of attempting to
establish u new state school, the truste es
of the school for the deaf and dumb and
the blind should be authorized to include
the feeble minded in their school, so that
the expense of training these unfOrtu-
mates. of whom there are estimated 10 be
about fifty within she state, could be re-
duced 10 the minimum.
The reasons advanced by the superin-
teadent for providing free text books 10
the common schools are sound and con-
Vincing. The only objection is the eX-
pensc. Our state Is young vet, and as
has been shown we are extending in edu-
cation a greater proportion of our reve-
MUGS pSr capita than a majority of the
states Of the Union Let us learn 10 creep
before We run. especially II our running
runs us into debt The recommendation
Of tile superintendent in regard TO dupii-
cation OF work In the two institutions Of
higher learning In he state meets my
hearty approval. as ! am sure it viii that
OF all the taxpayers. reproduce this
paragraph in full and direct your special
attention thereto;
BY the cnE bling act for the admission
OF Utah into the union of states a school
OF mines was to be established in connec-
ton with the University of Utah. One
hundred thousand acres Of lanG were ap-
pr0priated by the general government
toward The support OF this school. In ac-
COrdance with the provisions Of the en-
ablins act. two years aSo the state legis-
lature p.sssed a law establishing the
state school OF mines as part of the
state university. Already the university
was giving courses in electrical and min-
ing engine ring-COurSeS which properly
belong to Il school of mines Investiga-
tion shows that TO maintain another de-
partment Of electrical and mining engi-
lEtIIlN 1N Nh ubNt Wall ana as SHoulQs
exist In the state school Of mines the
next two years. about $4,000 would DC re-
Ctuircl Tor equipments. ana several thou-
sands of dollars a year for salaries ana
operating expenses.
zone school has ample capacity. and
win have for years. TO instruct all engf-
neering students in Utah. To parallel
engineering work. other thar that part
Of Il which may be necessary in an agri-
cultural course. has. in my opinion. a
tendency to weaken the efforts of both
schools. and a tendency to result in a less
degree OF value and excellence than would
otherwise be obtained.