Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-19
. pECATIoNAL progress In the

!" EDUCATIONAL progress In the
- public schools of the state dur
ing the year 1908 has been
4 marked by the same high STAN
dard OF efficiency as maintained lnE
previous years. In fact great improve
nent is apparent in the work of the
teachers and the interest taken both by
pupils ana parents in the progress OF
the general cause of education, the
same being evidenced by the increasing
numbers and permanently of tho eighth
grade graduating classes turned out by
eyen the smallest grade schools, q con-
6 dition which for many years was ul-
known in many of the districts OF tue
state 1t is also shown in the gfauu-3
y atinc classes Of the larger schools.
which have doubled and even trebled in
size during the past few years. ms
Improvement Is due in part to the IN
creased prosperity enjoyed in recent
years by the rural population, the chli-
z dren invariably receiving the hrst pen
3 e!its of the Bothered circumstances Of
the parents
8$8 Among the elements contributing 70
4 the success Of the public schools III inc
ate,promincntlymay be mentioned w"
and efficient teachers provided By the
generous laws of the state And while
4 compulsory school statute is to be
/ found upon the law books. only III
VERY rare instances has it been neces-
s;stry 10 invoke the statute TO compet
the attendance Of recalcitrant pupils,
NEW BUILDINGS.
Utah may well be pround OF her pun.
lie school buildings Some of the nesE
nppointcd ana we'll equipped buildings
for school purposes in the country are
found in the various towns throughout
the state. and the number is increasing
al the time. During the wear nov
closing 90 new schoohouses nave been
erected, at a cost aSgFegatihg Alot7
asg.O6. Other buildings are either NJ
der con truction o. protested and "her
The wear closes thc record for new
buildings will hold its average MIN
former years. The total valuation o.
public school property AZ present -
moro shan Si,Joe,0oo
THIRTY FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS.
One of the evidences OF progress Is
the constantly increasing number %
schools being organized IL the
state. Today there ale IS high
schools in Utah, and some Ut
them are giving the regular
four years course. Manual traiiiug
and domestic science have also been
introduced into the curriculum Of the
schools, so that parents In mUny locale
ties are able 10 equip their children
with as thorough q high school educa-
ton right ut home us they would do
by sending them away 10 attend cx-
pensive institutions oil learning
During the year y feature was intco-
duced i'll that The University of Utah
sent an Inspector to every high school
in the state. The work Of each school
has thus been closely scanned 2ron tic
standpoint OF efficiency. 1T Is the pur-
pose to make the work of the high
schools 50 thoroughly uniform that
their graduates will be fully qualified
10 enter without preliminary the state
university, the Agricultural college or
other Institution Of higher learning.
And that there may be unity of pur-
pose and action, the state board OF
education has prepared a course Of
study calculated 10 secure harmonious
action among the schools ana the higa
schools working to the common end
OF equipping Tie children of the state
with Il liberal education.
DISTRICTS CONSOLIDATED.
Since the state legislature made pro-
vision for the organization of county
school districts Of the first class five
counties have adopted this new system
of school administration. The school
districts OF Salt Lake county have been
consolidated into two county districts
Cache and Morgan counties have also
;,,.-t