The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-19
UTAH NORMAL
IDEAL SCHOOL
Commissioner of Canadian Gov
ernment Pleased With
Institution Here.
DECLARES PROBLEMS ARE
SOLVED in SALT LAKE
Methods Will Likely Be Intro
duced in Educational Sys-
tenn in Dominion.

Weeks spent in investigating schools
OF the United States In which he sought
for the solution of many OF the problems
Of the educational system of Canada
brought DR.. Thomas Bengough, commits
sioner Of education of Canada. TO the
conviction that in the Utah Normal he
found an ideal school, He spent several
days at the normal inspecting the work
and studying the plans and the system
AS n result OF this investigation, covering
weeks, DR.. Bengough, in Issuing a report
to his government. has this to say OF the
Utah Normal;
in Salt Lake City. Utah. I found the
ideal school 1t Is called the Utah nor
NAL training school. in connection with
the University OF Utah. This school oc-
cupies n pretty building on the. grounds
of the university and has staff OF nine
teachers. 1t Is the practice school Tor
the teachers in training and for the
critic, teachers. from the state normal
of age into the ndergarten-which
charges a fee Of 81 q month, and has a
waiting list, and are then carried on to
the eighth grade; age about Is, gradual
ing thence into the high school,
I'm this. school find industry and art
60 hand in hand from the beginning OF OF
activity. The little tots take great de,
light in constructing paper houses and
paper furnishings. AS the child grows
and natures more substantial ideas OF
home are taught In the grades a htte
higher up these items are made of wood
requiring tools OF various kinds
Home and School,
,"Co-operation between home and
school Is eloSe Many OF the 70 'es.eps 1seb
and mothers. This cooperation be-
tween the school and the home is one
of the vital and valuable, features OF this
Stsh % ,irp e
and pivot OF the entire orga nization
around which all the elements OF the
school life take their places.
1T VIII thus be seen that this Is not
school in the ordinary sense. Ideas are
worked out from nature with the aid OF
the teachers. So far have these teachers
ing-the dogmaic, pedantic, critical and
furnishing style-that they seem to have
gone to the other extreme and to have
become too modest In the matter OF con-
troll and discipline and dictaton Books
are secondary matters, utility Is the first
law. ten-acrc lot is cultivated by the
children where practical lessons in agri-
culture are given and demonstrated. Last
year they made $3.50 by selling garden
produce off the ten acres.
What is the secret OF this success?
think IL traceable largely TO the enthusi-
asm OF the teachers and 10 the wide d.
rection OF the principals in charge. The
whole effort OF the school. as I observed,
and as told me By Professor briggs, is to
serve the interests OF life; make the child
ready to step out into life: not to make
the boys tradesmen. but to bring them
into contact with the Industrial world in
vital way"
In submitting a report to his govern
mont after d number of schools in diff
ferent states were visited. DIR. Bengough
concludes by saying:
Finds Answer to Problem.
Il deem 1t a happy circumstance that
chose the return trip which took me
through Salt Lake City. for there l found
the most complete answer as yet to the
problems OF Canadian schools. The key
TO the problem is found in the close re-
lation Of the school to life: for art is the
expression Of mans feeling. History is
merely a story Of mans struggles and
sunerings. and deeds Of daring. Litera-
ture is the expression in choicest Ian
guage of mems thoughts. Mathematics is
the scheme man devised TO put himself
In command OF the universe
The alphabet itself that most ingen-
ious OF all mans inventions, is his crown
ing achievement. Industry. invention
tools. processes, machinery, these are the
mighty forces which man employs TO sub
due the Garth. The manner In which
academic and manual work. art and in
dustry are blended to use the word en-
poyed by Professor briggs, is the notable
contribution Of the training school which
have thus reviewed"