Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-01-12

TO the Honorable Utah State Board
of Education, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Gentlemen:--As the father of
large family of children Of school age.
and looking to their best interests.
and to the interests Of humanity gen
orally, for the following reasons, I
protest against the present public
school system:
First and main reason: 1.-THE Time
and Season in which Schools are Held.
Inn a farming community, as we
are, to keep children in the school
room at time when we a re depriv-
ing them Of the opportunity of plant
ing their crops, harvesting the same
and reaping the benefits derived there
by, we are actually robbing them of
their free agency and the financial
support which they should have to
enable them to better attend school.
And to teach them agriculture, at the
same time depriving them of the ac
tual experience Of planting and har-
vesting their crops Is an insult TO
rood sense, or truth, and, therefore.
as a free American citizen, loyal TO
the State Of Utah and her country In
the name Of all that is educational. I
petition you to give as a rational pub
lie school system.
| Second Reason: Is the amount of
lessons taught.
Teaching hygiene with 30 many
other studies that they cannot think
or do anything else and robbinp them
OF their sleep, so necessary to their
well being, is contrary to reason
| Third Reason: Is that some years
some studies are taught In some of
the grades only and unless the pupils
are up on these studies they are not
promoted and another year those sub
jects are not given at all.
What is good for me. thing. is
GOOD for all, and think we should
well consider what we teach our child
rem.
Too many people spend their lives
in education and die in ignorance.
Let us avoid that calamity.
We cannot expect to know the de-
tails Of everything, especially those
things that do not concern us very
much. We should know as much as
possible about ourselves. where we
came from, our relationship and re-
sponsibility to each other and why we
are here. We should have a general
knowledge of this earth and things
about US and things that concern us
most we should know the most about.
am afraid of making nv letter
too long, but I want to make a few
suggestions, and would like an ex-
preston from you in regard to them.
A wise man will never tear the old
house down until he sees it's inability
TO give proper service and Is satisfied
he can build better one.
In reviewing the old house (school
system) l fancy can see large fam
| lily Of very moderate means (of whom
there are many with the children,
OF any size for material help in the
home or on the farm, all in the school
room studying the birds, the bees, in
sects, plants, flowers. gardening. pre-
: pairing the soil for planting, etc, anx-
iously waiting the close of school when
they can be relieved Of the confine-
Iment and worry and get out and enjoy
the realities and benefits of nature.
But like the hungry man who anx-
iously and uneasily listened to the
cook tell of all the good things pre-
pared for his meal till they were all
eaten by someone else, they 90 from
school too late TO enjov the beautiful
spring time and too late to plant their
crops which they have longed so much
to do. And the father, worn out with
the care Of earning the support for
the family, has been unable to get
much crop planted, and there they are,
nothing to go on, no crops planted
worth bothering with, no work to get,
spring work all past, sheep shearing
and wool-hauling all done and herd
ers secured for the summer-all at
enormous prices owing to the scarcity
of help in the proper season. What
can they now do?
1t is fortunate for those that can
survive thru the summer for they can
spend all of their time reading half
the books that their teachers and 9th
ers suggest that they must read to
prepare for the next term of school,
which will start about the time the
fall work commences, which thev will
also miss, and how the old man Is 20
ing to keep them thru the next term
with the high cost of living no one
knows. But they must 90. He can
sell a part Of the farm and the bal
ance can lie idle and the community
be branded as being shiftless and ig-
norant, and the government or state
can send out a few agricultural ex-
perts to teach us how to farm and
place one or two more in the schools,
and do not mind that if the schools
are held in the proper season and the
students turned out in the proper sea-
son to use the knowledge they already
have.
Faith without works is dead, and
n knowledge of agriculture is dead,
also, TO the ones that have to be kent
in prison (the school room) whilo
someone else gets all the benefits of
growing the crops.
Now, II you have seen the inability
Of the old house, or system, TO give
proper service let me show you what
can see in the new.
In the new system / would suggest
that all school seasons be determined
by the local climatic conditions Of