each courty is to be appointed by the county commissioners, holding his office till his successor is appointed. Each superintendent must within one month after he is qualified, or as soon thereafter as practicable, call a public meeting in each school district, when 3 directors are to be elected, to hold office till the next general election, when the same number are to be elected for 2-years terms. Each of the voting precincts constitutes a school district, in which must be established at least one public school. In these schools the common branches are to be taught, with history of the United States, in English or Spanish, or both, as the directors may determine. The county school funds are to be apportioned to the various districts in proportion to the number of children 5 to 20 years of age residing therein. For statistics of private institutions for secondary instruction reporting for the year. see Table VI of the Appendix. (From report and returns of Hon. L. J. Nuttall, territorial superintendent of public instruction, for the two years indicated.) TERRITORIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM. GENERAL CONDITION. The foregoing summary denotes progress in most respects, and further information goes to show that the public school system in Utah more than holds its own. For sustaining the public schools there was received in 1884-'85, from State and local taxation, $151,907; this, added to the revenue from all other sources, with balance on hand, netted an income of $277,127, being over $47,000 in excess of all expenditures. New buildings were erected at a cost of $34,637; improvements and repairs were made costing $13,752; and furniture purchased at $6,789. ADMINISTRATION. The territorial superintendent of district schools, elected for 2 years, has general charge of public school affairs. The local officers are county superintendents, elected by the people for 2 years, and district school trustees, elected for 3 years, with annual change of 1. There are also boards for the examination of teachers, comprising 3 members, appointed by the county courts. The territorial and county superintendents in convention determine what text books are to be used in the public schools. The law requires district trustees to take an annual census of school youth, and to report to the county superintendent the condition of the schools. SCHOOL FINANCES. Public schools are sustained from territorial, local, and special taxation; from the sale of estrays, and from donations, rents, etc. The school funds are distributed in propor tion to the number of children of school age (6-18), as reported annually by the county superintendents. PREPARATION AND QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS. GENERAL TERRITORIAL REQUIREMENTS. Teachers must hold certificates of the required qualifications, signed by the board of examiners of their respective counties. These certificates are valid for 1 year. TERRITORIAL NORMAL TRAINING. The University of Deseret provides a 2-years course of normal instruction, including the common school branches, with elocution, botany, geology, physics, zoology, music, free-hand drawing, civil government, and the theory and practice of teaching. This department is supported in part by legislative appropriation, and graduates from the prescribed course are entitled to teach in the district schools of the Territory without further examination. For statistics of this and any other normal departments reporting, see Table III of the Appendix. MISSION SCHOOLS IN UTAH. ELEMENTARY AND ACADEMIC. Various religious bodies in the East support missionary schools in the Territory. The following statistics are furnished by Rev. Calvin M. Parks: Heber M. E. Mission, Heber. 1884 M. E.. 1883 Christian... Pilgrim, Salt Lake City. Payson, Payson,. Hoytsville Seminary, Hoytsville Presbyterian Mission, Ogden. 1878 Presby'n Parawan Pres. Miss'n, Parawan 1879 Presby'n. Presby'n Miss'n, Pleasant Grove 1877 Cong. 1885 | Cong. Miss M. A. Hand.. 1881 Presby'n... Miss Carrie Mitting.. 1 14 3 54 1878 Presby'n... Miss M. P. Shirley..... 3 37 38 2 1 2 1 2 30 22 34 32 53 44 17 17 31 35 18 11 22 30 29 4 4 25 20 14 30 36 33 16 15 15 23 60 114 184 4741 2 3 14 13 24 26 22 9 10 2 8 31 5 All of these schools but one were in session from 180 to 228 days, and all but one began the terin in September, 1884. The value of school property, other than that rented, was estimated at $135,755. Value of apparatus, $2,825. SECONDARY INSTRUCTION. PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS. School districts having a population of 1,200 or more may by popular vote establish and maintain graded schools, or graded departments of schools, where pupils over 18 years of age may be instructed in branches higher than those taught in common schools. None such, however, have been reported to this Bureau. OTHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS. For statistics of private secondary schools and preparatory departments of colleges reporting, see Tables VI and IX of the Appendix, and summaries of them in the report of the Commissioner preceding. SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION. UNIVERSITY OF DESERET. The University of Deseret, Salt Lake City, open to both sexes, offers a preliminary course of 1 year, classical preparatory and normal courses of 2 years each, and a scientific course of 4 years. The first named includes only the common school studies; the classical preparatory, higher branches, with introductory Latin and Greek. The university possesses sufficient mathematical, philosophical, and chemical apparatus to illustrate, with a considerable degree of fullness, the subjects of natural science. Volumes in the library, 3,307 in 1884-'85, an increase of 213 in the last 2 years. SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL. The university has added a year to its scientific course since the last report. New studies have been added, former ones extended, and the general standard raised. Graduates from the entire course receive the degree of Sci. B. with diploma. The first and second years are given to the higher English branches, chemistry, surveying, and introductory Latin; the third year adds mineralogy and lithology; the fourth, astronomy, mental science, political economy, etc. German is taught in the third and senior years. To supplement the course in civil government and political economy, a series of lectures is given upon the elements of law. These lectures are intended to be preliminary to the final establishment of a complete law department in connection with the university. SPECIAL INSTRUCTION. EDUCATION OF THE DEAF. A circular from the president of the University of Deseret, dated September, 1884, states that at the last session of the legislature of Utah an appropriation of $2,000 annually was voted for 2 years to assist in establishing, in connection with the university, a department for the instruction of deaf mutes. The circular shows that the matter was promptly acted on by the officers of the university, and that in 1884-'85 instructors had been secured from the East, and arrangements made for the reception of such deaf mutes as need instruction and are found to be prepared for entran on the course projected. Further information will naturally come in the Report for 1885-'86. CHIEF TERRITORIAL SCHOOL OFFICER. HON. L. JOHN NUTTALL, territorial superintendent of district schools, Salt Lake City. Term, August, 1881, to August, 1885.] |