power has not in all cases been vouchsafed to human wisdom to eradicate the abuses of years in a day. New Mexico, before its acquisition by the United States, had been utterly neglected for generations by the government of Old Mexico in all things appertaining to its material prosperity and social advancement; and that the people are only cognizant of a superior power as indicated in the presence of exacting revenueofficers, or the recruiting sergeants incident to the chaotic and turbulent state of a government beset with revolutions and counter-revolutions, which in effect were, of course, most paralyzing to productive industries, exhausting to accumulated resources, and which made even existence itself problematic. In those times, self-preservation, the first law of nature, became the chief thought in the family-circle and the main business of life with each family. There was no time, opportunity, or impulse for social or intellectual improvement, nor had there been for generations. Such, in brief, was the condition in which the Government found the people at the time the Territory became part of the Republic. They were, and likewise continued to be for a long time, beset on all sides by hostile and nomadic Indian tribes, embodiments of all the villanies incident to unregenerate man, and also with not a few of the outlaws-hairbrained and graceless set--ever present on the frontier of an advancing American civilization. Scarcely had the Government, through the civil and military authorities, made an impression towards bringing order out of chaos, when followed the rebellion, threatening the integrity and life of the nation, during which event, be it said to the credit of the people of New Mexico, they remained true to the flag and cheerfully contributed their quota of patriotic citizens towards the defense of her soil and the suppression of the rebellion. This event, of course, still further kept education and progress in abeyance." EDUCATIONAL PROSPECTS. "Under the protection which they have enjoyed from the Government, more particularly for the past few years, and the freedom from oppression of the old government and resultant prosperity, they are coming to think of those matters calculated to better their condition in life; and not the least of these is education. "New Mexico has, we submit, made a commendable start in educational interests. It will never be less, but, to the contrary, is destined to develop and grow with accelerating progression, ever onward with the approach and advent of railroads and telegraphs, and the consequent development of its material resources, its rich and varied mining deposits, its extensive agricultural, pastoral, and lumber-interests, and the mannfactories, intelligent immigration, and general accessories that, hand in hand, naturally accompany, and which go to make the sum of the advancing elements of a higher civilization in store for the near future of New Mexico. "Very respectfully, UTAH. From biennial report of Hon. Robert L. Campbell, territorial superintendent of common schools, for the term ended October 31, 1873.] Number of children of legal school-age, (from 4 to 16 years)-boys, 13,867; girls, 13,856... $44,5-2 22 12,5 41 355 $55,092 41 27,803 50 82, 895 91 27,725 ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE. Number enrolled in public schools-males, 8,210; females, 7,860.. 16,070 Percentage of enrollment...... 57.9 Average daily attendance... 11,842 Percentage of school-population in actual attendance....... 42.7 The foregoing statement does not include the amount of school-enrollment in all the counties, the returns from some being, for various reasons, too imperfect to be tabulated. The present condition of school-buildings is reported "good" in eleven counties, in three it is "medium," and in one "fair." SCHOOLS OF SALT LAKE COUNTY. In his last report the county-superintendent of Salt Lake makes the following state ment: "The percentage of pupils enrolled is exceedingly low, and for the last few years has gradually become less; not that there is really less school-attendance in this county, but for the following reasons: the Deseret University in 1869 commenced a model school, which received primary and intermediate pupils; this institution has grown in public favor until, during the last year, it has had over 300 pupils enrolled in these departments. The St. Mark's school, (Protestant-Episcopal,) established in 1867, has received public patronage to the same extent as the university, and has enrolled during the last year upwards of 300 primary and intermediate pupils.* The Rocky Mountain Conference Seminary has enrolled during the same period about 220 pupils and the Morgan College had enrolled in March, 1873, 290 pupils. These popular institutions, all clustering around the heart of the city, have drawn largely from the public schools, "In 1865, the percentage of enrollment for Salt Lake County was 69, while the percentage of actual attendance exceeded 50. In 1866 it was nearly the same, while schools were kept open on an average throughout the county during each of these years eight months. Were the enrollment of the primary and intermedate departments *This church has also two other schools in the Territory; that of the Good Shepherds, at Ogden, with 55 male and 70 female pupils, and St. John's, Logan, numbering 29 boys and 20 girls. The Rev. Mr. Turner, from whom this information is derived, says that there are no free schools in Sat Lake City. There are many Mormon schools, but not good ones. of these institutions added to the enrollment in the district-schools, the present year's statistical table would show a percentage of about 62 and an actual attendance of upwards of 50 per cent." "Amid the many discouragements attendant upon our efforts to elevate the schoolinterests of this county, it is gratifying to observe that the trustees have been able to keep schools open upon an average of seven months." Utah has improvised and sustained the present school-system without a dollar or an available acre of land from the General Government. The superintendent of Salt Lake County, in his report to the territorial superintendent, presents some data obtained from the report of the Bureau of Education for 1872, showing that the average time schools are kept open in the thirty-nine States and Territories noted is a little more than six months in the year. Utah Territory keeps schools open longer during the year than some States which have a school-fund amounting to millions of dollars. "RELIGIOUS TEACHING. "The common school-code of Utah does not require nor authorize educators to inculcate religions tenets, but all teachers are advised to open their schools by prayer and to inculcate the 'fear of God,' and morality, both by precept and example. "The erection of so many new school-houses throughout the Territory is a matter of congratulation and reflects much credit on the trustees in the respective districts which have stepped forward in this direction. Most of the buildings are very substautial, and though little unnecessary expense has been lavished to put on style and ornament, yet some of those recently erected in Salt Lake County are handsome edifices. The subject of properly heating and ventilating school-rooms should receive more attention. "NO-SCHOOL' SYSTEM. "It may sound strange to those who have inveighed so much against our 'no-school system' to state that little more is needed on our statutes other than that which is already enacted, until means become available or until the school-lands and the munificent grants given by Congress to States may be accorded to Utah, when she shall be clothed with the robes of State-sovereignty. Perhaps there are few States in the Union-the superintendent does not know of any-where so high a percentage is collectable by statute, as there is in Utah Territory, for school-purposes. "CITIES. "It is the opinion of the superintendent that Salt Lake, and perhaps other cities, should have a city-school-system. Since 1872 there are statutory provisions which give the right to certain cities to regulate and control public schools. "LABORS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. "The superintendent in 1872 visited many of the counties, and during the year 1873 nearly all the counties, in the Territory, and counseled with the county-superintendents, school-trustees, and teachers, in relation to the educational interesis of their respective districts, and delivered addresses, wherever opportunity presented, on educational and kindred subjects. In his intercourse with the county-courts, the superintendent found that many members thereof were in favor of appropriating a certain percentage of their yearly reveue to aid the common schools of their county. A few of the probate-judges signified their willingness to join in petitioning the legislative assembly to designate the amount of percentage to be thus applied. Some were in favor of 15, others of 25, per cent. "RECOMMENDATIONS. The "Drawing, sewing, and vocal music should be taught in common schools. conny-superintendents shonld be authorized to collect statistics of private and nightschools and allowed a small amount to procure them where not obtainable gratuitously. "NORMAL SCHOOLS. "A few years ago there were presented in the house of representatives, simultaneously, two bills looking to the establishment of a tormal school, wherein advanced pupils who proposed to become tea hers might receive special training for the profession. Neither of the bills was passed, but in lien thereof it was proposed to ingraft upon the university a normal course; but no appropriation at that session was made to aid the university financially, and, as might have been expected, the executive committee, to whose hands its financial interests were committed, were embarrassed, and labored under difficulties which they found themselves impotent to remove. "In the absence of a normal school, the superintendent believes it necessary to pro vide for institutes, to be held in all the counties, where the teachers and advanced pupils can meet, and, under the superintendence and instruction of a competent instructor, be qualified to do better and more efficient work in the school-room. If in States where normal schools are sustained this work is deemed necessary, how much more needful in our Territory, where normal training has not been extensive. In these institutes the importance of moral training should receive special attention. "FIRST NORMAL SCHOOL OR INSTITUTE IN UTAH. "In July last the superintendent called together the teachers throughout the Territory for the purpose of instruction and improvement. Some of those called to act as teachers in Utah have had but limited opportunities of becoming acquainted with modern improved methods of instruction. The institute continued a month and had enrolled over one hundred advanced students and pupil teachers. The occasion was one of great benefit and was a season of rejoicing to the teachers. The superintendent was petitioned by all present to continue the same yearly. "Although there was no appropriation for the purpose, yet the superintendent procured the means and hired Profs. John R. Park, Karl G. Maeser, W. N. Dusenberry, and Mary E. Cook, four of the most experienced instructors accessible, to teach in the institute, giving the conduct of the same to Dr. Park." SCHOOL-LAW. The following law was approved February 20, 1874: SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the governor and legislative assembly of the Territory of Utah, That $15,000 yearly, for the next two years, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, out of any moneys not otherwise appropriated, for the use and benefit of common schools of this Territory, to be drawn and disbursed as provided in the following sections of this act. SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of each county-superintendent of this Territory to report yearly, in the first week of November, to the territorial superintendent of schools, the number of all children between the ages of 4 and 16 years, in each district of his county, in accordance with the blank form in Section 18 of "An act providing for the establishment and support of common schools," approved January 18, 1866. SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the territorial superintendent, on receipt of countylists, in the first week of December of each year, to make a pro-rata dividend of the school-money to the various school-districts of the Territory, according to the number of all the children in the districts between the ages of 4 and 16 years, and forward one certified document to each county-superintendent, setting forth the amount allotted to each county, and one copy of each document to the territorial auditor, whose duty it shall be to issue a warrant to each county-treasurer on application therefor, setting forth the amount allotted to his county. SEC. 4. It shall be the duty of the trustees of each school-district in this Territory, to cause be be kept in their respective districts a good school at least three months in each year; a failure to do so shall disqualify them from drawing their share of the public moneys, and said moneys shall revert to other districts of the county. SEC. 5. On presentation of the auditor's warrant, the territorial treasurer shall pay over to the county-treasurer such money as shall have been placed to the credit of the county of which he is treasurer, as per list filed in his office, taking receipt therefor. County-treasurers shall hold such money in their treasury subject to the order of county-superintendents, for payment to district-trustees, who shall, on presentation of the superintendent's order, receive the same from county-treasurers, giving receipt therefor, and such money shall only be used in payment of teachers. SEC. 6. County-treasurers shall keep a separate account of the territorial schoolmoneys and make a report to their respective county-courts once in each year. SEC. 7. Any person having the care or management of the public moneys herein contemplated, and failing to comply with the requirements of this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof in any court having competent jurisdiction, may be fined in any sum not exceeding $1,000 for each offense. Such fine shall revert to the school-fund of the county where such cause shall have originated, and no property shall be exempt from the payment of such fine. |
