| OCR Text |
Show Inter-Mountain <br> CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR <br> VOL. I./SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, MAY 6, 1897./No. 3. <br><br> THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF SALT LAKE CITY. <br> By A. O. CLARK, Assistant Principal Salt Lake City High School. <br><br> Eight years ago there were twenty-two school districts in Salt Lake City. Each was under the control of a board of three trustees. These trustees could administer <br>[PHOTO: OQUIRRH SCHOOL]<br> the schools of their district according to their peculiar opinions. A school tax was levied, but the funds derived therefrom were insufficient for the maintenance of the schools and recourse was had to tuition fees. The superintendent of county schools passed upon the credentials of candidates who desired to teach, and was nominally the supervisor of all the county schools, but his territory was large and his duties many, therefore no efficient supervision was possible. The buildings were small, ill-ventilated, and poorly equipped adobe structures. <br> It need not be stated that under the conditions named above the results attained were far from satisfactory. It should not be understood, however, that a lack of zeal on the part of teachers or apathy on the part of the people was among the causes which contributed to place popular education on such a low plane. The people of this valley have always advocated the establishment of the public school, and have always contributed of their means to that end. The great need was unification of these heterogeneous parts, modern buildings, uniform course of study, trained teachers and skilled supervision. <br><br> |
