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Show INTER-MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.<br><br> During the winter of 1889-90 the territorial legislature passed a law providing for the consolidation of the districts, and creating a city board of ten members, who were empowered to place a superintendent over the entire system. This law was accepted by the whole people as a wise and patriotic measure, and the fruit which it has borne fully justifies its most sanguine supporters. <br> The municipal board was elected in July, 1890, and soon after organizing elected a superintendent. It took steps at once to bond the district for the procuring of immediately available funds to begin the work of improvement. Within three years bonds to the amount of $850,000.00 had been sold and the proceeds used in the work of erecting buildings and equipping them with modern appliances. It was a phenomenal growth. Whether a transformation so sweeping and so complete, involving the expenditure of such large sums of money, and meeting with such generous and hearty response from all classes of people, regardless of party or creed, has ever before occurred in a city of the size of Salt Lake, may be doubted. Such a metamorphosis would have been possible only in a land of democratic institutions and among a people devoted to the principle that every man, no matter how humble his birth, is entitled to an elementary education at public expense. <br> The district now owns sixteen modern buildings, twelve of which are large. Few places can point to buildings so thoroughly well adapted to meet the demands of the educational methods which prevail today. <br> For the maintenance of the schools for twelve months, $300,000.00 are required. There are 250 teachers employed and 10,000 children receive instruction. <br> No tax is paid more willingly than the school tax. The burden that the people will impose upon themselves in this direction could be prompted only by their abiding faith in our system of popular government and their determination to give rich and poor alike the same opportunity. The schools are the pride of the city, the conservers of all that is best in our form of government, the levelers of classes, and the promoters of equal rights. Chief Justice Zane in the Forum of 1891 said: "The faces of the people of Utah are toward the sun," and no better evidence of the truth of the statement can be given than the public school buildings of this city-eloquent monuments of the self-sacrifice and patriotism of the whole people. <br> While no great public enterprise can be spoken of as the result of the effort of one man or any set of men, still one man is often a force without which the enterprise would have failed to reach a high degree of efficiency. In this instance Superintendent J. F. Millspaugh has been that dominating force. He has been with the schools from the very first, and their present popularity and usefulness are in a large measure due to his wise and conservative administration. <br> So strong is this educational sentiment, and so loyal are the citizens and teachers, that a determined effort is being made to bring the N. E. A. to this inter-mountain metropolis in 1898. Of course we expect to succeed. Every member of the Christian Endeavor party who spends a day here on the way to San Francisco will become, we feel assured, an ardent advocate for this city by the "Great Salt Sea." <br> To the Christian Endeavor hosts the Salt Lake teachers extend a royal welcome. We recognize in you our firm friends and helpful allies. We are all laboring toward one common end, the advancement of the intellectual and moral side of man. May He who guides the stars in their courses and strengthens every man who strives to put under his feet selfishness and a haughty spirit, lead us and direct us as we go forward in the line of duty. <br><br> New Headquarters. <br><br> The Hall and Usher Committee have rented a front room in the O'Meara Block on West Second South Street, as independent and permanent headquarters, and a banner of the "Inter-mountain Christian Endeavor Rally" will soon be hung out there. The Committee of '97 hold their first meeting in the new headquarters tomorrow evening. <br><br> |
