Echo School

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NFS Form 10-900-a Utah WordPerfect 5.1 Format (Revised Feb. 1993) 0MB No 10024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section No. _8_ Page _5_ Echo School, Echo, Summit County, UT counties to support public high schools and school district consolidation. 20 In 1915, the general condition of school buildings was considered to be good. A report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction noted that: If the schools of the various districts can keep pace with the progress made in the new state course of study, ... and the increased demands of communities which are growing more enlightened as to the possibilities of the schools, I think we will be developing rapidly enough. I am glad to note the efforts being made to make the rural schools better, more practical and effective. The people are becoming intensely interested in this feature of school life, and most of our districts have very commendable school buildings. During the last two years cement block school buildings have been built at Woodland and Francis at a cost of $8,000 each and one new building at Echo costing $5,000.21 Efforts continued to obtain better quality school buildings and the Utah legislature created the State School Buildings Commission in c.1917. It was at that time that school plans and buildings were first examined by professionals. 22 While Echo School was built prior to the implementation of these higher standards, it describes a period of increased interest in education and represents a recognized building type that developed specifically to be used as a school. Echo Schools The development of the educational system in Summit County began with the division of school districts in 1862 under the supervision of Henry Wilde, county selectman. The first school classes in Echo were not taught until 1880. Mary Jane Asper Weaver was the first teacher. She was born in 1850 in Ohio and came to Echo in 1861 with her family. In 1873 she and William Weaver were married and in 1878, she attended the University of Deseret, graduating in 1880. 23 Alexander, Thomas G. Utah The Right Place. Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1995, p. 282. "Tenth Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Utah for the Biennial Period Ending June 30, 1914". Salt Lake City: The Arrow Press, 1915. Warrum, Noble, Editor. Utah Since Statehood. Salt Lake City: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1919, p. 364. Reported Mary Jane Weaver began teaching in Echo in a building called "Asper House", her father, Elias Asper's, hotel in which he dedicated one room to the Mormon Church for their meetings. This information was provided by Cal Fisher, Mary Jane Asper Weaver's grandson. There is conflicting information about exacting where classes were held and when. X See continuation sheet