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Show 118 which pays dues to the organization. Area Chamber of Commerce is a For example, the Salt Lake dues-paying member of the Utah Tax- payers Association. In recent history, the role of influential to be the seems educational case financing it appears that the LOS Church has assumed force rather than active participant.6 This since its views regarding teacher strikes and have not been issued in the form of First Presidency statements, but have instead been issued in the form of letters from the President and Board of Trustees of Brigham Young University, as it is not course, torial or is a editorials appearing in the Deseret News. entirely accurate reflection of Church Of to state that a Deseret News edi- policy since it may be more a reflec tion of the business community interests of which the Deseret News is a part. However, it teacher strikes, walkouts, 6In known that the Church does not approve of or recesses. Even so, the Church today earlier times the Church spoke very openly about matters pertaining to taxes and education. Interestingly, in the early portion of this century some of the very prominent educators were also leading church members, such as David O. McKay, John A. Widtsoe, and Joseph R. Merrill. Widtsoe and Merrill served as UEA presidents. The Church background of these men certainly influ On one enced their thinking regarding the educational system. occasion, Widtsoe, while he was President of Utah State Agricultural College and prior to his presidency of the UEA, wrote to George Brimhall, President of Brigham Young Universtiy regarding the non Said Widtsoe, "It really Mormon teachers in the public schools. makes me sick at heart that towns like Logan and Provo, not speaking of Salt Lake and Ogden, are supplied with teachers the majority of whom are importations from the Far East." Widtsoe said he was hopeful that the Church would become more involved in preparing teachers. Letter of 17 November 1908, BYU Archives, doc. UA 403. |
