Show f The University and md the Hi High h School l THE proposition to unite the Salt t Lake City High School with the preparatory department of the University University University sity has called forth public comment as such a proposition well might d do It is perfectly right and nd proper that the public public pub pub- lic should comment on anything that pertains to the general welfare but to slander or to misrepresent facts is not becoming neither can it possibly result in anything but injury If it do does no harm to the community it certainly can cando cando cando do them no good and it cannot but reflect reflect reflect re re- discredit upon those that resort to such unscrupulous methods In the Argus of January in an article over the signature of Hoosier 2 the astonishing statement is made that the High School has been beena a a athorn thorn in inthe inthe the side of of the University University people people for for some time The writer of this article I i l l i 1 represents that the that the High School is farin far farin farin in advance of the University prepa preparatory preparatory tory department and that for this reason re reason o the faculty of f the t e latter r desire desire desir to improve their institution by tearing down a better one Where did H Hoosier Hoosier Hoos Hoos- i ier r get his knowledge knowledg of the motives motives' of 11 the President of the University in m mak mak making kJ ing the proposition for consolidation and how came he in possession of the idea that the University authorities authorities are or ever ha have e been opposed to the High Sch School l The thought must li have v originated originated originated origin in the fruitful brain of f some some p person person who evidently knows not nothing ng about about- the work of the University or or- orthe the opinions and purposes of the faculty Any Anyone ne nein in fn the least acquainted with acquainted with the University University sity affairs knows th that that at for several ye years years it has been the policy to encourage the establishment of high schools s in i every every county looking to the abolishment of the preparatory department of the Uni University Uni Uni- The constant aim of the he officers has been to g get t rid of this thi appendage as soon soon as possible These statements have been made repeatedly repeatedly- officially and unofficially they have b been en published pub pub- in the Catalogue in the Quarterly and in the CHRONICLE but notwithstanding ing this this' the writer in the Argus makes the unwarranted and untruthful statement that the High School has pas been a thorn in the side of the University people II The The University U people desire the efficiency of the city High School pushed to the utmost limit and wish for twenty like it t in various parts of Utah t h. h N Now ow as to the statement that the preparatory department of the University University University sity is not and never neve has b been en as good goodas as the High School is today a similar attack attack- was made on the normal school a f year ago ago The gr graduates graduates' of that department department department depart depart- ment were characterized as veneered trained imperfectly-trained and imperfectly educated In reply to this the CHRONICLE CHRONICLE CHRON CHRON- ICLE ICLE propounded a few questions to be answered in the paper in question Those questions remain unanswered to this day and no doubt they will remain un unanswered until the writer has repented of its ifs ifs and misrepresentations and is r ready ady to repent forsake the evil of its way way f ay and nd walk in the light of truth Among the charges against the prey pre prep preparatory pre pre- p atory y department one truth stands out out in bold contrast to the mass of error among ong which it is entangled It is this this this' II The preparatory de department en t of the University has only a three years course while that in the High School is a four years That is because some studies a are re taught in the High School that are not required for college entrance and not because University students are treated to a rut rut or cramming course The studies that are taught in the preparatory preparatory preparatory pre pre- school of the University are aret t taught just as thoroughly as they are in int inthe inthe t the e High School notwithstanding the fact that the st students dents of the latter enter from the city s schools while those of the f former generally come fr from m the less thoroughly thorough y organized and consequently generally less efficient schools of the IJ count country y and remote counties As to the studies udies taught in the High School not taught in the preparatory department of the University they may be had in in ina a amore amore more advanced form in the the college courses The charge is made that the courses given in th the preparatory school fits for higher work while the High School course of study fits f for r life also that it is s the aim of those connected with ith the theU University to arrange e the course of study of even the schools common schools s sf so so that the pupils will be r d t f ready to st step p ti c L' L into the preparatory tory dep department from the grades The aims aims aims- of the U University University niver- niver sity authorities with reference to the the courses courses of study in the common schools is best ex expressed by the training and and that the normal instruction students are getting g-etting to prepare them for their future work in the public schools They are instructed to teach scientifically to dispense dispense dispense dis dis- pense with dead forms and that which tends to clog the mind and to lead the children to tp become independent think think- ers That is the kind of training that will fit them for life and at the same time be the best preparation that they can have for the High School and the University Acts are but the outward expression of thoughts If the child is 1 trained to do honest independent thinking thinking thinking think think- i ing then he will be a capable honest and independent worker whatever may maybe maybe be his position in life All All Hoosiers Hookers talk about fitting the child for life rather j 41 than for college is but an evidence of his ignorance of the principles of and of his ignorance of what is done don in the University classes Hoosier reaches the climax of his 1 folly in the closing paragraph which reads as follows y If the board of regents of the University wish to improve the school let them turn over the preparatory department to the Board of Education Education tion and commence whittling on their higher course That could be improved so that if it a ay ayoung ayoung y young ung man wanted to get sheep skin sheep skin that he would be proud of he would not be compelled to go to some eastern institution for it Let our University be all that the name implies and not nota nota a a second rate preparatory school Such statements gross in their misrepresentations misrepresentations misrepresentations mis mis- representations or distressing in their ignorance inspire us with mingled pity and contempt for th the person over whose signature they appear There is no excuse excuse excuse ex ex- cuse cuse for s such ch slander or ignorance wh whichever hever it t may be If the he writer of 1 the above aboe paragraph wo would ld t take ke pai pains s 's st t to to invest investigate f te the matt matter r even even eve but bul c cats cats- cas- cas L. L f f by reading the cat catalogues lo ues by vi visiting ing g the cl class ss r rooms rooms oms by talking with members T I of the Faculty or members of the Board of Regents he would know that for several years the authorities of the University have been straining every nerve to do that which he so patronizingly patronizingly advises If the Board of Education Education Education tion will furnish buildings libraries laboratories apparatus and everything else necessary to take the graduates of the common schools of the State through ugh a high school course the U University jv authorities will abolish their preparatory department with many thanks to Salt Lake Ci City ty The work offered in college courses has been increased in variety and quantity quantity quantity quan quan- and the grade of work done has been vastly increased in quality The requirements for entrance have been increased increased increased in in- creased from year to year un until til they arenow arenow are arenow now substantially the same as those for good eastern institutions of acknowledged rank An examination of the most recent catalogue announcements is in evidence and if the reader does not b believe believe be be- lieve that these official statements of the catalogue mean what they sa say let him take the entrance examinations The young man is not compelled to go to some eastern institution for a sheepskin sheepskin sheepskin sheep skin that he would be proud of The courses courses in the University of Utah so far as they correspond to similar courses in the best institutions are just as thorough As the classes are smaller th the students can get more personal attention attention attention atten atten- tion from the professors and there is no rio chance to slip through and get a degree degree degree de- de de de- gree by putting in the necessary four years but without doing the work The superiority of these greater institutions lies in their far adv advanced courses for forthe forthe forthe the carrying on of which enormous laboratory laboratory laboratory lab lab- oratory museum and library equipment is absolutely demanded Whatever fault is found w with th the University in this respect respect respect re re- certainly should be laid to the charge neither of the Faculty nor the Regents but to the harge of past legislatures legislatures legis legis- who have not granted sufficient appropriation so that the library facilitIes facilities facilities ties might be increased and so that a sufficient sufficient sufficient suf suf- number of assistants might be be- engaged to give the professors time and opportunity ty to offer st still ll more advanced advance f courses As to the University being a high school the proportion doing preparatory preparatory preparatory tory work is constantly decreasing and the number doing collegiate work is is' iscon constantly constantly constantly con con- increasing There are at prese present t collegiate students As to its being a II second grade preparatory school the classes do doing ng pre preparatory work work will challenge competition with any institution institution tion of f high school rank In Utah The proposition to consolidate the High School and the preparatory de d department department of the University so far as as the University is concerned is partly a a matter of economy a means of meeting the present condition of t the e public treasury If it would not be a saving to the tax-payers tax then the University Faculty Faculty Faculty Fac Fac- are opposed to it The proposition was made as a a concession in favor of economy with the expectation that at at some future time the High School would woul be separated be-separated from the U University ty and take with it the preparatory department leaving the University to be occupied exclusively with collegiate courses The University authorities are not urging the proposition for consolidation not in the least If the people of Salt Lake City do not wish to have it all they need do is to say so and we wont have it One thing the University will do however it will encourage the establishment establishment establishment of high schools in the new newState newState newState State and the better and the more thorough the instruction given in these schools the more gratifying it will beto be beto beto to the University c z |