| Show D L SCHOOL MATTERS IN SAN SANPETE PETr MANTI fanti L DEC 2 1860 editor DESERET NEWS I 1 address you at this time under the impression si 1 on that you are deeply interested in the subject of my present communication namely 61 our common schools and aad am confident that you at least wll will excuse me ine if I 1 appear to attach too much importance to the proper education of the youth of utah territory when duly considered in reference to what is expected to be e in the future for us as a community in connection with this self assurance of your forbearance allow me to venture a remark I 1 or two on what may be termed intellectual culture vs physical force it has been tb thought ought and even expressed by many that this rebellious wor world d of ours is ultimately to be subdued purified and thoroughly enlightened solely by the sword or force and arms 51 23 if this be true it is to be deeply regretted that present effects or results are so unlike the past exertions of such philosophers and that if we are tp take them as a guide for our prospect of a happy peaceful intelligent and righteous millennium we shall not only have to wait a little longer t for the good time coming but learn ourselves and teach our posterity that cC couii louda give light black Is shile while and blood was maie mada for far shedding so much for the doctrine of deluging the world with blood and sorrow sor rov to civilize and p purify it give me the virtue of the old adage adaa that the pen peo is i s mightier than the thie sword and I 1 am inclined to believe that all the physical creations of god are so organized as to form mere machines for intellect to work with and the more our intellect is cultured refined and enlightened the greater will be its preponderance and stronger its in flunce influence over the base passions of humanity hence the necessity for education adu cation catlon the ground work of which is our common schools that last expression thank goodness brings C me back to the object of this communication to inform you of my recent experience as superintendent of common schools for this coun county ty some few weeks after the election in august last I 1 took a tour through the various towns and villages of this county for the purpose of ascertaining as ao to what existed in the shape of educational nal nai facilities and found chatin that in one or two of the older settlements very little interest had been taken in the matter I 1 also found that some new settlements rettie ments had not yet et been organized as school districts luer imer under these circumstances on my return to manti it was thought advisable to call a special session 0 of the county court to organize said new settlements into school districts which was accordingly done f and land hon george peacock was appointed to proceed with me the county to make necessary arrangements and conduct t the electon of school trustees in I 1 the settlements last referred to in accordance with the appointment mr peacock and myself went through the whole county with the exception of one settlement and addressed the people on the subject of education in addition to transact transacting ing inZ the business for which the tour was undertaken the people received us with the utmost kindness and we have to thank the various church and district officers for their gentlemanly and hearty operation cooperation co with us in the measures we proposed for their adoption for the general good of the common school interest of the county in order to accomplish more fully our designs in that respect we determined to call an educational convention to consist ol 01 0 a all ail I 1 I 1 the school trustees and teachers in the county to be held on the day of november at fort ephraim accordingly on the day and at the place appointed sald said convention met and nd after the usual preliminaries the following IN resolutions were adopted 1 L resolved that we will use our means and utmost influence to promote the education of the children of th a county 2 that we will also use our means and best efforts to have a substantial and convenient school house erected in each district in the county 3 that we will not patronize teachers unless they first obtain and present resent a proper certificate of qualifications irom from from a lawful board of examination and also a recommendation from some prominent and respectable citizen for honesty and morality 4 that school trustees have jurisdiction over all schools in their respective districts 5 that as we are satisfied it is better to pay a a good teacher high wages than have an inferior one teach gratuitously we agree to use our best endeavors to procure corn coin competent detent teacher teachers sand and to see that they are alid promptly paid for their services 6 thattie Th that atthe the ways and means for building and improving school houses and paying teachers shall ie be decided by the voice olce oice of the pepie people jn n general school meeting assembled 7 that at the close of each term of teaching there shall be a public examination of each school in the county by the county 1 superintendent assisted by the trustees in 1 a their respective districts 8 that the school trustees for tive districts shall make the selection of school books and as far as practicable adopt un uniformity 4 in the same 9 that a copy of the foregoing chisol resolutions res t 1 be sent ablat to each school district in this c county b u nty toba tobe to be laid before the people for their consideration the convention then adjourned to meet met e again at fort ephraim on the last saturday in march 1861 and mr peacock and myself returned home hi highly I 1 cr gratified thus far with the results of our S labors r s and extremely well vell pleased with the manifestations of good feelings and improvement witnessed throughout the county j yours truly F 6 ROBINSON |
