Show THE SECTARIAN AND DISTRICT SCHOOL QUESTION A correspondent EXPRESSES HIS VIEWS intelligently ON THE SUBJECT SALT LAKE CITY july 1886 editor deseret K aws the subject dwelt upon byyoure by your correspondent r respondent nt observer in monday evenings issue of your paper is one of vital importance to the latter day saints and demands from them more attention than it receives much indifference apparently existing in regard to it it is well understood that the impressions received in the school days of early lite life remain stamped on the mind through subsequent years when man many y things learned in after life are forg forgotten otten how essential it is then that those impressions should be of the very best and of a cha character to in every way satisfy a wise parent ro no true latter day saint can have any desire to see his cn ildren growing up indifferent to the principles of the gospel as taught and tided by bythe the church with which he is connected and imbibing in their stead sectarian principles and teach teachings ings which are in in direct con contradiction bradic ti thereto ideas which sooner or later would lead them into pronounced infidelity the great aeck object of the mi missions rions an and d schools established by on outside side sects in utah is and has been not particularly to evangelize the older members of tile the mormon church but especially to convert the youth to impress upon thew their minds doctrines foreign in tenor and practice to those taught by the latter day saints and thus gradually lead them away this is generally understood by the latter day saints and those who would send their children to outside schools cannot necessarily be considered as other than weak in the faith the great difficulty however does not at present consist in the fact that some may do this but that we have not in this city and territory outside of the B Y academy at provo prove and the B Y college at logan a single latter day saints school in the full sense of the term that is a school where the principles and history of the church with the additional moral training in consonance therewith are taught by the legislative act of I 1 think 1878 the district schools are all closed to any such instruction and they practically are a stumbling block of the ver very worst description as they teach hotl nothing ing of the kind As they are the schools most generally patronized by the latter day saints the youth are growing up without tue the knowledge and training which would be of the most benefit to them and consequently to their parents under the idea that the district school is the cheapest partly forgetting the fact that we are taxed to cover the reduction we send our children there in our shortsightedness overlooking the fact that in the not distant future we have a community of young people indifferently inclined in every way to the principles advocated by their parents aad inculcated in the gospel the strongest catholics methodists presbyterians rians or in intact fact the members of any other christian sect are those taught in childhood in their schools for that pur purpose and if this proves itself correct in these instances why would it not hold bold good with us the influences gained at a 4 short session of the sabbath school the exercises of which being more or less rapidly gone through with require other support during the week to sustain them in order to be effective this it may be said may be acquired in the family circle which ir correct but far too many it and leave the school teacher to do much of the moral training of their children in some respects he has more influence with the children than the parents and how necessary therefore that it should be part of af his regular duty to instruct inspru t them in regard to tile the principles of the gospel and its moral teachings far better would it be if we had not a single district school in ia the territory for in such case wu we might go to work and establish latter day saints schools and have them known as such teaching a all 1 that we felt best for our youth to be taught without restriction tion as at present better indeed even now with the schools and tax established to forfeit iu in baca district the pro rata territorial tep apportionment hire the schoolhouse from the trustees and establish at once a system of lat ter day saints schools we have the future to look to ond and our children are the great hope ho p e we have for that future as upon them wilt in a amat degree depend the labor of sustaining it they should therefore receive every possible benefit mentally which lies in our power to bestow and the consid aeration that the district school is I a cheap school should not for a moment be considered when we understand the serious disadvantages pupils are placed under who patronize them work for the repeal of the school law but go on for the present as if it were repealed ded ghether vh voli ether any pecuniary benefit be derived or act pct aci nci consider the main object the religious and moral training ot of the child and risk the balance we may discuss the matter indefinitely but this I 1 am satisfied is the solution institutions similar to the provo B Y academy should ipe ie springing up all over the territory as it in forms the school W we e so gres greatly lily need that one school has done mere than all the district schools in utah for the religious and moral training of the lat latter ter day saints youth and instead of flourishing financially it is almost drag dragging gingi out an existence were it nat forthe for thu pluck luck 1 of its talented principal brother 34 maeser aaser and his au able e assistants it might be compelled to close this is no compliment to the latter day saints and should not be BERN |