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Show 'counties? I am strongly of the opinion that the consolidation of j ail the districts in a county into I one tiistiict, to be under the con-' con-' trol cf a board of education, con-j con-j sisting of from . three to seven ! members, would vemove many of the barriers that may retard our educational advancement. This would do much to simplify and strengthen fur present school 'system. It wculd be a step in ; the interest of economy, of bet- ter teachers, of better schools, of better citizens. I recommend the enaetment of a law that will secure these advantages. During the last two years 'seventy-three new sehool houses have been erected at a cost of 2340,628.16. 1 The educational activity in this direction is very, commendable, commend-able, indeed. In traveling throughout the state the best buildings found in every town and hamlet are, in most of instances, in-stances, school houses. In the erection of school buildings, build-ings, however, school boards are frequently unmindful cf the value of the beautiful, and many of the buildings are constructed without due regard for modern sanitary needs and regulations. In a few years it may become necessary for beallh boards to condemn some of these for the good of tho public heallh. School trustees should be required re-quired to have school house plans submitted to competent judges, to determine in advance,the pro-: visions made for sanitary ap- j SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT. j j The Nation acknowledges the( i-eceipt of a nicely bound volume j -oataming the annual report of; State Superintendent of Public! instruction A. C. Nelson. Thej Wok contains a full report of the; progress of all public schools in j state. We append the fol-1 lowing excerpts from among the 1 assay valuable statements and I suggestions contained in the ' volume, which will deserve the careful consideration of all in i Serested in the cause of educa-1 -ioa: J The conditions of modern life j sxs&ke special training as r.eces- j -sary for the man engaged in. easiness as for the man of let- j 5ers. ! With this fact in view the peo-, sQijof Utah have given much at-j iticu and encouragement to ed-, ffsation. The pioneers shortly tr their arrival established -Tpcfeools and each year since hast -saarked an advance in our educa- j Xkmal work that no one familiar "iTiib the history of our public I schools will deny. j The law-makers have done 1 4&eir pirt t o'.vard insuring , the j , pnanes. j j Each year more atlention is : given to the care of the school grounds. Some of our school! houses are surrounded by trees j t and beautiful lawns. Stdl there) i is too much negligence in thisre- j gard. The teacher is largely re-; sponsible for the appearance of; school grounds and the interior' and the extsrior of the school-house. school-house. The yard cm be kept clean, th fences repaired, the w'nrj.vsr. ."al's.and bhcboards Kep's ciOi'ti ar.ui:':!stefullj,nrecbrat-. ed if this condition is desired and demanded. In 1901 there were 1531 teachers teach-ers employed in the Schools Of : Utah, in Wl, 1593. . The average salary for 1901, was ;"65.fc5 i-er moatn for male, c-st eaucational advantages. . -.z"T", "ri!l he in-A-i' by sswngtticu-ng toe pctseiii syi- : isem in-all its parts.' j In supplying pressing educa- j "snal nt'eds, in promoting a. better co-ordination of all the arencies of our present system : -aad in promoting the efficiency ! Jthe whole by employing ailj -l&e available means for bettering its parts, lies the true course of educational advancement. That TSSiis course will be followed we' ave assurance. ! Public interest in education, 3x?day in Utah, is more intense; 1?v.n ever before. Our teachtrs, ' n most cf instances, are alive to ; Ication.J r.sedsaud opportuni- " j There has been a gradual im-j '.peovement in the liuanc al con-1 - -lit.io ..1 of the schools ever since -Stall became a State. In the revenues realized from Government lands set aside for school purposes there is an increase or 2-i2.890.93 over the last preceding biennial period. and 45. per month for femal.-.! 31 1902, the average, monthly salary was, male, $60.81; female, S4S.12. The number of untrained and inexperienced teachers in our schools isioo largo. It is gratifying gratify-ing 10 stata, however, that each year finds a greater number of our teachers graduates from i high schools, normal schools or universities. j I Of the many changes that have bean aiado in school legislation i during recent years, perhaps no ' one has done more towards the ! making cf teaching a profession ; w i t b 1 0 e d i g :i ity that properly ; attaches to his calling, than the j giving to the teacher under the , regulations of the school board a tenure of ouice. i There is little to commend in i the annual election of teachers, I esp:c:aliy in larger districts, but , much to coniemsi. A caref ul in ! spection shows that even teach- ei s that have little or no occa-1 son to feel insecure in their positions are in a state of uncer-! taiuty and unrest for several' months preceeJir.g the yearly e.ection. The adverse effects i on school work during this peri-! od are manifest. j The coun'y commifsioners are ; -a'-ithoriztd by law to levy a I -county school tax not to exceed! lour mills upon all taxable prop-j -erty of the county. In aduiticn. '3u this, the school district boatd ' sray levy a five-mill tax for the support of schools and to defray! current expenses. Bui three counties of the state j Ji&ve received the full benefit of the previsions made by our, scfaool law for the county taxi -'levy. : -The popular men are the men r-lio find a way to reduce tixa-i 'JVf-n. In wculd be much better if chis tax levy could be fixed byi -a.w at three mills. Such a prc- vsriozi would do much to relieve! -fhe financial difficulties under "vb!ch some of the ccuiitifcs u.re --struggling, and assist in aiabiug' tb iergdi of the school term of different counties uniform. There is neither wisdom nor conomy in accumulating money "fiJiat should be used in educating "the bov anil the giil c f to k. . 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