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Show New Laws For School i The Utah MucaUonXst ri?J2.? ito.!?Wrested in three poposltions which will be presented pres-ented to the state legislature which opens on the 14th of this month. All three have direct bearing Upon the educational welfare of the state and If enacted into law will , do much toward helping Utah to regain her former rating in matters of education among the various states in the Union. i In 1920, acording to report made by Dt, Leonard P. Ayers of the Russell Sage Foundation, Utah holds ulxth place in public school affairs among the forty eight states in our country. Another report, made public In 1925 by Dr. Frank B. Phillips of George Washington University, places Utah twenty-iflrst from the head of the list. In both cases the reports cover prac tically the same features ; and give practically the same weighing to the Various factors considered. The U. E. A. Is hopeful that our next state legislature will enact measures look ing to: 1. ; Greater state aid for school pur poses and a more equitable distribution distribu-tion of the state school fund' so aa to forces which produced thlj slipping are still In operation and no doubt, a like report made at the present time would show that Utah is still further from the position held by her in 1920. If shoud not be inferred from these statements that the school system of Utah Is going backward. There is no doubt but what she is doing just as good school work now as she dldjln 1920, and In . some respects making slight gains, but in comparison with other states of the Union she is falling fall-ing farther and farther behind. A study; of the figures which Justify these, observations shows that the factor over which the local and state boards of education have direct control con-trol are, in the main, the ones in which the state has maintained Its standing and made its gains, and that those over which the state legislature has direct control are the ones in which the state has been losing ground. In view of these considerations the provide, as far as possible, uniform ducational opportunities for all boys and girls of the state. 2 An amendment to the state constitution con-stitution so that property might be classified for assessment and taxation purposes to the end thtt the school funds might be more adequately fin anced by drawing upon tax sources which at present are not standing their just share of taxation responsibility. responsi-bility. 3. An amendment to the state constitution con-stitution making it possible to have the state superintendent of public in structlon chosen and elected by a nonpartisan state board of education and thus remove tho position from political control. To have better schools it is neros sary to provide better teachers, better teaching facilities, and the like, and to satisfy these demands more re venue Is imperative and changes in school organization are needed. |