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Show University Regent Urges Building Of Junior College on Prison Site Establishment of a state junior jun-ior college on part of the site to be vacated when the prison is removed to the point of the mountain is urged by D. M. Christensen, member of the University Uni-versity of Utah boaVd of regents, re-gents, and prominent Utah educator ed-ucator and contractor, in a letter ; addressed to the citizens of Sugar Sug-ar House. The junior college idea was first expressed in an article in the Bulletin several months ago in which Mr. Christensen, for many years superintendent of Salt Lake schools, pointed out how such an institution, would relieve the pressure on the state university and provide, economically, econom-ically, a much-needed "bridge" over the gap between the high school and college curricula now existing. In the present communica- It seems to me that few communities com-munities have ever had the golden gol-den opportunity gaze at them with a beckoning challenge so tempting as has Sugar House at the present moment. I have in mind the opportunity opportun-ity to establish a junior college, the connecting link between the high school on the one side and the university on the other. The possibility of obtaining the choicest choic-est school site in the state on the penitentiary area, prompts me to address you at this very opportune time. Theoretitally speaking, the junior college embraces the junior jun-ior and senior high school years on one side and the freshman and sophomore years of the university uni-versity on the other. Where adequate ade-quate high school accommoda- tion Mr. Christensen states: To the citizens of Sugar House: A junior college for Sugar House would be the biggest boon, in the history of ' this growing center of population. A junior college in Salt Lake county coun-ty would be the most effective method to relieve the present over-crowded condition at the university. Benefits would undoubtedly find expression in increased efficiency ef-ficiency at the university under more favorable classroom conditions condi-tions and also at the junior college col-lege with commodious rooms. Some people speak slightingly slighting-ly about opportunists. My opinion opin-ion is. that an opportunist is a person with foresight who looks ahead or about and envisions an opportunity which may aid him tions exist only the universitv group need be included. Or it may be only the lower section of the university group and the upper section of the high school group. A junior college is a state institution, in-stitution, and not a county or ; city institution. It is establish-. ed by and under the state board of education and supervised by it, but it is created by act of the legislature approved by the governor. At the University of Utah, where I happen to be a regent, we have nearly 6,000 students with a probable increase to 7,000 this fall. We can accommodate conveniently not many more than half of that number. Our great problem is more room. See JUNIOR COLLEGE, Page 4 to realize a worthy aim or a worthy ambition and resolutely sets to work to avail himself of the unheralded bid, to his own advantage. Junior College - - - (Continued from Page One) What shall we do about it It is evident that we must have more buildings (of the nearly 3,000 students of junior college grade, which is a distinct educational unit andvso recognized throughout through-out the United States. Shall we build new structures on our present campus, now taxing beyond limit our present facilities of water heat light, etc., or shall we go out into the open space in some desirable smaller center of population and establish a junior college? Would it cost more to train 3,000 students in junior college than it does at the university? It probably would but the dif-. ference would be more than compensated com-pensated in added efficiency of training under more favorable conditions. Any addition in cost would 'undoubtedly find expression expres-sion several times over in increased in-creased standards of attainment in pupils. If such be the case, and I am sure it would be, can you measure its value in dollars and cents? I am sure we agree. Now consider the cost of the land. The state, we may well believe, would donate it, because if purchased by the district it would revert to the state. Most of the junior college sites and buildings in Uth are donations. A parallel: Over forty years ago, a few clays after the Salt Lake City schools opened in the fall, the building occupied by the high school located in a rented business block on Pier-pont Pier-pont and Second West streets was demolished by fire. The old building and property proper-ty vacated by the Univerity of Deseret where the West High school is now located, all reverted revert-ed to Salt Lake City under the terms of the original grant, and the high school in just a few' days occupied the commodious buildings just vacated. Shortly thereafter all of this property was acquired by the city board of education for a consideration representing a small part of the real value. Precedent is sometimes both illuminating -a-nd inspiring. We may -consistently hope and believe be-lieve that the federal government govern-ment would give substantial aid in the construction of a junior college building in Sugar House, where it would soon establish one of the large educational and cultural centers of Utah and the intermountain west. What it might mean in other respects is left to the imagination. imagina-tion. I trust that you will pardon my lengthy letter and my intrusion in-trusion into a. local matter. My only explanation, or perchance per-chance apology, is that my particular par-ticular interest in the junior high school and the junior college has been so keen for a great many years that I can seldom refrain from the opportunity to talk about these two connecting links that have done so much towards unifying our public school system in Utah and adding add-ing to its efficiency. Sincerely, D. H. CHRISTENSEN, 510 Felt Building |