Free Schools Come to Utah

Utah Historical Quarterly

Vol. 22, 1954, Nos. 1-4

FREE SCHOOLS COME TO UTAH

BY S. S. IVINS

THE PROBLEM of financing the schools of Utah is not a new one, but has been with us from the beginning. And while the school system is a far cry from what it was a hundred years ago, the question of school finances was as real then as it is now.

Utah's pioneer leaders have been justly praised for their keen interest in education. They were continually urging upon parents the importance of sending their children to school. But their enthusiasm for education was not carried to the point of suggesting that property be taxed for the support of a system of free schools. They placed upon individual parents the responsibility of paying for the schooling of their children. In cases of worthy poverty, it was proper to extend a helping hand, but this should be done through private charity rather than by taxation.

Brigham Young, the foremost of these leaders, expressed the opinion prevailing among his fellows when he said:

Many of you have heard what certain journalists have had to say about Brigham Young being opposed to free schools. I am opposed to free education as much as I am opposed to taking away property from one man and giving it to another who knows not how to take care of it. But when you come to the fact, I will venture to say that I school ten children to every one that those do who complain so much of me. I now pay the school fees of a number of children who are either orphans or sons and daughters of poor people. But in aiding and blessing the poor I do not believe in allowing my charities to go through the hands of a set of robbers who pocket ninetenths themselves, and give one-tenth to the poor. . . . Would I encourage free schools by taxation? No! That is not in keeping with the nature of our work. . . .

At another time Young declared:

I want to say a word or two here with regard to our schools. There are many of our people who believe that the whole Territory ought to be taxed for our schools. When we have means, that come in the proper way, we can make a fund to help the poor to school their children, and I would say amen to it. But where are our poor? Where is the man or the woman in this community who has children and wishes to send them to school, that cannot do it? There is not one. . . . To give to the idler is as wicked as anything else. . . . No, let every one spend every hour, day, week and month in some useful and profitable employment, and then all will have their meat and clothing, and means to pay teachers and pay them well. . . . Now that I am upon free schools I say, put a community in possession of knowledge by means of which they can obtain what they need by the labor of their bodies and their brains, then, instead of being paupers they will be free, independent and happy, and these distinctions of classes will cease, and there will be but one class, one grade, one great family.

George Q. Cannon, another prominent political and ecclesiastical leader, addressing a Salt Lake Tabernacle congregation, as reported by the Millenial Star,

. . . spoke of "free schools," so popular in the minds of many in this country, and so strongly advocated. He begged respectfully to differ upon that principle of education. He believed it was a species of pauperism, which was not good and wholesome to inculcate in society. Let us learn to be self-sustaining, and not depend upon others' industry or means, when we had the means of procuring what we needed by our own exertions. Those who were unable to aid themselves, let us render what assistance they required. It was more blessed to give than to receive.

While the principal aversion to free schools appears to have been their cost in taxes, another objection was revealed by the Deseret News, official Mormon Church publication, when it said that church leaders had opposed tax-supported schools, "because institutions supported by general taxes cannot be conducted on a religious basis."

The first schools of Utah were operated strictly upon the free enterprise principle. Anyone who felt that he was qualified might open a school, probably in a private home. The success of the school depended upon enrollment of enough pupils that their tuition fees would give the teacher some sort of a livelihood.

Schools held in private homes could usually accommodate only a few children, and the earliest community action in the field of education was the erection of school buildings, in which larger classes could be held. These buildings were usually financed by voluntary contributions, and were used for public worship and recreation, as well as for school purposes. There might even be a question as to whether the only public building in a village was the property of the school district or the ecclesiastical ward. In one such case, in Rich County, it took a court decision to determine that the town's combination school and church building belonged to the school district.

The construction of public buildings to be used for school purposes did not necessarily mean the establishment of public schools. Such a building might be made available to a teacher who would use it for conducting a private school. But, through their school trustees, communities gradually assumed management of the schools, until they came to be full-fleged public institutions.

A few men with large families erected their own school buildings and hired teachers for their children. The private schoolhouses of Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were completed late in I860. The Young school continued for many years, but Kimball's apparently was not so successful, for in 1864, twenty-five of his children were attending the schools of "brother Doremus" and "brother Trip."

There were other instances of privately built schoolhouses. In 1864, a few of the leading men of Payson formed a corporation, "shares were taken, and a good substantial adobe schoolhouse was erected and furnished." Fifteen years later the building was purchased by the school district. And in 1872, George H. Brimhall and other young men of Spanish Fork, who had organized a literary and debating society, incorporated, sold stock, and erected a one-room building. They used it as a schoolhouse for a few years, after which it was rented to the school district.

It is not easy to follow the evolution of Utah's schools from private to public operation. As early as 1852, the teacher at Nephi was being paid a set salary. But nearly thirty years later, although some tax moneys were, by that time, being appropriated to the schools by the territory, there were districts in which the trustees exercised very little control over the schools. After making a special survey through the southern settlements, in the summer of 1880, John R. Park and Milton H. Hardy reported that, "in a majority of cases," the school trustees did not assume the responsibility they should in "the whole matter of tuition fees under their control." It was found that, in some districts, the trustees collected the tuitions and paid the teacher a salary. In others, they set the tuition fees but left their collection to the teacher. And in some districts, they did nothing but "give their consent to the employment of the teacher and to pay him the public allotment," which he could apply on the cost of operating the school. The teacher was then on his own, with the responsibility of setting and collecting tuition fees, and for the general management of the school.

Since the first Utah schools were financed almost entirely by tuition fees, and many parents could not, or would not, pay these fees, school attendance was not high. For the year of 1862, the average daily attendance throughout the territory was 31% of the school-age children. By 1866 attendance had increased to 40%, and by 1876 to 44%. In the early eighties it began to drop, and by 1889, was down to 36%. This decline evidently was caused, in part at least, by the establishment of sectarian mission schools, which, in 1889, claimed an enrollment of about 9,500 students, which was more than one-fourth as many as were enrolled in the public schools.

School attendance varied widely from county to county. For the years for which statistics are available, up to and including 1889, Salt Lake County made the poorest showing, with only 33% of its school-age children in attendance. Other counties with poor records were Uintah with 35%, Juab, Summit and Weber with 38%, and Tooele with 39%. Kane County made the best showing, with an attendance of 62%, followed by Morgan with 56, Box Elder with 54, and Iron, San Juan and Washington with 51%.

There was no grading of students in most of the early schools, and all pupils, ranging in age from 5 to 18 years, usually met in one small room. The first schoolhouse in Layton was 12 by 16 feet in size. After 15 years it was replaced by a 20 by 32 foot building.

Hoytsville had a 14 by 16 foot school building. And in East Mill Creek, a 24 by 26 foot building was used for 24 years as a combination school and "meeting house." Kanosh enjoyed the luxury of a two-room school, each room being 10 by 18 feet.

These small school buildings could not accommodate many children, and consolidation, resulting in fewer and larger schools, came slowly. In Salt Lake County, in 1861, the average daily attendance per school was 20 students. For the territory, in 1863, it was 25. In 1867, there were 12 schools in Box Elder County, with an average attendance of 33. By 1889 the number of schools had increased to 35 and attendance was down to 30. Over the same period, Salt Lake County showed some indications of consolidation, with the number of schools increasing only from 41 to 55, and attendance jumping from 44 to 72. For the years between 1862 and 1890, average attendance per school throughout the territory, was 44.

Most of these small schools were one-teacher institutions. In 1863, there were 132 schools in Utah, and only 162 teachers. Twenty years later the 411 schools employed 491 teachers and 73 assistants.

In early Utah, the teaching profession was not a lucrative one. Teachers conducting private schools collected what they could in tuition fees, often taking produce of various kinds in lieu of cash. The average tuition fee was about $3.00 for a term of approximately three months. Thus a teacher with 25 children in his school might collect as much as $25.00 a month, if all tuitions were paid. Henry M. Thatcher, who had a school at Willard in 1852, did better than this. He had 20 pupils at $3.00 a month, paid largely in produce. And Lyman Wood, teaching at Holladay in 1849, collected about $35.00 a month. But William A. Bills of West Jordon, in 1853, had only 8 pupils, who paid from 50c to 75c a month.

First salaries paid teachers were not high. When Candace Smith went to Nephi to teach, in 1852, she was paid "at the rate of five dollars a week and board herself." After six weeks she gave up her school and returned to Manti. John Barker, at Providence in 1866, had a contract signed by 27 parents, who bound themselves to send 44 pupils and pay him at the rate of l 1/2 bushels of wheat per quarter for each. For the school year of 1861, Salt Lake County teachers were paid an average of $267.00.

By 1867 the territorial superintendent of schools was reporting the amount paid teachers. That year the average pay of Washington County teachers was $108.85 for eight months of work, assuming that all thirteen teachers were on full time. On the same assumption, Davis County teachers were paid $363.95 for a school term of five months, those of Salt Lake County $320.82 for eight and one-half months, and those of Box Elder County $132.24 for six months. The average pay throughout the territory was $202.09 for a six-months' school year.

Subsequent reports did not show a great increase in teachers' salaries. For the school year of 1873 the average pay was $233.51, but for 1877 it was only $163.95. For the years between 1867 and 1881, which could be checked, it was $204.73 a year. Highest average annual pay over this period was Salt Lake County's $305.51, and lowest, Sevier County's $115.37. Salaries paid in some other counties were: Cache, $299.99; Juab, $257.37; Davis, $241.70; Weber, $224.90; Box Elder, $146.40; Morgan, $139.67; Rich, $123.44.

Beginning with 1882, teachers' salaries were reported on a monthly basis. For that year, monthly wages paid male and female teachers in a few counties were: Piute, $18.33 and $12.22; Emery, $27.50 and $12.50; Kane, $38.44 and $9.60; Salt Lake, $40.00 and $25.00; Juab, $49.00 and $29.00; Tooele, $45.55 and $46.85; Washington, $66.92 and $41.56; Beaver, $69.00 and $40.00; Weber, $74.24 and $43.07. Average salaries for the territory were $46.43 and $26.03. Five years later they had increased to $46.85 and $26.70.

Salaries paid Utah teachers did not compare too favorably with those paid in neighboring states and territories. Reports of the United States Commissioner of Education for the years 1873, 1879, 1882-1883, and 1886-1887, reveal the following average monthly pay for male and female teachers: Nevada, $99.69 and $78.37; Arizona, $88.89 and $78.95; California, $81.67 and $64.65; Wyoming, $80.00 and $60.00; Montana, $72.33 and $59.52; Idaho, $65.00 and $50.00; Colorado, $53.82 and $54.16; Washington, $46.27 and $42.31; Oregon, $44.86 and $36.00; New Mexico, $30.67 and $30.67; Utah, $41.10 and $23.87.

Some Utah educators suspected that teachers' salaries might be inadequate. Superintendent of Schools Robert L. Campbell, in his report for the year 1871, observed:

Experience in Utah has demonstrated that the cheapest teachers have been those that were professional, and whose abilities have commanded the highest salary, and vice versa. How long, then, shall it be ere we can accord cheerfully to teachers the salaries allowed to clerks, and other artizens, whose preparation does not involve the time and expense attendant upon that of the teacher?

But ten years later, John R. Park and Milton H. Hardy, following their school survey of the southern settlements, reported:

We often hear the complaint made that the teacher is not well paid. Good talent and good work require good pay, and yet we may say that many of our teachers are paid more than they are worth. . . .

As it is, the wages of teachers throughout the Territory generally are quite fair, varying from thirty to one hundred dollars per month.

To encourage young people to enter the teaching profession, the territorial legislature of 1876 enacted a law calling for an annual appropriation of $5,000.00 to the University of Deseret, to be used for the instruction of 40 pupils, "free of charge, for tuition, books or apparatus, for one year in the normal department of said university." The law further provided that, "Each pupil so educated shall sign an obligation, to the Territorial superintendent of district schools, conditioned that for each year's free tuition so received he or she will serve one year as a district school teacher, if required so to do by their respective county superintendents."

The "quite fair" salaries and the normal school scholarships did not produce a steady supply of qualified teachers. Park and Hardy, in their 1881 report, complained that, because of the large turnover of teachers, no program was followed in the schools, and students went over the same work "year after year." They added: "Thus we have been told that children had been taken over the first principles of arithmetic, geography, grammar, etc., each year for six or seven years, and never getting beyond the five elementary principles."

Apparently only a few of those who taught in the schools looked upon teaching as a profession. The superintendent of schools reported that there were 342 teachers in Utah in 1869, and 368 in 1871. But a search of the United States Census for 1870 reveals only 80 persons who gave school teaching as their occupation.

Utah's first public schools were financed almost entirely without tax support, although at an early date school districts were authorized by law to levy taxes for school purposes. An act approved December 30, 1854, provided that school trustees, "shall assess and collect a tax upon all taxable property in said district, at such rate per cent as may be decided upon by vote of the district meeting . . . ." Out of the funds from this levy, the trustees were to "see that a suitable building or buildings, with necessary appendages, are furnished, wherein a school or schools shall be taught; keep the same in repair, and supply the fuel required . . . ." The law made no provision for paying teachers.

A law passed January 19, 1866, authorized school trustees to assess a tax, "not exceeeding one-fourth of one per cent," without a vote of property owners. By a two-thirds vote at a school meeting, the tax could be increased to three per cent, "and by a similar vote a tax may be assessed and collected, of any sum not exceeding one per cent per annum, to pay Teachers and furnish fuel, books, maps and other suitable articles for school purposes . . . ."

In 1869, a one-fourth of one per cent tax on all property in Utah would have raised an amount equal to $117.20 for each school in the territory, or $1.14 for each school-age child. But in Kane County it would have raised only $26.30 for each of the county's four schools. The one per cent tax assessable to pay teachers, furnish fuel, etc., would have produced enough to pay salaries of about $300.00 a year. If all school districts had exercised their full taxing powers, the levies would have raised $1,875.00 for each school and $18.88 for each school-age child.

But the people did not choose to tax themselves for the support of their schools. The territorial superintendent of schools, in his report for 1864, said:

The Superintendent consulting public opinion, does not favor education by taxation, because while the sentiments of the people are so favorable to education, they are equally unfavorable to taxation. . . . Many who, under present regulations, tax themselves from one to four per cent, and pay it willingly to the school teacher would feel very differently were the Territory to assume the assessment and collecting of such a heavy tax ....

So schools were financed as best they could be, without levying taxes. When Candace Smith quit her teaching position at Nephi, in the summer of 1852, the town was confronted with the question of continuing or abandoning its school. At a Sunday meeting of school trustees, "Bro. Foote was not for having the school started until it was ascertained how many families would send. He also volunteered to go round to ascertain this point and report the next Sunday afternoon . . . ." At the next meeting, "it was reported that some of the brethren objected to the salary of five dollars a week for the teacher and would not send." The carping brethren were rebuked and repented, and, on the following Sunday, a meeting was called by "Brother Bradley," who proposed that "those who desired a school would subscribe so much each as they felt would be wisdom. This plan took at once, Bro. Foote being absent. Bro. Bryan took out his pencil and amongst those present there was over seventy dollars collected." Thus the school crisis at Nephi was resolved.

The Salt Lake City 19th Ward schoolhouse was dedicated in December, 1852. The day following the dedication, a school meeting was held, at which a motion was carried, "that we receive the school house with the addition of a stove; also that it be paid for by each male member of a house, being assessed $200.00 or its equivalent in wood for its purchase and for providing heat for the winter."

When the first school was opened in Redmond, many of the parents of the town could not pay the tuition fees, so, "It was decided to take up land and farm it, and use the proceeds to finance the school. This enabled all children to attend."

There appear to have been some early instances of the use of taxes for school financing. It was said that, in 1850, the Salt Lake City 10th School District voted to levy a property tax to be used to pay teachers. However, there seems to be no evidence that this proposal was carried out. But in 1856, the people of Brigham City did vote a one per cent school tax. And the town of Spanish Fork appropriated $25.00 to each of its two school districts for the year of 1863.

In some instances measures were taken to help those who could not pay the tuition fees. The act of February 26, 1850, incorporating the University of Deseret, made it the duty of the chancellor and board of regents, "as soon as funds arising from donations or otherwise may justify, to establish a free school institution for the benefit of orphans, and other indigent worthy persons." In the absence of the necessary funds, this free school was not established.

In September, 1855, the Millard County Court appropriated $11.25 to pay S. P. Hoyt for teaching the children of Charity Prows. And in July, 1857, the same body approved a claim of $3.69 presented by Selena Robinson, for boarding and schooling Benjamin Norris.

The Smithfield Relief Society ladies made carpets, quilts and other articles, which were accepted by teachers in payment of tuition fees of children of the poor.

At a June 6, 1870 meeting of the Summit County Court, a motion was carried to appropriate, "a sufficient amount to pay the tuition (and furnish sufficient books for their use) of the children of Ira Eldredge deceased, by his Wife Hannah—and that she be required to send them to school, without delay."

The practice of supporting schools by taxation gained ground slowly. In 1867, eight of Utah's 18 functioning counties appropriated some tax moneys for school purposes. But in 1871 only 7 counties made such appropriations, and the amount appropriated was less than half of what it had been in 1867. Salt Lake County's 1871 appropriation, for the benefit of its 5,385 school-age children, was $40.00. And in 1873, the same county reported no school appropriation.

In the matter of tax support for schools, Utah lagged behind most of her neighbors. In 1873, only 10.2% of the territory's school revenue came from taxes. The same year, taxes supplied 94.5% of such revenue in Montana, 84.1% in Arizona, 70.( in Wyoming, 60.9% in Idaho, 55.8% in California, and 30.8% in Oregon.

Agitation for free schools in Utah began early. In his December 12, 1860 message to the Legislative Assembly, Governor Alfred Cumming said: "But as yet you have no free or common schools, and I would again impress upon you the vital importance of appropriating a portion of the Territorial revenue to the establishment and maintenance of such schools." Beginning with this message, nine governors made similar recommendations to the legislature. But these appointed officials were "outsiders" and were looked upon as carpetbaggers, and their advice was usually unaminously ignored.

American Fork was apparently the first Utah community to try free education. In their history of Utah County, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers state that some time in 1867, taxpayers of this town met to vote on the question of a free school. The meeting broke up in confusion, but another was called and the voting ended in a tie. The chairman, Bishop L. E. Harrington, then voted for the free school, "and in 1868 the first tax-maintained free school in Utah came into existence." Information found in the Deseret News and Salt Lake Herald indicate that this free school was established in 1869 rather than 1868. But without quibbling about exact dates, it does appear that American Fork took the lead in the free school movement.

In the summer of 1870, a writer to the Deseret News reported that the town of Hyrum had a free school. And the Washington County superintendent of schools, in his report for 1869, said: "Many of the districts are paying teachers by taxation, and think it an improvement upon the system of teachers collecting their pay directly from the parents of the scholars."

A November 18, 1871 meeting of the Utah County Teachers' Institute adopted a resolution calling for legislation to establish tax supported schools. 50 And the Salt Lake Herald of December 30, 1871 reported a growing demand for free schools. It said the system had been successful for two years in American Fork, that the 2nd Ward in Provo had a free school "this year," and that in South Willow Creek, Salt Lake County, the school had been run "upon the taxation system for many years," although it was still necessary to charge a small tuition fee.

In his report for 1871, Superintendent of Schools Robert L. Campbell said that, although most schools were financed by tuition fees, "The communications of the County Superintendents favor the adoption of a system of free schools. The public sentiment is sufficiently ripe to justify favorable legislation looking to that end." He added that "several school districts have essayed to adopt free schools." He had visited one such settlement, where he found an elderly woman teaching 72 children in a single room large enough to accommodate only 40. The glass was out of the windows and half the students had no school books. It was his opinion that the town had "jumped" into the free school system without adequate preparation. He suggested a territorial tax levy of one-fourth of one per cent, to be appropriated to the common schools, and that, "all fines, forfeitures and escheats," and license fees collected from banks, and taxes from railroads, go into a school fund.

As the 1872 session of the legislative assembly opened, Governor George L. Woods recommended passage of a school law, "such as will constitute a basis upon which an efficient system of Free Schools may be built in the early future." For once, the governor was not alone in his request for school legislation. Soon after the convening of the legislature, the house of representatives received a petition from 208 Weber County residents, "praying for favorable legislation pertaining to a system of Free Schools." The petition was referred to the Committee on Education, with instructions to "take into consideration the propriety of introducing an Act for the establishment of a Free School System in the Territory. ..." Beginning with this communication from Weber County, seventeen free school petitions were presented to the legislature. They were signed by 3,578 citizens of Weber, Cache, Utah, Tooele, Wasatch, Juab, Sanpete and Iron counties. More than half the signatures came from Cache and Utah counties.

The petitions received little consideration. On February 12th the house Committee on Education reported:

In answer to those who petition for a system of free schools, it will be sufficient now to say that such a system presupposes the existence of a competent permanent fund, which we see no sufficient elements to create, in a manner that would be satisfactory to our constituents, until the General Government shall admit Utah as a State, and give her, in common with other States, the benefits of the school lands as contemplated in the Governors Message.

The Committee on Education of the council apparently did not bother to make a report on the petitions referred to it.

This blunt brush-off by the legislature did not kill the free school movement. At an April 4, 1873 meeting of residents of the Salt Lake City 7th Ward School District, John Chislett urged that the district establish the first free school in Utah. And on the following day, the Territorial Teachers Association, meeting in Salt Lake, resolved "that a system of free schools is felt to be an urgent necessity and that the future prosperity of the rising generation demands its early consideration by the Legislature of Utah."

The renewal of free school agitation brought a severe rebuke from Brigham Young. Speaking before the annual conference of the Mormon Church, he complained:

I understand that the other night there was a school meeting in one of the wards of this city, and a party there —a poor miserable apostate—said, "We want a free school, and we want to have the name of establishing the first free school in Utah." To call a person a poor miserable apostate may seem like a harsh word; but what shall we call a man who talks about free schools and would have all the people taxed to support them, and yet would take his rifle and threaten to shoot the man who had the collection of the ordinary light taxes levied in this Territory—taxes which are lighter than any levied in any other part of the country?

John Chislett replied to this blast with an open letter to President Young. He pointed out that, for six years, he had given most of his time to missionary work for the Mormon Church, and, to gather to Zion, had walked from Iowa City to Fort Bridger with a handcart company. And he added:

But now about the Free School. Of course I did not expect a man like you who cannot write a correct sentence in his mother tongue, and hardly spell halfa-dozen consecutive words correctly to approve the proposition. . . .

In conclusion, allow me to inform you that the day is past when you can get on the rostrum and abuse your betters. I for one will not stand it. . . .

At a 7th Ward District meeting, held on April 26th, a Free School ticket of trustees was defeated by a 4 to 1 margin. The Salt Lake Tribune, commenting editorially upon the school issue, declared: "Free schools the non-Mormons are determined to have or else school taxation will be resisted."

Continuing his opposition to free education, Brigham Young spoke against it at the October, 1873 general conference of the church. The full text of his remarks has not been preserved, but the Millennial Star reported that he "delivered a most eloquent, powerful and profitable address, the principal topics dwelt upon by him being the subjects of schools and the rightful use of the means placed in the hands of the people, to bring about the most desirable and beneficial results." And on October 14th, Charles W. Penrose wrote to a friend in England: "We had a good Conference, but the President spoke in opposition to free schools, which went against the grain of some few Saints and Sinners." The Tribune, charging the Deseret News with suppressing President Young's discourse, quoted him as saying: "I am utterly opposed to Free Schools. There are but few families on the earth who are unable to earn their own food and clothing and school their children. Free schools have been introduced into the States in consequence of the tyranny of the rich over the poor." He added that free school advocates were not taxpayers, and that if the rich would give employment to the poor, all could send their children to school.

The free school agitation of 1872 and 1873 was apparently not altogether fruitless. The 1874 session of the legislature appropriated $15,000.00, "yearly for the next two years," for the use of the common schools, to be pro-rated to school districts, "according to the number of children in the districts between the ages of four and sixteen years. . . ." This appropriation amounted to 45 cents a year for each school-age child in the territory, and added to local contributions, brought the total appropriation from taxes, for 1874, to $1.02 per child.

Free school sentiment continued to grow. On January 26, 1874, taxpayers of the Salt Lake City 25th District unanimously voted, "that a free school, sustained by taxation of the residents, should be established in this district." And late in 1876 or early in 1877, the people of Centerville, "feeling a lively interest in this important matter, the education of the young, met and voted to support their school by taxation, so that the children of the widow, the orphans, and those who are struggling with poverty, may have equal opportunities with the children of those who are more abundantly blessed with the good things of this world to obtain an education." At Payson, sometime in 1877, the citizens of the town voted to levy a tax to pay school teachers, and continued to pay them from this source for seven years, when the practice had to be abandoned because all taxes which could be levied were needed for erection of a school building.

During the 1876 session of the legislative assembly, Abram Hatch of Wasatch County, attempted to have introduced in the house, a bill for enactment of a law to carry out his theory of "taxing the rich to assist the poor." His proposed law would have provided that 50 per cent of all taxes collected from "railroads, minerals and mills" should be used for school purposes, so that poor counties would receive financial aid from those blessed with more wealth. Mr. Hatch received some support from John R. Murdock, but his proposal was opposed by such influential political leaders as John Taylor, Lorin Farr, William B. Pace and Albert K. Thurber, and was tabled.

But this session of the legislature increased the territorial school appropriation to $20,000.00 a year, with a provision that "said moneys shall be used by the trustees in paying school teachers, according to the average daily attendance of pupils. .

This increased aid did not go far toward solving the financial problems of the schools. The appropriation for the Gunlock school for 1877 was $28.50. Encouraged by this munificent grant, the school opened auspiciously in June, with 27 pupils. But after four weeks, Dudley Leavitt withdrew his 18 children, being unable to pay their tuition fees, and that was the end of the school for the year.

Territorial Superintendent of Schools John Taylor recommended to the 1878 session of the legislature enactment of a law "providing for the levying of a tax upon mining property, for the use and benefit of our District Schools." His recommendation was ignored, but the legislature did take a most significant step in school financing, by passing a revenue act providing for an annual territorial tax of "three mills on the dollar for the benefit of district schools." This tax raised $63,847.60 the first year, and in 1879, the schools received, from all tax sources, $3.37 for each school-age child, as compared with $1.63 in 1877- The Deseret News called the new revenue law a step towards making a free school system possible.

Despite the greater interest in the problem, school financing continued on a primitive basis in some parts of the territory. In 1883, only two of Emery County's five districts levied a school tax. And Millard County teachers were still being paid "from a tuition rate."

The financing methods of some school districts is illustrated by the report of the Hebron District for the year of 1886. The full report follows:

Hebron Trustees report District Schools Washington Co. 1886

We are thankful that we yet live, 8 that all is so well with us as it is, tho we are few and far betweenbeing scatered at the different Ranches—Springsfarms 8 Summer homes.

We have not been able to keep up School but [deleted: three] four "4" months the past year—paid Nora Terry 20.00 pr. mo. Hebron District reed. 56.00 public Money for past year which we pd to Teacher.

Our School property probably is worth 500.00, tho it cost about three times that, but now, Money is scarce, times dull 8 prices low.

We have never assessed any Tax to pay expenses, Trustees donate services, We make a Spree to get fire wood for Schools 8 Meetings, appoint a day 8 give every man the priveledge to help, 8 we get a nice pile of wood in half a day or So, 8 then have a dance, or some Amusement.

Our School population numbers 28 this year 16 Males 8 12 females

Please remember us, if there be any pamphlets of late laws,

Respectfuly John Pulsipher

A substantial part of public school support continued to come from tuition fees. A breakdown of school receipts for the year ending June 30, 1883 showed 61.41% coming from taxes, 31.9% from tuitions, 2.93% from rents, 1.9% from donations, and 1.86% from county school funds, sale of estrays, etc. By 1890, tuition fees had dropped to 13.84% of receipts, with 74.48% coming from taxes, 8.83% from rents, 1.23% from donations, and 1.62% from county funds, etc.

Interest in free education continued to grow. One of the most persistent champions of such a program was W- D. Johnson Jr., superintendent of schools for Kane County. In his report for 1880-81, and again two years later, he pleaded for free school and compulsory education laws, arguing that the people were ready to "consent" to such legislation.

Commissioner of Education P. L. Williams, in his 1886-87 report, recommended adoption of a free school plan, and said: "So far as I have been able to learn, there is not a State or Territory in the Union, except only Utah, but what has introduced such a system of education."

At a meeting held August 21, 1888, the trustees of the Salt Lake City 14th School District, "believing that the Free School System is a vital principal of American institutions, decided that this school should be free. . . . " And the 1888-89 report of Commissioner of Education Jacob S. Boreman said: "Here and there by a few of the school districts free schools have been adopted but under embarrassing circumstances."

As the 1890 legislative assembly convened, there was no public evidence of any special interest in school legislation, although Governor Arthur L. Thomas followed the customary procedure of recommending enactment of laws "to give to every child the opportunity of receiving a free public education."

But there had been many changes since the abortive free school movement of the early seventies. Brigham Young had been dead for more than ten years. His successor as president of the Mormon Church, the stubbornly uncompromising John Taylor, had also passed on. The determination of the majority of the people of Utah to hold out aganst "the world" and remain "a peculiar people" was weakening. Most of the older political leaders had been disfranchised by legislation aimed at suppressing Mormon "plurality of wives." The legislature was filled with younger men, eight of whom were "outsiders" elected on the Liberal ticket.

The first business to come before the legislature was in the nature of two free school bills, introduced in the house by C. E. Allen one of the "outsiders." A school bill also appeared in the council. After some jockeying, a substitute for these three bills went through both houses without a dissenting vote, and Utah had a free school law.

Section 88 of the new law provided that, "Every district school shall be open for the admission, free of charge, of all children over six and under eighteen years of age, living in the district. Adults may be admitted to any district school, in the discretion of the board of trustees, at such rate of tuition as the trustees may prescribe."

Section 130 said: "Every parent, guardian or other person having control of any child between ten and fourteen years of age, shall be required to send such child to a public, district or private school in the district, in which he resides, at least sixteen weeks in each school year. ..." There were certain special exceptions to the compulsory attendance provision. 79

There were some noticeable results of the free school law. School receipts jumped from $348,126.54 for the year ending June 30, 1890, to $1,409,068.17 for 1892. Receipts from tuition fees and other non-tax sources dropped from $83,243.00 to $31,876.33. District school attendance increased from 36.4% of the school population in 1889, to 59% in 1891. The average number of students per school went from 55 in 1889 to 75 in 1892, and the number of students per teacher from 32 to 61. As compensation for the added student burden, teachers' salaries were increased from $259.00 to $457.00 per year.

The most significant thing about enactment of the new law was that in the first of a series of concessions to "the world," the people of Utah had at last accepted the principle of free, taxsupported elementary education.

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