Editors’ Table: A Distinguished Educator’s Impressions of Utah

Editors' Table A Distinguished Educator's Impressions of Utah Among the noted educators at the meetings of the late National Education Association was Thomas N. Bicknell who, in 1884, was the president of the association and is today one of the leaders of the organization. His residence is in Providence, R. I. For many years he has been a publicist, manufacturer, leader in many societies of the highest aims, a representative in the Rhode Island legislature, and always in the forefront of organizations seeking to advance the cause of education. He is a man whose scholarship is attested by many conspicuous services which he has rendered in the field of education. Dr. Bicknell, though ripe in age, having been born in 1834, is by every test that may be applied, in the prime of a useful life. Being asked on his recent visit in Salt Lake City for an expression of his impressions of Utah, Salt Lake City, and the people of the state, Dr. Bicknell furnished the following statement to the press : As a visitor and guest at Salt Lake City from New England, I am asked to state my impressions as to the distinctive polity of this city, and state, founded by the pioneers of the "Mormon" faith and ideals. I do this most cordially, for I am not a stranger to what has been transpiring in this mountain commonwealth, having studied its peculiar and remarkable development for a period of more than forty years. Four great purposes have been regnant in Utah and its capital — Salt Lake City — since its occupation by the pioneers, July 24, 1847. The first has been a positive, personal, operative religious faith. The working creed of a people is the measure of its devotion to high ideals, and the creed is measured by its fruits, as is a tree. The pioneers of Utah were most of them of New England birth. Nearly all came out of the rural life of the New England of a century ago. The six New England states with rural New York nursed the childhood of the founders of the "Mormon" faith. Puritan and Pilgrim and children from "Mayflower" stock made the first emigration across the plains to Salt Lake valley. The ruling motive was religion, in creed and form not far removed from the Hebrew faith. Its bold declarations of great principles of faith and practice drew to their embrace men and women of strong intellects and warm hearts. The new expression of old tenets won persecution and distress for the possessors of a new faith, and only brave souls could stand the stress of the new cult. Utah and several of her sister states were founded by the people of eastern birth, of brave purpose and undying resolve. What is the issue? A society of tens and hundreds of thousands of souls of the strongest moral fiber. It can be stated without fear of contradiction that the Wasatch

1038 IMPROVEMENT ERA range holds in its embrace a population whose standards of moral, ethical and religoius culture are not equalled on the American continent, or any other continent. Social and sex purity are normal and unquestioned. The red light district cannot be found in "Mormon" Utah, and the purity and sweetness of family life are beyond compare. In no section of America are babyhood, childhood and youth so highly reverenced and honored, and in none are the filial instincts so consciously manifest. The Sabbath is honored in Utah far in excess of Puritan New England as a day of rest and worship, and in no part of America is Bible and Sunday school instruction so universally recognized. The cities of America may learn from Utah how to observe a Christian Sabbath, where the Lord Christ rules the hearts and lives of the people. With religious convictions deep and controlling, the education of the people has been a radical element of "Mormon" faith. A schoolhouse was planted by the first house in Salt Lake City, and today education is fostered in supreme fashion from the kindergarten through the University. Cities and towns in Utah vie with each other in the thorough education of all children, and of the state revenue?, over 87 per cent are devoted to public education. In schoolhouse architecture and school equipment, school attendance and advancement, Utah leads. The "Mormon" polity, on the side of social order ,is recognized ?s the most thoroughly organized system in the world. Every intelligent man should study it for its recognition of the solution of economic, health and social problems. Its details of supervision are exact, thorough-going and efficient. Beyond and above all in perfection of system and in the realizaH< ■-•! of ^rand results, are the industry, frugality and temperance of the people. The beehive properly symbolizes the spirit and practice of the "Mormons." Go where you will, you will find no poverty, while wealth abounds in practical abundance. Homes are full of comforts and luxuries ; art, music and literature are the endowments of all. The wealth of the land has attracted the "Mormons" more than ... ,-1-1-, n£ the mines, and both are making wealth common and fairly distributed. Utah is a rich land of great possibilities. Its richest possession is its "Mormon" population of honest, pure-minded, sweet-hearted men, women and children, who have drawn on nature's forces for her grateful services and returns. They have, out of the lion's mouth, plucked the honeycomb of sweet content arid honest life, and were the Master to walk the streets of Salt Lake City today, would he not say to all critics and detractors of "Mormonism," "Let him that is without sin cast the first stone?" The Lesson of the N. F. A. Convention By reason of the recent convention of the National Education Association several thousand educators from various parts of the United States partook of the hospitality of Utah. They left with us their best thoughts on educational topics, and went back to their fields of work with first-hand impressions of our state,

EDITORS' TABLE 1939 its people and their religious and educational systems. The keynote of the convention work was the recognition of the importance of individual rather than collective education. It set forth the need of training for each child according to his aptitude and opportunities rather than a common training for all. As we understand it, the educators advocated the idea that the training of the ninety-nine children out of each hundred who never enter college must no longer be confined to a preparation for college work — must be an individual and practical training according to the needs and opportunities of each child and the life he is to live. In no other way can our educational system fulfil its function of being of greatest service to the community. These are the thoughts which the convention left with our educators. The impressions which the visitors took back with them of our state and people cannot help but do much good. Despite the warnings of enemies of this state, it is gratifying to know that the leaders at least have made a study of conditions in Utah, and in every case have had nothing but good to say of the moral and social conditions of the people of the state, and nothing but high praise for her educational institutions and leaders. And to those leaders of education, it may be said in passing, belongs largely the credit not only for the perfection of our school system but for the favorable impression which the visitors have been enabled to receive of it. The greatest value of the convention to Utah, however, it appears to us, lies not so much in the ideas which were given to our educators by their co-workers, nor in the impressions of Utah which the visitors carried away, but rather in the internal awakening which the gathering stimulated. It is doubtful if we realized fully the magnitude of our educational system — the time, the means, energy and enthusiasm which our educational workers and citizens are expending. Never before have we had so thoroughly called to our attention the value and high standard of our public and Church schools as well as the educational value of the auxiliary organizations of the Church. Once again we have been forcibly reminded how thoroughly the education of our children is interwoven in our religious belief. The convention has opened our eyes to see more clearly the perfection of our Church organization as a means of social betterment and moral reform. Our forefathers builded stronger than they knew. They left to us, the younger generation, a heritage of which we may well be proud. The lesson of their labors has been vividly refreshed in our minds by our efforts in preparing to receive our distinguished visitors and by their sojourn among us. If in the future we would have as splendid a showing for our state and people as now, and as in the past, we must cherish the heritage they have given us and

1040 IMPROVEMENT ERA build on it, not for the present alone, but even as they did, with great, strong stones for the future. Some of the impressions of the leading visitors are here reproduced taken from the daily papers. They are worthy the careful consideration of our citizens, and should be made the means of information for all investigators abroad : E. T. Fairchild, retiring president of the National Education association and resident of the New Hampshire college, Durham, N. H., said: "While the enrollment has not been so large as expected, the personnel of the convention was of the highest character. Those who were here, were here because of their interest in education. The leaders were here and the rank and file were here and all join in pronouncing it the most enjoyable and profitable meeting. In all the meetings that I have attended, and I have been a life member for more than 27 years, I have never heard so many expressions of appreciation of the good things offered and of the splendid hospitality provided bj the city and state. Indeed the personal attention given to all of the visitors is beyond praise. Not satisfied with affording the usual facilities, committees and individuals have constantly inquired, 'What more can we do for your comfort and convenience?' It is a demonstration of genuine hospitality such as one seldom sees. "Salt Lake City and Utah have made for themselves a host of friends, each of whom in returning home will sing the praises of this most hospitable people and will tell the story of the wonderful institutions of this mountain state. Such results as have been accomplished are due to the splendid generalship of the various local committees who have had in charge the details of this great meeting. One cannot fail to recognize the splendid service of Governor Spry, the thoughtful and constructive help of State Superintendent Nelson and the magnificent and untiring labors of Superintendent Christensen. These men, together with a host of other workers, deserve the most cordial thanks of the entire association. "Perhaps no feature of the convention has afforded such genuine pleasure to the teachers as the splendid music so generously provided. The whole country is aware of the superior musical talent of Salt Lake City and other cities of this state, but certainly none of us were prepared for the really wonderful music that we heard. Such execution and such team work I have never witnessed before. * * * * "Finally, I feel bound to say that I have never known any other session in which the spirit among the members was so fine. There was a democracy and feeling of good will and happy attitude toward every phase of the meeting that made it really unique. But, how could it be otherwise in this great state, where hospitality reigns supreme, and where every man is every other man's brother? The meeting at Salt' Lake City will go down in history as in every way worthy of the great National Education Association." The Rev. Edward E. Eaton, D. D., LL. D., president of Beloit college, Wisconsin, in an address to the School Board of Salt Lake City, said: "I want to express my admiration for what you are doing here. I know of no other city so enterprising in modern lines of education as yours. Your wonderful growth has placed a great responsibility upon your board of education; but you are more than proving yourselves equal to the task, as I have seen in my inspections of the school

EDITORS' TABLE 1041 system and school equipment. You are constructing a magnificent high school, and all your schools are of the highest grade, well equipped for the great work carried on within them. I desire to say that I have never seen the equal of the Hawthorne school, which I had the pleasure of visiting today. It is a marvel of arrangement and equipment." In the Deseret News, Prof, Thomas J. Jones of the United States bureau of education at Washington, and a delegate to the N. E. A. convention, says: "I noticed this small attendance, and talked the matter over with a number of delegates, particularly those from the far east; and wc agreed that it was due to the fact that the Panama exposition at San Francisco' is less than two years distant. This would make two trips across the continent in that time for many who would have liked to attend the Salt Lake meeting, with the great expense attending such trips. Then the weather has been very hot back east, and times are rather tight financially; so altogether very many people concluded they would wait until 1915 to visit Salt Lake, on their way to San Francisco." "Do you think the light attendance here was at all due to unfavorable stories and reports that have been circulated in the east, against the 'Mormon' people?" was asked. Prof. Jones replied: "I have not heard any such reports; and I do not believe that such, if there were any, had the slightest effect on the attendance. Our people would not allow themselves to be influenced by rumors and stories to such an extent as all that." Caroline Bartlett Crane of Kalamazoo, Mich. — "I have been delighted with the sessions of the association I have attended and especially with the prominence which has been given in the program to child hygiene and to vocational training. The unique and beautiful decorations are an expression of the spirit of hospitality which has been extended in unbounded measure by the people of Utah. The city itself seems to me remarkably clean and a very good example of municipal housekeeping." Superintendent Milton C. Potter. St. Paul, Minn. — "The close of the series of meetings has called for no let-up in the hospitality of the people. The heads of the Church schools, state and municipal schools have all contributed in unusually generous share of thought, time and money. Rarely, if ever, have I seen the hospitality side of the N. E. A. so amply cared for." Dr. Joseph Swain, of Pennsylvania, new president of the N. E. A. and successor to Dr. Fairchild, said: "The teachers of the N. E. A. have been royally entertained by the people of Salt Lake. The press has given much space to the various meetings and has been singularly free from sensationalism. It speaks well for the whole state that such a man has been chosen as its representative as Supt. A. C. Nelson." Robert J. Aley, of Orono, Me., secretarv of the board of trustees of the N. E. A. and president-elect of the National Education Council: "I am pleased beyond my power to express it. President E. T. Fairchild has proven himself a most efficient officer. He has planned the program of this organization with rare foresight and has carried out his plans with wonderful skill. The people of Salt Lake and Utah have shown a most generous spirit. No host city of theJM. E. A. has ever extended such genuine hospitality and courtesies." Miss Margaret Haley, business representative of the Chicago Teachers' association— "The one thing that has impressed me, outside

1042 IMPROVEMENT ERA of the charming hospitality of the people, is the entire lack of understanding which people outside of Utah have of this state. It seems to me no state in the Union has been so little understood. I have attended the N. E. A. meetings for more than 20 years, but I have never known a city to decorate as Salt Lake has to receive its visitors. We regret to leave this beauty spot of the west . I have visited the school buildings and it seems to me it is a children's paradise; we have nothi..,^ like them in the state of Illinois. The devotion to the cause of education which is apparent on every hand in Salt Lake and its surroundings deserves a deeper study than our brief visit will allow." Messages from the Missions Elder Charles I. Stoddard, Berlin, Prussia, March 31 : "There are thousands who seek and investigate who have not yet found or heard the gospel truths. People are seeking religious equilibrium or a readjustment to more favorable circumstances. Out of their search has grown a dissatisfaction and unrest which are very apparent in this metropolis of Germany. Thinking people are losing faith in doctrines of men. Not many weeks ago12,000 members left the old German church to seek freedom of worship and religious readjustment. A few days later 350 more left the same church and became 'Monisten' — supporters of theories of Darwin and Heckel. These instances indicate the religious unrest in Berlin. Besides, on the public sign boards are frequently seen the announcement of public addresses such as 'Where is the Truth?' 'Out of the Church Whither?' The question 'Religious Freedom for All' (the heading of a Berlin newspaper article) is the subject for debate at the present time in the parliamentary chambers. These conditions are sad for missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, because on account of banishments we are unable to satisfy the hungry multitude and to tell them 'where the truth is.' Are not the words of the Prophet Amos (8:11-12) finding fulfilment in this land? 'Behold, the day is come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord and they shall wander from sea to sea and from north even to the east, and shall not find it.' "We are meeting with good success in the neighboring cities of Berlin; and, notwithstanding frequent banishments, the Berlin conference is developing in every respect. Last Sunday we had 107 friends in our meetings in Berlin which number is not exceptional.

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