William M. Stewart: Who Walked the World with Soul Awake

William M. Stewart

"Who Walked the World with Soul Awake"

BY LEVI EDGAR YOUNG, M. A.

The State of Utah lost one of. its most high-minded men and efficient educators in the death of Doctor William M. Stew- art, which occurred at Salt Lake City, June 26, 1913. For thirty years, he took an active part in the development of the schools of Utah, and in urging the growth of the University of Utah. During the period in which he lived, great voices brought great messages to the children of this commonwealth. There were Doctor John R. Park, Karl G. Maeser, Rufus Cobb, Orson How- ard, Joseph B. Toronto, George M. Ottinger, F. D. Benedict, T. B. Lewis, and a host of others, who influenced the entire peoph of Utah to great ideals intellectually and morally. As Utah had great educators in her early days, so has she to-day, and Doc- tor William M. Stewart stood out among them all as a man who had but one great ideal, and that was to have education expressed in useful daily action for the betterment of the individual and humanity. His personality has been a commanding one, and his influence has been potent in bringing about a high standard of education throughout the state. He was known far and wide for his love of children, and he might well be designated as the Colonel Parker of the West.

Professor Stewart was a self-made man. Born of humble parentage in the little town of Draper, Salt Lake County, in 1859, he inherited from his parents a love for learning, and while a boy, he herded cows on the hill side, and communed with nature. It was while roaming through the vales of the mountains that he became imbued with the- knowledge of the eternal laws that govern growth and maturity, and to him in after life, the great wide world of trees and flowers, rocks and hills, streams and lakes was the most beautiful school room of all. How often has he told his pupils that the lesson of the following day would be told out under the trees ! He milked cows, went into the mountains for wood, and during his entire boyhood, he grew with nature.

In 1867, Dr. John R. Park opened a school at Draper, and in a few months, he was known far and wide. From Dr. Park, Professor Stewart obtained his first training in books, and re- ceived at that time an inspiration that lasted him well through

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life. One of the thoughts, which all the boys and girls were taught to recite daily was : "Lose no time ; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary action." Dr. Park graded his school, and established a library, which was used by all the people of the village. A literary society was organized, and in this, Professor Stewart took an active part, and obtained his first experience in executive work as its president. At twelve years of age, he was again at the head of a library and debating society in his native town, and at this early age, he seemed to invite his adversaries to argument, and even at times, sallied forth to meet them. In 1883, he was graduated from the normal and classical departments of the University of Deseret, and the follow- ing autumn, became principal of the school in Draper, and taught in the very room where he had been under the training of Dr. Park. His school was known throughout Salt Lake and Utah counties ; in fact its fame spread throughout the Territory. Hav- ing a wonderful influence over the children of the little village, he was instrumental in organizing a large literary society, and in his little school was to be found a good library which was used by both old and young alike in the village. As Dr. Park had introduced military drill and tactics in his school, some fourteen years before, so Professor Stewart had his boys organized into military companies for drill, and the girls were taught domestic science by the women of the ward Relief Society. In fact it has been said that his school at Draper was the equal of Dr. Park's, and had no superior in the Territory.

In 1885, Professor Stewart was elected County Superintend- ent of Schools of Salt Lake County, which at that time included the schools of Salt Lake. He was also principal of the Nineteenth Ward school which at that time was considered one of the best in the city. As in Draper, so in this school, literary and debating clubs were organized, and a good library established. In the county, he did exceptional work in organizing the teachers into a society for the purpose of holding institutes and keeping abreast of the times. It is interesting to note the varied program of one of the institutes in those days. The following announcement ap- peared in the Salt Lake Herald, May 26, 1885 :

Teachers' Convention. — The teachers of Salt Lake County have arranged to hold a two days' session on the 19th and 20th of June, as most of the schools will be closed for summer vacation by that time, and the teachers will be at liberty to attend. The following is the program of exercises which will be rendered:

FRIDAY, FIRST DAY.

1 — An opening address, by Prof. T. B. Lewis. 2 — A duet by Misses Kate and Clara Snedaker. 3— How to read a picture, by Prof. G. M. Ottinger.

PROF. WILLIAM M. STEWART

4 — Recitation by Miss Sadie Tripp.

5 — Primary class exercise, by Mrs. C. F. Wilcox.

On Friday evening, Bishop O. F. Whitney will deliver a lecture entitled, "What is Education?" in the Fourteenth Ward Assembly Hall, to begin at 8 o'clock.

SATURDAY, SECOND DAY.

1 — A lecture on psychology by Dr. J. R. Park.

2 — A male quartet, by A. S. Geddes, R. S. Home, J. B. Stewart, A. M. Woolley.

3 — A lecture on chemistry, by Prof. Jos. T. Kingsbury.

A — Reading the paper, by Sondra Sanders. Contributors: Charles F. Wilcox, D. R. Allen, Miss Rachel Edwards, Miss Emma Finch.

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5 — A recitation, by Miss Nellie Ripley. 6 — Individuality, by William M. Stewart.

After the conclusion of the exercises on Saturday, the 20th, the teachers intend spending the afternoon at Calder's Farm.

The teachers of Utah County are cordially invited to attend, as are all friends of education.

Meetings to commence at 10 a. m., sharp.

J. B. Moreton, Secretary Program Committee.

Professor Stewart became a member of the National Edu- cational association at this time, and attended a number of its meetings in eastern cities. He was twice elected to the office of

THE OLD DR. JOHN R. PARK SCHOOL-HOUSE, DRAPER, UTAH, 1868

county superintendent, and in 1886, was made a regent of the University of Deseret.

It was in 1888, that Professor Stewart was placed at the head of the Normal School of the University, which position he held until his death. With a tremendous enthusiasm and a love for children and child psychology, he began the work of building one of the most noted Normal schools in the West. He studied the needs of the people of Utah, with a view of adapting edu- cational theory to their best needs. While intensely idealistic, he was utilitarian to the highest degree. He wished every boy and girl educated to some useful vocation in life. His sole aim was to make education efficient, and to develop the moral virtues

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in man. He held the Aristotelian theory that "All knowledge is virtue," but his approach to learning was on the side of prac- tical education. He maintained always that the students and teachers of the University should be of service to the State, and that the University should be taken to the homes of all the people and made a source of information in all practical affairs, economic, civic, and ethical. He had, for this reason, a heart and head for the value of compromise and conciliation. But compromise with him never became a matter of injustice, because of the purity of his character, the nobility of his purpose, and the generous love which he had for his students.

During the season of 1899, Professor Stewart did post gradu- ate work at the University of Chicago and some of his papers received marked recognition by the University men. Dr. Dewey, the psychologist, as well as Colonel Parker, held him in a high regard of friendship. In 1907, the University of Utah conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Didactics, a title which he earned by his hard and conscientious work in the pedagogical sciences. As a lecturer, Professor Stewart became known far and wide in the State. He chose those subjects that pertained to the proper education and rearing of the boys and girls. He had a wonderful knowledge of child psychology, obtained not so much from books as from personal observation. He lived a beautiful home life, and was ever the constant companion of his wife and children. Always retaining his natural simplicity, he drew people to him in love ; his enthusiasm for his work was unbounded, and his kind, rich soul radiated for his students and friends, which will always be a source of inspiration to them in days to come. He expressed his love for God in human service, 'and one time, when asked what his ethical ideal was in reference to life's work, he recited "The Builders," by Longfellow. The poem is an expression of what Professor Stewart held to be best in life:

All are architects of Fate,

Working in these walls of time; Some with massive deeds and great,

Some with ornaments of rhyme.

Nothing useless is, or low;

Each thing in its place is best; And what seems but idle show

Strengthens and supports the rest.

For the structure that we raise,

Time is with materials filled; Our todays and yesterdays

Are the blocks with which we build.

Truly shape and fashion these;

Leave no yawning gaps between; Think not because no man sees,

Such things will remain unseen.

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In the elder days of Art.

Builders wrought with greatest care Each minute and unseen part;

For the gods see everywhere.

Let us do our work as well, Both the unseen and the seen;

Make the house, where gods may dwell, Beautiful, entire, and clean.

Else our lives are incomplete, Standing in these walls of Time,

Broken stairways, where the feet Stumble as they seek to climb.

Build today, then, strong and sure, With a firm and ample base;

And ascending and secure „

Shall tomorrow find its place.

Thus alone can we attain

To those turrets, where the eye

Sees the world as one vast plain, And one boundless reach of sky.

In U

nison

I'm glad to know the flowers blow

In a thousand vales today, And the self-same breeze that sighs o'er these

Hath kissed them on their way. Each blossom-bed doth perfume shed

For unnumbered guests today.

'Tis joy to know, the rosy glow

Which has touched my soul today, Hath shed the beam of its hopeful gleam

O'er yours in the same kind way. Like a happy child doth my heart beat wild,

With a host of hearts today!

'Tis wealth to feel as I reverent kneel . In my quiet room to pray, While they lowly bend, purest thoughts ascend

From a multitude today. And the God above who is God of Love

Guides each on Truth's fair way!

HONOLULU, H. T. MlNNIE IVERSON.

ELDER HYRUM M. SMITH

As he appeared in 1895-8 when on his first mission to Great Britain. Elder Smith was born March 21, 1872, became a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, October 24, 1901, and was chosen to preside over the European Mission, August 14, 1913.