Progress of Education in Utah, Since 1913

Progress of Education in Utah, Since 1913 (From Reports by the State Superintendent of Schools and the Russell Sage Foundation)

Utah school teachers, of whom there were 777 male and 2,670 female, in 1919, or a total of 3,447, number, for 1920, 3,640, with even a larger proportion of female teachers. In 1913, there were altogether 2,637 teachers. School buildings in which schools are held number 687.

The valuation of school property, in 1918, was $12,865,450, divided as follows: Buildings, $11,935,838; equipment, $697,- 924; books and supplies, $231,688; and the value of school property in 1919 was $13,900,000. It was estimated at $8,- 000,000 in 1913.

Children numbered 128,846, in 1919, —64,707 boys, and 64,- 139 girls —of whom 110,193 received instruction in the schools; as against 111,331 children of school age in 1913, of whom 95,- 000 received instruction in the schools.

The amount expended for the support of elementary and secondary schools in 1919 was $5,800,000 as against $4,000,000 in 1913.

The increase in enrollment in high schools, in the United States is one hundred times as great as in 1870, having increased from 19,000 then to 2,000,000, now. Since 1913 the high school enrollment in Utah has increased from 6,000 to 14,000.

The standard of qualification of teachers is a high school education and one year college study. This was lowered during the war, but is rapidly being raised again.

Utah has made the greatest gain in education in the past 30 years, according to a recent report of Dr. Leonard P. Ayres, director of the Department of Education of the Russell Sage Foundation, and, (among the 48 states and the District of Columbia) stands 8th in line, Montana being first with 75.8, standing; then California 71.2, Arizona 66.2, New Jersey 65.9, District of Columbia 64.3, Washington 63.7, Iowa 61.09, Utah 61.4; then 14th, Colorado 59.2; Nevada 16th, 59; Idaho 18th, 58.6; Wyoming 25th, 56.7; South Carolina, last, 29.4.