The Church School System

IMPROVEMENT ERA Vol. XXVI AUGUST, 1923 No. 10 The Church School System By Dr. John A. Widtsoe, Commissioner of Education Why is the Church so deeply concerned in Church School education? What are the policies of the Church School System? What results are flowing from Church school activities? These are fair questions that may well be asked by every in- telligent member of the Church. The Church Fosters Education The Spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ awakens in eveiy person a desire for further enlightenment especially as to the plan of salvation, and for the full development of his inborn powers. The latter-day revelations direct the Church to seek all truth; and "truth is knowledge of things as they are, aad as they were, and as they are to come." Knowledge of itself possesses no saving grace; but with greater knowledge, larger service may be rendered. The Church encourages education; but asks that the process of education be not confined to the accumulation of knowledge and the discipline of the mind, but that it be directed also to the fitting of young people for the many duties of life. As a result of the love of truth, which is inherent in the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Church in these latter days ha9 fostered educational institutions from the beginning of its his- tory. In Utah, the elementary school and high school, the college and the university, have been initiated upon the sug- gestion and with the assistance of the Church. The origin of the present Church School System roots, in fact, in the days before public education was established in the intermountain country and when the burden of the school was wholly upon the Church. The Need of Church Schools The Church recognizes that correct education should de- Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter. Ac- ceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1 103, Act of October 3, 1017, authorized on July 2, 1918, $2 per annum. Address Room 406 Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah.

864 IMPROVEMENT ERA velop all of man's faculties. To train a person only in science, or in literature, or in art, or in social relations, or e^en in religion (as narrowly conceived), is not to educate a person. The human being has physical, mental and spiritual possibilities, all of which must be developed if society shall be preserved in full health and usefulness. This is the unhesitating con- clusion of every sound thinker on the subject. Here the need of Church Schools appears. Under an ideal condition, children would receive such rounded training in the public schools. Science, literature, art, social relations and religion (the plan of salvation) would be taught, under one organization, with proper relative emphasis. In a few placed in the world, where the people are all of one mind, this may yet be done; in the middle ages, when all the people of the country accepted one church, it was very commonly done; in this country, with the rise of democracy, implying free public schools, and unhindered religious exercise, it cannot be done. Though every other proper concern of man be allowed place in the public school curriculum, sectarian religion is firmly excluded, and must be taught elsewhere. The fathers of the United States saw clearly that the per- pctuity of the republic, which they had been inspired to organ- ize, depended upon the general enlightenment of- the citizens. Consequently there was devised a magnificent, state-supported educational system, with compulsory attendance, which to-day is our safest, state-provided bulwark against the foes of the republic. At the same time, in consonance with the doctrine that in this land there shall be freedom of thought and belief and conscience, the first amendment of the constitution was made to read "congress shall make no law respecting an estab- lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Clearly under this constitutional provision, sectarian religion cannot be taught in the public schools of the land. The Church is in full support of this doctrine, for in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants (134:9) it is expressly stated as a Church declaration of belief, that "We do not believe it is just to mingle religious influence with civil government, where- by one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual pri\ileges." Of course this does not mean that such principles of moral living and honorable conduct, as are generally accepted by all good citizens, shall not be allowed discussion and practice in our public schools. On the contrary, our public school instruction should be permeated with the principle of righteousness and the fundamental virtues, which were tacitly accepted in the making of the constitution of our country. J

THE CHURCH SCHOOL SYSTEM 865 Nevertheless, the deeper spiritual truths of life, and the profound religious convictions of men, centering in organized churches, which may not be taught in our public schools, must be taught, if taught at all, by private agencies. Somehow, religion must be taught, for no truth glows more vividly upon the pages of human history than that, in times of stress, every other learning becomes the servant and the tool of religious conviction. The course of history has ever been in the channel of religion; and the interpreter of life has forever been a knowl- edge of God. The will of man, directed by his inner ideals, and not powder and shot, has changed the map of nations. As men have clung to God, the race has moved upward and on- ward; as they have forsaken God and righteous living, confusion and death have overwhelmed mankind. The constitutional guarantee of religious liberty was not intended for the building of a Godless people. Lawful agencies, other than the public schools must be found for the religious training of our youth. In this connection it must be said that the education of the intellect of the body is not an end in itself. The trained mind and the trained body should be as it were tools in the service of the spirit. Spiritual perfection, under the true laws of God, should be the aim of all men; the trained mind and the vigorous body may be used in winning such perfection. The will for righteousness, transcends in importance, any in- tellectual accomplishments. It is for the development of tt© greater power that the Church Schools have been established. ' The Church as a Teaching Institution, The Church has willingly assumed the task of religious education, which the public school under the law, cannot per- form. The Church, in fact, is a vast teaching institution, teach- ing the truth of the plan of salvation to members, friends and all who will listen. The teaching of the plan of salvation to the members of the Church is accomplished through several organizations. The quorums of the priesthood devote time to the formal study and practice of the Gospel. The Sunday Schools have a carefully graded series of study courses, all of which deal with a religious truth. The Relief Societies, the Mutual Improvement associations, and the Primary Associations represent various activities of women, youths and maidens, and children, so conducted as to help their members become in- telligent and faithful Latter-day Saints. HoWever, these organi- zations do not meet on school days, at school time, and they have not adopted texts and study periods that are character- istics of the week day schools. To make the formal study of religion or theology or the plan of salvation more effective during the school age, it must be made as if it were part of the child's

866 IMPROVEMENT ERA regular school program. This will not only make possible better teaching, but will also place the subject, in the child's mind, on a more dignified footing. Progress of Church Schools The first purpose of our System of Church Schools is to supplement secular with religious instruction, definitely de- signed to make Latter-day Saints of the pupils, from the first grade to the university; and to employ in such instruction the approved methods of the school room, in discipline, text books, tests of progress, and promotions. A second purpose of the Church Schools is to train professional teachers for the Church, who will have a rooted testimony of the truth of the gospel in their hearts, and who by their example and influence will teach the value and beauty of the gospel to their pupils. While direct teaching is most effective, indirect teaching is also power- ful, and a God-fearing teacher, who lives righteously, teaches religion by the manner of his life. A third purpose of the Church Schools is to give technical training in co-operation with the auxiliary organizations to those who may be asked to do special work for these organizations. The work of the auxiliaries is broadening daily and becoming more complex, to meet the needs of this modern, more complex day. Special- ized training, especially in the field of teaching, is often re- quired to conduct some of the branches of the auxiliary work. The Church schools place their resources at the disposal of the auxiliaries for such assistance as may be required. . The Elementary Schools In the earlier days, Church supported schools of element- ary grade wefle nijaintained. When the public elementary schools became established, the Church abandoned this field. The Church gives full support to all sound public educational efforts; though it reserves its right to devise means by which religious instruction, under the law may supplement the sec- ular instruction, given our elementary school children. The Religion Classes are the device of the Church for supplying religious instruction to elementary school children. The attempt is made to give the children one hour's instruction, in religion per week. This may be given as a full hour's instruc- tion either before or after the regular school hours, on any day of the week that may best suit the convenience of the district; or, ten minutes each day, before or after school, may be used for religious instruction ; upon petition, the school board may allow the children of the parents petitioning, to leave one hour earlier than the regular closing time, one day a week, to receive religi- ous instruction. This last method is in many ways the most

THE CHURCH SCHOOL SYSTEM 867 satisfactory, for it improves the attendance; and does not length- en the school day, and recognizes the great importance of religious instruction, even if such instruction is not permitted in public schools. The General Church Board of Education has prepared a series of graded text books or readers for the Religion Classes; approved methods of teaching are rapidly being adopted; records are kept; the pupils' work is graded; promotions are made, and graduation exercises held. The work of the Religion Classes is being made to correspond in methods and helps with the work of the public schools. The Religion Classes of the Church were established in 1890. About ten years later similar schools under the name of Week Day Classes of Religion were established by other churches. At present more than 50,000 elementary school children are enrolled in Religion Classes of the Church; and many thousands in the corresponding "week day classes of religion" of other churches. The Religion Class nrovement, under the latter name, is now a nation-wide extension. High School Education The development of the public high school is compara- tively recent. Forty years or more ago, when the public high school was practically unknown in the West, the Church under- took to supply high school education to its children. The Brig- ham Young Academy was established at Provo, Utah, followed by the stake academies. The plan was to organize as needed an acad- emy in each stake, in which a course of high school education including instruction in religion, the things of God, should be given. These institutions rendered most excellent service. Thou- sands of men and women, yet living, can testify that in the academy, they were founded well in general education, and in addition won a settled, active testimony of the gospel as re- stored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Meanwhile, as the public elementary schools of the United States became of general distribution and firmly established, the citizens of our free republic claimed for their children an equal opportunity for high school education. It. had been shown that civilization is largely a product of enlightenment; and that the school is the chief ally of the home in the making of citizens fit for life in a modern republic. The local high school, which offers in the proximity of the home, the essence of the world's knowledge, together with a proper discipline of the mind, became an additional safeguard against the dis- solution of the republic and a powerful means for the large* life and enjoyment of the people. The local high school has be- come the people's college. At the time of the Civil War there

868 IMPROVEMENT ERA were fewer than fifty high schools in the United States; to-day there are probably tei thousand. The people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined in the movement for public high schools. Today there is scarcely a Latter-day Saint community of sufficient numbers, which does not miaintain a public high school. The effects of this condition upon the Church high schools are obvious. First, the Church which is deeply loyal to American institutions, joins in every worthy movement to promote the wel- fare of the republic. It has done pioneer work in education, as in other fields; but as public institutions have taken over the work of education the Church has willingly reliquished the re- sponsibility. Second, the cost of maintaining a competitive system of Church high schools would impose a heavy burden of double taxation upon the people. This would be neither necessary, nor desirable, since the public high schools are under the control of local boards of trustees, who may protect the students from in- fringements upon the lawful mission of the public high school. Finally, as a consequence of the multiplication of the local public high schools, the Church academies or high schools, which formerly were attended by students from considerable distances, became essentially local institutions, serving almost wholly the communities in which they were immediately located. The obligation of the Church is to all of its members, according to their needs; the localized Church high school is at variance with its principle unless special conditions require special treat- ment. Consequently, as the public high schools have increased, the Church high schools have been withdrawn, and to assist the people, the buildings and equipment have often been sold to the public high school for a small fraction of the cost. At present, only three Church high schools remain: The Juarez Academy in Mexico; the Big Horn Academy in Wyo- ming, and the L. D. S. High School in Salt Lake City. Latter-day Saint Seminaries The Church has reduced its activities in the general high school field; but it maintains its intention to provide to high school students in a lawful manner, such instruction in religion as may not be taught legally in the public high school. The high school age is very important. It is then that nature initiates the profound changes of the body and mind, which result in maturity. To supply religious instruction to young people dur- ing this period and to help make of these young people faithful members of the Church, the Latter-day Saint semjmary has been devised. It is a Church institution, having no direct connection with the high school. The faculty, consisting of one or two college trained workers, faithful members of the Church, usually

THE CHURCH SCHOOL SYSTEM 869 with missionary and other Church experience, offers instruction of high school grade in the Old Testament, and the History and Doctrines of the Church. Registration in the seminary is entirely voluntary. Attend- ance, recitation, written work, examination, and grading of the registered students are insisted upon as with any secular subject taught in the high school. In a properly organized seminary, only students of the senior high school, that is of the last three years of the usual four-year high school, are admitted to the classes. The seminary building is usually located a very short distance from the high school building. Such high school students as register for the instruction in the seminary attend the seminary one hour a day, during one of the study hours or free hours of the high school, so that there is no interference with the regular high school work. State Boards of Education of many states allow credit for the work done in the study of the Bible. The seminary teacher is expected to watch over his flock of young people, both in and out of the classroom, and to help them in their daily religious life, having always in view the establishment in the hearts of the young people a testimony of the Gospel. The L. D. S. Seminaries now number thirty-seven. The first has been in operation about twelve years. Great success has attended them; and experience is steadily increasing their efficiency. The per capita cost of instruction is so low as to make it seem possible by this means to furnish religious in- struction to all Latter-day Saint high school students in centers where the student population is reasonably large. The testi- monies borne by these seminary students at their graduation exercises and elsewhere indicate that the seminary is an ef- fective means of teaching religion and of developing a testi- mony of the truth of the Gospel. Parents and community leaders likewise testify of the high value of seminary training. (To be continued) Have I Lost or Won? If I have striven with all my heart To serve the Master, and do my part: But failed in many a thing I tried, And blessings prayed for were oft denied; While things not sought for and undesired Have, spite of all I could do, transpired, — Who can decide if I've lost or won, Or that I erred in the things I've done? And that 'twere better done so and so: Who can decide it, or who can know?

870 IMPROVEMENT ERA And if the promises made me here, Shall fruitify in a future sphere, Who knows but I, in that land, shall see The stage was set, as it ought to be; That unseen hands, and that unknown means, My bark have guided, and moved the scenes? And that I've watered with many tears, The flowers to blossom in future years. And all was working to shape the mind For greater things in a fairer clime. The WHYS to things I don't understand May answered be in that favored land. That through the sorrows and pains of earth, Full many blessings have had their birth. I'll maybe see that what caused me sighs, Has oft been blessings, though in disguise. This life is only the a, b, c, The primary school of eternity; And if I "pass" in my lessons here, And get promoted to that blest phere, Might I not find in some grade ahead, The longed for answers to prayers I've said? I feel assured, when the time draws nigh, For me to pass to that home on high: I'll just step up to a higher plane, And there go on with my work again. And things that here may have tried me sore, Perhaps I'll treasure, and prize the more. What wondrous sounds shall there greet mine ears. By Radio, then, I may reach the spheres. And so go onw\rd, from grade to grade, Until I learn how the worlds are made. And see them launched, from the Master's hand, To whirl through space, in their cycles grand. And so advancing, with keen desire, Ever on and on; still higher and higher. Oh, wondrous course! in that school sublime. The cosmos grand of the Master Mind. Inspiring thought! What a marvelous plan Is the onward march of the soul of man! Look up, my soul, look beyond this life. Be not dismayed at its toil and strife. Press on in patience, and time will tell, That you've won promotion, and all is well. Shelley, Idaho Joseph II. Dean