L. D. S. Institutes and Why

DEPARTMENT EDUCATION L. D. S. Institutes and Wky By DR. JOS. F. MERRILL Church Commissioner of Education THE question, "Why such a building as this?" raises the still broader one — why does the L. D. S. Church maintain what it calls a system of semi- naries? This is perhaps a suitable occasion on which may be outlined a brief answer to these questions. From the beginning of the Church very nearly a century ago the "Mormon" people, particularly their leaders, have been greatly concerned with the education of their young people. That the glory of God is intelligence has al- ways been a self-evident verity to them. He who would please God must therefore grow in a knowl- edge of him, of his ways and of his works. This kind of growth re- quires study. And the conditions for study, especially by young people, may be best realized in the environment and under the auspices of the school. Hence the "Mor- mon" people have always been friends to and patrons of the school. In fact schools and col- leges are almost, if not quite, as necessary to their religion as are places of worship- — meeting houses, they call them. TJENCE in every community A where they settled these peo- ple gave early attention to the establishment of schools, elemen- tary and advanced. In these were taught not only various branches of secular learning, but also the truths of religion as they under- stood them. By this people the study of religion was held as im- portant as the study of arithmetic. Religious activity was an essential part of a satisfactory life. No schooling could be complete that did not include a study of religion. But as time went on conditions became favorable for an assump- tion by the public, i. e., the Civil Government, of the responsibility (Address at dedication of Pocatello L. evening, October 27, 1929.) D. S. Institute, Sunday of providing a training in secular studies. And where the Civil Gov- ernment was willing to discharge this responsibility, the Church dis- continued the maintenance of class- es in secular fields of study, as a rule conveying its school buildings to the public school system at nomi- nal prices. This statement is true both as to elementary and high schools — academies, the latter were called. TT must be understood, however, T that these people never lost their interest in the religious train- ing of their youth. Their Sunday Schools have long been recognized by experts as among the best, if not the very best, in the land. They continue today as the pride and admiration of the whole Church. But this is not all. Week-day relig- ious instruction is held to be needful as well as training in Sunday Schools. So whenever an academy was transferred to the public school system a seminary or school of relig- ion was established near the high school. In the seminary the courses in Biblical subjects, formerly given in the academy, were offered. The schools belong to the entire pub- lic and no sectarian doctrines should be taught in them. The seminaries belong to the Church and are main- tained for students from Latter-day Saint homes attending public schools. "RUT in recent years seminaries have been established in com- munities where Church academies never existed. After an academy became a public high school this institution was no different from any other high school. So if it was a good thing to have a seminary at one school it was thought to be~a good thing to have one at every other similar school where the con- ditions were favorable. Thus, be- ginning at the Granite high school near Salt Lake City where the first seminary was established inl912, the number of seminaries has stead- ily grown until now eighty-three public schools are being served by these institutions. And applica- tions are on file for a dozen new ones. High school administrations as well as the Latter-day Saint peo- ple are looking upon them with more and more favor because of the good they are doing. "DUT this is not all, as this oc- "- casion testifies. Seminaries at high schools are found to be good. Why not have them at the colleges ? This question was given much at* tention three or four years ago and was finally answered affirmatively when the Church authorities re- ceived from the President's office of your University at Moscow an invitation to establish in that city some kind of an institution to serve the religious needs of University students coming from Latter-dav Saint homes. The name "Institute" was given to a seminary serving college stu- dents. The first one was estab- lished in Moscow, the second in Logan to serve Utah Agricultural College students, and this is the third. So much for an outline history of the beginnings of the seminary system in the Latter-day Saint Church. \7E now come to a more direct answer to the question, "why these institutions?" What is the purpose behind them? I have al- ready indicated the answer, — the Latter-day Saints are sincere be-

136 The Improvement Era for December, 1929 lievers in the value to their young people of an educational training. They believe in schools and are ready cheerfully to make sacrifices, if need be, to establish and main- tain them. They believe not only in a training in secular subjects, but also in a religious education. How- ever, they are a practical people. They have no money to waste or spend unnecessarily. Hence to them for many reasons the wise and proper thing to do is to give undi- vided support to the public school system from the kindergarten to the university and then, in addi- tion, provide facilities and oppor- tunities for training and instruc- tion in the field of religion. So, besides Sunday Schools and Sab- bath day services, the Church has organized a system for week-day religious instruction that functions for all grades of schools from the kindergarten to the college. '"THE support of public schools ■*■ brings children from Latter- day Saint homes in contact with children from other homes. These young people work together, play together, and largely live together. They become interested in the same things and put over common pro- jects. Thus they learn to know and understand each other. These conditions are favorable to a stable democracy. Troubles are not likely to arise between these youths in future years, nor will prejudices between them exist, for troubles and prejudices are usually born of misunderstandings and of ignor- ance. These youths grow up as friends and neighbors, deeply im- bued with feelings of friendliness and of perfect toleration. And the "Mormon" people are lovers of peace. They want to exhibit good- will to and receive it from all their neighbors. This outlines briefly one of the reasons why these people are believers in and support- ers of the public school system. TsJO one who is familiar with the ^ history of the Latter-day Saint Church doubts the sincerity of the great majority of its adherents. Their Church loyalty is one of their outstanding characteristics. So they are deeply interested in their religion. I repeat, to them a religious education is a necessary part of a complete education. So they are ready to go to any feasible lengths to provide opportunities for this education. But in doing so through the seminary they have no thought or wish to do aught violative of the letter or spirit of the law. They are entirely agree- able to the policy of keeping the public school free from sectarian I THINK we may assert that in a hundred men there are more than ninety who are what they are, good or bad, useful or pernicious to so- ciety, from the instruction they have received. It is on education that depend the great differences ob- servable among them. The least and most imperceptible impressions received in our infancy have con- sequences of long duration. It is with these first impressions as with a river, whose waters we can easily turn by different canals in opposite courses; so that from the insensible direction the stream receives at its source, it takes different directions, and at last arrives at places far different from each other; and with the same facility we may, I think, turn the minds of children to what direction we choose. — Locke. teachings. But in the seminary and entirely apart from the public school they seek the privilege of acquainting their young people with the Christian Bible, its les- sons and teachings, and with Church history and doctrines. And they do this not so much because they want their children taught the fine points of a theology as that they want them taught the fundamen- tals of good citizenship and prac- tical religion. They want their young people imbued with the thought that God is the Father of all, that we are all brothers and sisters, all of one flesh and blood, that we are all judged by what we do rather than by what we believe. Hence conduct is the important thing. To live acceptably we must be obedient to law, uphold proper- ly constituted civil authority, do unto others as we would have others do unto us, keep our bodies clean and pure, love the Lord and love our neighbors. They want these principles taught to their young people on week days as well as on Sundays, for they want the influence of these teachings — the influence of practical religion — to bear continuously during the habit- and character-forming periods of their lives. They believe with Dr. Richard C. Cabot, as expressed in his delightful book entitled "What Men Live By" that "the most re- ligious people are not those who talk and write the most about God, but those who best prove their love in faithful performance of what they believe to be his will." "RUT when students go to col- lege they are faced with new problems, some of them disturbing to their religious faith. They hear, read, and are taught some things that seem in conflict with religious views previously held. What shall they do? Are adjustments pos- sible? The Latter-day Saints are firm believers in the harmony of all truth. To them it is impos- sible that truths discovered in the realms of science and philosophy shall be in conflict with truths of religion. However, our under- standing of what is truth is often faulty. The chaff often conceals the kernel. Dogmatism raises its arrogant hand and smothers clear thinking. College days are times when most young people need the aid of wise counsel and a steady guiding hand, though often they themselves do not know this. Yes, adjustments are possible. Relig- ious faith need not retreat from nor surrender in any of the fields of research or learning. Scholarship can never put God out of existence nor find a substitute for Him. This is the abiding confidence of the Latter-day Saints. But as a means of helping their young people to a realization of these facts and of continuing the beneficent influence of religion during their college careers, insti- tutions such as this are being estab- lished by the Church. A ND while we are grateful, very "^ grateful, for the friendliness shown to these institutes by the University and by the public, we are frank to admit that we have no desire to be alone in the establish- ment and maintenance of these schools of religion. We think that all students should experience the benefits of religion. We would be gratified to learn that other church- es were going to do something sim- ilar to what our Church is doing. For the present, at any rate, the classrooms in this building will not be in continuous use by us. Without consulting my Board in the matter, I feel safe in saying that during unused periods these rooms may be rented for nominal sums by other churches that might wish to conduct classes in Bible study. We have made this offer at Moscow and we make it here. We are willing to do every feasible

The Improvement Era for December, 1929 137 thing to save the youth of the land from being overwhelmed by the waves of infidelic and materi- alistic thought that are sweeping over the land. The safety and per- petuity of our Government, the peace and happiness of the people of our beloved country, and the high achievements in civilization possible for us, are dependent, so the Latter-day Saints ever believe, on this continuing to be a God- fearing nation. And of America we can truly say, slightly changing the words of one of Shakespeare's characters, We do love Our country's good with a respect more tender, More holy and profound, than our own lives. Dedication of the Pocatello L. D. S. Institute ON Sunday evening, October 27, occurred an event of much interest to the Saints living in Pocatello stake and others who are patrons of the Southern Branch of the University of Idaho. It was the dedication by President Heber J. Grant of the Latter-day Saint Institute at Pocatello. The chapel room was crowded with guests, all of whom had been spe- cially invited. They included state, university, and other public of- ficials, stake presidencies, bishop- rics, and Latter-day Saint students attending the Southern Branch of the University of Idaho. The dedicatory exercises were beautiful and inspiring. Among others the State of Idaho Commis- sioner of Education, Dr. W. D. Vincent, gave an address. The feature of the program was the address and dedicatory prayer by President Grant. 'T'HE "institute" is a new institu- tion in the Church Depart- ment of Education. The one at Pocatello is the third one to be established. The first was the one dedicated at Moscow in September, 1928. The second was opened for students of the Utah Agricultural College at Logan in January, 1929. Institutes are seminaries of a college grade — they exist to serve Latter-day Saint students attending college. They are beautiful, well- equipped buildings in which Sun- day and week-day classes in re- ligious education are conducted. In each building there is a chapel, rec- reation hall, reception and class rooms and office. Morning and ■evening classes and meetings are held in the chapel on Sundays, so- cials and dances are held weekly in the recreation hall, and classes are conducted each school day in the class room. These institutions are designed to furnish religious instruction and training to college students coming from Latter-day Saint homes. C* OLLEGE students face many ^*/ new problems and situation; trying to their religious faith. Then, if ever, a wise, competent and sympathetic advisor is needed to help these students over their difficulties — to help them make the necessary adjustments and become settled in their religious faith. Each of the Latter-day Saint Institutes is in charge of a man of this type, who gives all his time to this work. Parents who send their young peo- ple to a college served by an Insti- T J- HAT man, I think, has had a liberal education, who has been so trained in youth that his body is the ready servant of his will, and does with ease and pleasure all the work that, as a mechanism, it is capable of; whose intellect is a clear, cold, logic engine, with all its parts of equal strength, and in a smooth working order; ready, like a steam engine, to be turned to any kind of work, and spin the 'gossa- mers as well as forge the anchors of the mind; whose mind is stored with a knowledge of the great and fundamental truths of Nature and of the laws of her operations; one who, no stunted ascetic, is full of life and fire, but whose passions are trained to come to heel by a vigor- ous will, the servant of a tender conscience; who has learned to love all beauty, whether of Nature or of art, to hate alt vileness, and to respect others as himself. Such an one, and no other, I conceive, has had a liberal educa- tion; for he is, as completely as a man can be, in harmony with Na- ture. He will make the best of her, and she of him. — Huxley. tute have "a friend at court" — a religious institution of the most helpful kind to their sons and daughters. The service is given gratis to all who will accept of it. Is there any Latter-day Saint home that will neglect the unusual op- portunity thus cheerfully pro- vided ? i -f i Maturity Speaks to Youth \7HERE are you going, Youth vv of America? Like any army with banners you trip by us flaunt- ing your youth, ignoring our criti- cism. You do not tell us your goal, for you do not know it. Yours is the kingdom to take or throw away. Will you sink be- neath the bubbles of trivialities, or will you rise like birds over life's dark waters, and make them bright with the reflection of your wings? Must you be caught by silly vani- ties and egotism, or will you know that one who loses his life gains it? You all seem so little, so light in your quest for happiness; yet on your slight shoulders rests the future of the race. Your ways are not our ways. We do not always approve them, as our mother did not approve ours. We do not like your carelessness, freedom, indiffer- ence; but we do like your courage, self-confidence, honesty and intel- ligence. Your faults are more on the surface, but ours were no better for being hidden. We judge you, but perhaps our judgments are at fault. C\F one thing we are sure: what ^ you are is inherently yours; what you appear to be is of our making. The twig of life shoots sturdy from life's tree; it is we who bend it. Perhaps we have not bent you very wisely. Will you ignore what we have done and learn from your own wellspring of life to be true, wise, kind, gracious and strong? Will you do this so as not to shame us, or will you let us see the branch still crooked as the twig was bent? You do not answer. You do not listen. Your eyes are fixed on the future. You march over the path of man's spend-thrift mate- rialism, above his hypocrisies, his broken hopes. You march on waving the ban- ner of youth! Whither? Beatrice Forbes — Robertson Hale.