| Description |
Weber Stake Academy first opened its doors for instruction at the LDS Second Ward Meeting House on the corner of 26th Street and Grant Avenue on January 7, 1889. The academy's two teachers, Louis F. Moench and Edwin Cutler, welcomed nearly one hundred students on the first day, and, by the end of its first term, 195 students in all had registered for the school. This monograph depicts the role the LDS church and its leaders played in founding the school, the background of its first educators and administrators and the financial challenges they confronted in operating the school from 1889 through 1894. Letters of appreciation for Louis F. Moench and a bibliography of primary sources are also provided. |
| OCR Text |
Show 29 The second year of the Weber Stake Academy began on August 19, 1889. The attendance was very discouraging, only 70 students being present. This session was like the previous ones. There were songs and prayers and speeches. Bishop Robert McQuarrie warned the students that they should not read novels. By August 23rd the school was fully organized and the attendance had increased to 75. The Board of Trustees met on August 16, 1889, and Professor Moench reported why the school was poorly attended: The establishment of free schools, something the people had not had before; the increased facilities for teaching and qualified teachers in the same, together with the influence that was used against the school and in favor of the District Schools. All this had its effect upon the school, and notwithstanding all this, we had lived and maintained a pretty fair reputation. A resolution was passed to borrow means wherewith to pay the expenses incurred during the past term, and for which there was not enough means in the treasury.1 Karl G. Maeser, Superintendent of the L. D. S. Church schools, visited the Academy in mid October, 1889, and found the school well managed and a "pure moral influence and a cheerful spirit among the students."2 On the 20th and 21st of October he spoke in the Ogden Tabernacle and "electrified his audience."3 The main theme of his talks was the influence of the church school teachers and the effective work of the church academies. "The Academy will be crowded next term"4 were his last words. Lewis W. Shurtliff, President of Weber Stake arose and declared: "If there were a hundred men in the audience who would give a hundred dollars a piece, the presidency would lead the list and the institution would be crowded next term."5 The Academy closed the first term of the second year on October 21, 1889. The exercises were well attended, the Second Ward Meeting House being filled to capacity. Thus ended the first term of the second Academic year, a term that will long be remembered as the term that had the severest ordeal to pass through in consequence of the free 1. The Historical Record of Louis F. Moench, p. 143. 2. Idem, p. 143. 3. Idem, p. 149. 4. Idem, p. 151. 5. Idem, p. 152. |
