| 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 4 Chapter II The General Board, of Education of the Latter-Day Saints Church met in the late summer of 1888 and decided that church schools should be established in the various stakes. A. letter was sent to the various stake presidencies explaining the desires of the church. The presidency of the Weber Stake took this letter very seriously, and according to charles F. Middleton, under date of September 8, 1888: At a meeting of the High Council we selected a board of directors for a church high school for the Weber Stake, consisting of Lewis W. Shurtliff (President of the Weber Stake) as President, Joseph Stanford, Secretary, Robert McQuarrie (Bishop of the Second Ward) Treasurer, Professor Louis F. Moench, Charles F. Middleton (First Counselor in the Stake Presidency), Thomas J. Stevens (Bishop of the Fifth Ward, and David McKay (Bishop of Huntsville). The Executive Committee chosen was composed of Nils C. Flygare, Joseph Stanford, and Robert McQuarrie. Professor Moench was not in Ogden at this time but was expected soon after a four year mission in Germany.1 At a meeting of the High Council held September 11, 1888, in the Court House, Ogden City, Utah, the following letter from President Woodruff was read: To the Presidency of the Weber Stake of Zion: Dear Brethern: A meeting of the General Board of Education was held today, and a. subject of the educational interests of the Latter-Day Saints was taken in due consideration and discussed at some length. It was decided that a Board of Education, consisting of not less than five and to exceed eight in number, should be selected in each stake to take charge of and promote the interests of education in the stakes. This communication is addressed to you to inform you of this action, and to have you select energetic men who are friends of education, who understand the needs of the people, and who have influence with the same, to carry out any suggestion in this direction that may be deemed proper. In the decision which was made by our board it was made the duty of these boards to take into consideration the formation of church schools and the best methods of accomplishing this, and after arriving at proper conclusions to report them to the General Board. Communications of this character may be 1. Historical Record, Charles F. Middleton. |
