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 12 At a subsequent meeting arrangements were made with the Andrew Company for school furniture and apparatus, a sufficient number of desks being ordered to accommodate one hundred and fifty students. The order also included some blackboards, charts, maps, a skeleton, and other incidentals.1 The tuition fees were decided upon at a meeting December 2$, 1888, $3.00 for the Preparatory Department, $4.50 for the Intermediate, and $6.00 for the Academic Department. The prospectus for the school was read and approved, and its publication ordered.2 Joseph Stanford, Secretary of the Board of Education, had already written Supt. Karl G. Maeser about Louis F. Moench. The following was the reply: Provo, December 18, 1888 Elder L. W. Shurtliff President of the Weber Stake Board of Education, Ogden. Dear Brother: Your letter to President Woodruff of the twelfth inst. signed by your Secretary, Joseph Stanford is before me. In answer to the same permit me to state that I have reported, already some time ago to President Woodruff your desire to have Brother Moench to be your principal of your new Academy immediately after his return from his mission knowing brother Moench by reason of personal acquaintance of many years standing to be not only a faithful Latter Day Saint but also a painstaking and well qualified teacher for so important position. I have most cordially endorsed your choice and endorse it now again to you without reserve. I shall consider it my duty to render your Board and your new Principal all assistance in my power to make under God's blessings your Academy a mighty factor in the elevation of the youth in your portion of the Lord's vineyard. Your old friend and co-laborer. Karl G. Maeser, Gen'l Supt.3 A meeting of the Executive Board was called on the following week at which it was determined to issue a prospectus for the opening of school, L. F. Moench being appointed to attend to it.4 1. Historical Record of Weber Stake Academy, pp. 2-3. 2. Idem., pp. 3-4. 3. Minutes of the Board of Education of the Weber Stake Academy, p. 11. 4. Historical Record of Weber Stake Academy. |