| 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 46 Professor Moench, realizing that the Academy was not to open, made arrangements for a Night School in the Central School. Through his efforts and hundreds of others, the Academy building began to take form and so by March was nearing completion. An article in the Ogden Standard is commendable: WEBER STAKE ACADEMY The Beautiful House of Learning Nearing Completion One more grand monument in brick and stone to Ogden's greatness is fast nearing completion and the contractors expect to have the building ready for occupancy by May 1st. The structure referred to is the Weber Stake Academy which is located on Jefferson Avenue facing Lester Park. In the early part of last June the first actual work was done on the Academy although of course the architect, S. T. Whitaker, has been engaged upon the plans for some time previous to the month since the corner stone was laid and the work has progressed favorably. The building has been erected by voluntary contributions and the people are deserving of great credit for the same. The school will be 68 x 80 feet, two stories, with basement in which will be located the steam heating apparatus and janitor's rooms. The front already presents a most beautiful appearance. A Roman portico stands out some distance and over it is a niche in the wall in which a bust of the founder, Brigham Young, will be placed. In the Tuscan gable a bas relief scene representing the arts and sciences is placed. After passing through the beautiful stone entrance the visitor turns to the right where the principal's office is located, or to the left and finds himself in the library and reception room.1 The question of finishing the construction on the Academy and the opening of the school again was uppermost in the minds of the members of the Board of Education. The members of the Board at a meeting on April 22, 1891 discussed: the propriety of raising means for the continuation of the work on the Academy. Robert McQuarrie and myself were appointed to audit the accounts of the building committee. We found everything straight excepting that $14,000 had been paid by the committee and only $12,000 had been expended, the balance had been kept by the contractor. 1. The Ogden Standard, March 8, 1891. |
