ST 1999 Ml e Che Beginning Years Weber Academy opens its doors by Drs. Richard W. Sadler and Richard C. Roberts* WSC Professors of History post for overland travelers and fur traders, were spent like many other new Mormon villages in the middle of the 19th century. Charilla Abbott was Ogden’s first schoolteacher beginning in the Fall of 1849. Chicken feathers were used for pens, and reading and writing were the most important subjects taught the Mormon children of Weber County. On September 10, 1888, the Weber LDS Stake presidency organized their own Stake Board of Education. President Lewis W. Shurtliff assisted by one of his counselors, and the Academic Department. Students taking the “normal course” were enrolled in the academic department and were involved in training to become school teachers. On the opening day of school, January 7, 1889, about one hundred students congregated in the Second Ward Building and the day was taken up with speakers and music. After the morning and afternoon sessions of speakers, ninety-eight students were enrolled for the first term. During the term attendance grew to 171 students, and close to 150 Students eventually enrolled for the second term. organization. The members of the stake presidency (Shurtliff, Middleton, and N.C. Flygare) were original members of the board along with Joseph Stanford, Louis F. Moench, Robert McQuarrie, Thomas J. Stevens, and David McKay. During the fall of 1888 the Board decided that the Second Ward meeting house, on the southwest corner of Srant Avenue and 26th Street, could ye rented for $300 per year to house he new academy. The Board agreed to fence the yard, erect water closets and supply the necessary “desks, maps, charts, skeleton and other appliances requisite for a good institution of learning.” Professor Louis F. Moench returned from an LDS mission in December of 1888 and accepted an appointment as principal at a salary of $125 a month. Moench was a native of Germany born in 1846 and had graduated with honors in 1864 from Bryant Stratton College in Chicago. As the opening day of school approached the curriculum was organized into the Preparatory Department or Fourth Reader grade, the Intermediate Department or Fifth Reader grade, _ The early years of the Academy Charles F. Middleton, directed the can appropriately be called the Moench years. Louis Moench served as principal during more than a decade (1889-1892 and 1894-1902) of Weber’s early growth and also served as a member of the Board of the Academy during much of this era. Moench directed the early growth of the Academy while teaching German, penmanship, theology, teaching, and drawing, and his foresight and leadership were driving forces for education in Weber County for more than a quarter of a century. - The academy outgrew the Second eApril 8, 1890 eMay UL 2, 1890 leNov. 25, «June 18, «July 1892 1891 1893 eNov. 5, 1894 eJune 12, 1895 eAug. 5, 1897 Louis F. Moench (far right of right photo) with three of the Academy's first teachers--Anthon Pederson, Oscar Nance, and Richard T. Haag (i to r). Prof. Moench saw the need for a college as early as 1877 when he wrote, “I beg leave to kindly ask the members of the legislature of our - county to aid in establishing a college for our city. . . so that Weber County may maintain her position in educational advancement.” concerning the legality of using the his own money to cover ongoing costs. tabernacle for a school. Under provisions of the Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887, the building could be confiscated by the federal government if it were used for non-religious purposes. In May of 1890 the Academy ended Class work in chemistry and physics was conducted and rocks were collected for exhibits in the geology $2,500 to “fix up” the tabernacle by proper home for the Academy, and on adding partitions, closets, toilets, etc. In addition it was agreed that Appleton’s Encyclopedia would be purchased. The Academy sessions opened in the tabernacle on Tuesday, April 8, 1890, but two weeks later President May 6, the Board agreed to purchase the Dinsdale property on the west side of Jefferson Avenue between 24th and tion continued to keep the Academy open and solvent hy their individual and collective efforts. 25th streets for $7,000. Weber Stake Board of Education members mortgaged their homes to secure money for the project, and the first floor of the building was com- Charles F. Middleton, first counselor to Stake President Lewis W. Shurtliff and a member of the Acad- Lewis Shurtliff informed Principal Moench that questions had arisen Weber Stake Academy opens its doors in LDS 2nd Ward. (98 students, 2 faculty) Academy moves to Ogden LDS Tabernacle. Academy ends one-month stay in Tabernacle. School closes for one-and-a-half years. First classes held in Moench Building. Dr. George F. Phillips appointed principal. Emil B. Isgreen becomes principal. ° Louis F. Moench returns as piincipal. First commencement exercises held High School classes added to curriculum *From "Weber State College: (above) was 1890's with by donations The building, sandstone symbol of the classes. The library was finished, but there were few books to adom the shelves. At the November 12, 1898 Board Meéting, Treasurer McQuarrie reported that the Academy was in debt $19,660. For the next year individual members of the Weber Stake Board of Educa- Ward Chapel within the first year, and moved to the Ogden Tabernacle located on the northwest corner of Washington Boulevard and 22nd Street. The board agreed to borrow Milestones eJan. 7, 1889 The Moench Building constructed in the late LDS church funds and from Ogden residents. with its red and white trimming, became the school for decades. : though founded as a trading “iets gden’s first two decades, al- A Centennial History." Used by permission. its brief month-long stay in the Ogden Tabernacle. The Weber Stake Board of Education began contemplating a pleted by November of 1891. The red brick building came to be known as the Moench Building, and, with its red and white sandstone trimming, became the symbol of the school for decades. After being closed for a year and a half, a great excitement surrounded Zl Er i a emy Board noted in his diary, “Nov. 6, 1899. At night my wife Martha C. and I signed two notes and mortgage on the Stake Academy is for the sum of $6,000.00 to take an “lg old note for the same amount.” As the years passed the Academy grew, the curriculum matured, but the financial problems lingered. the re-opening of the academy in its new facility. Nearly 200 students greeted the faculty on the opening day, Moench had presided at the birth of the Academy and in many ways had and more students entered the school in the following years, but financial concerns continued to plague school administrators. institution. body, the curriculum, the faculty, and aie At the May 2, 1893 meeting of the School Board, Treasurer Robert the Academy buildings had all grown under his leadership. When Professor ie a _ Moench retired in 1902, the school was past the stage of survival at birth ee McQuarrie noted that funds were exhausted, the final payment to the faculty for the year remained to be made and he had advanced $1,000 of supervised its growth as a fledgling By 1902, the Academy was concentrating almost totally on high school courses. The student and well into the struggles of an infant educational institution. ae ae ci ie ae