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The prosperity of the schools has been maintained. The teachers have been faithful, laborious and self-denying, and have had their reward in the welcome fact that their influence has become more marked, and their work has received a far wider and more hearty acknowledgment. On account of the excited state of Mormon feeling, in part, the numbers in attendance have been somewhat reduced. The methods of work have not been changed. Good schools are the chief instrument with which the teachers have sought to win the attention and commendation of the people whom they have been sent to serve. Their success has been remarkable. People who have denounced them and their purposes have said, "Their schools are superior." Parents, in direct violation of the commands of bishops, have continued their children under their instruction, on the ground that their own church could furnish no advantages to be compared with those furnished by them. Additional taxes have been laid, Mormon schools have been. lengthened, and the country has been searched to find competent native teachers, in order that the manifest superiority of New West schools might not be used as an argument to justify Mormon patronage of them. It is, in fact, not the least service performed by these schools, that a new educational spirit has been awakened in certain Mormon towns, in the growth of which is deadly peril to the Mormon Church.

Direct school work, however, has been but a portion of the work performed by these teachers. They have cultivated the acquaintance of the people, often ministered to the sick and aided the destitute, es. tablished libraries and reading rooms, taught singing and sewing

schools, and conducted evening meetings and Sabbath schools. If it be asked how the exhausting labors of the school room can be well performed, and leave sufficient strength for labor of such varied kinds, the answer must be that the teachers are sometimes overtasked, and were it not for the tonic influences supplied by the wonderful climate they would be liable to sink beneath the burdens they assume. The Commission is adopting the policy of placing two teachers in such towns as they can wisely occupy with two, deeming it certain that though there may not be pupils enough during all the months of the year to justify it, there will be work enough of other kinds, and strength too valuable to be sacrificed will be preserved.

The work of the Commission at the outset was not a preconcerted one. It did not result from conferences and consultations with friends of such a movement in Utah and New Mexico, and, when commenced, was a surprise to them. Its agents visited those Territories unannounced. When the first letter of credit was presented to a leading banker in one of those Territories, and the design was explained, he seemed very incredulous. Of course, local recognition would not be instantaneous. Neither the purpose nor spirit nor ability of the projectors of the new work would be understood. Only their work could vindicate them, and for the results of that work to appear a little time was necessary. That time has now passed, and the vindication has come. Testimonials, written and oral, of the most emphatic character, from men in all stations-the Governor, judges, lawyers, merchants and authors, have been freely given. A few of the letters received are here inserted.*

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Dear Sir: The work of the New West Education Commission in its schools, including several academies for higher instruction, is a great factor in the advancement of education, good morals and sound government throughout the • Territory of Utah.

The enlargement of this splendid work should engage the active interest of all good people. Respectfully,

ELI H. MURRAY, Governor,

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 22, 1885.

Dear Sir: The removal of the chief evils which exist in this Territory must depend upon the enlightenment of the people, therefore the work of the New

*Many additional letters are printed in the Appendix.

West Education Commission and kindred agencies is, in my opinion, of the greatest importance, and deserves the heartiest support.

C. S. ZANE, Chief Justice of Utah.

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 11, 1885.

Dear Sir: As to what I think of New West work, workers, etc.
The teachers constitute a remarkable body of gifted, cultured and consecrated

women.

Their work is telling tremendously, (a) in overcoming prejudice and gaining friends, (b) in spreading civilization and enlightenment among both children and adults, and (c) in sowing pure Gospel seed, and hastening a harvest in souls renewed and saved.

Very truly, D. L. LEONARD,

Superintendent A. H. M. S. for District of

Utah, Idaho and Montana.

SALT LAKE, Oct. 20, 1885.

Dear Sir: The Christian teachers of the New West Education Commission are producing a peaceful revolution in the minds and hearts of the people of this Territory. The schools are steadily increasing in influence; they should be multiplied by ten at once, if possible, and ought to be continued indefinitely. O. J. HOLLISTER, Ex. Int. Collector.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, Oct. 13, 1885. Dear Sir: Within the last two weeks I have visited all the departments of instruction in Salt Lake Academy, in which there are 210 pupils. I have also examined the work of the schools at Stockton, Bingham, Sandy, and in the Tenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Wards in this city, which are under the patronage of the New West Education Commission, and are giving instruction outside of Salt Lake Academy to 353 children. These schools are all doing excellent work. The teachers are faithful in their trusts, and the work is coming more and more to be valued and appreciated by the people. There is a marked improvement in the manners, dress, habits and scholarship of the pupils. In a life of thirty years in connection with educational work, I have never seen as great improvement in scholarship and character as I have seen in the last three years in the pupils in Salt Lake Academy and the free schools in Utah, under the direction of the New West Education Commission.

I wish to say, further, that I know no spot in the world where money has as good a use as in these schools. The best use of money is an educational one, and the best place to plant it for that use in this country is in Utah.

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SALT LAKE, UTAH, Oct. 24, 1885. Dear Sir: The fact that Utah has no free schools and no common school system that deserves the name, ought to be more generally understood by those to whom we appeal for aid in carrying out the plans of the Commission.

I have known whole families, consisting of eight or nine persons, not one of whom could read or write, and it is not uncommon in the rural districts to find whole communities in which there is not a single individual who has an average common school education. Where shall the remedy be found for this state of things, if not in the work undertaken by the New West Education Commission and kindred organizations? Thus far, the schools opened by the Commission have been remarkably successful, but in order to make them so, one teacher with limited means and appliances has often been obliged to do the work of two. Ought we not to increase the number, and strengthen the hands of these teachers? Too much cannot be said in praise of the earnest, self-sacrificing women who have gone to the out-posts of the field, and opened and carried on their schools amid surroundings calculated to test the courage of the bravest, and the endurance of the strongest.

Such teachers ought to be sustained, not only by the sympathy and the prayers of Christians everywhere, but by contributions proportioned to the importance of their work. If I can do anything to bring about this result, you may command my services at any time.

Sincerely yours,

CORNELIA PADDOCK,

Author of a standard work on the Evils of Utah.

PASTOR'S STUDY, 1ST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH,

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 29, 1885.

Dear Sir: After ten months in Utah, I am of the opinion that the Christian teachers of Utah, and their co-laborers, the Christian preachers, are doing more in the communities they occupy to disarm prejudice and elevate this people than all other agencies combined; and foremost in numbers and standing among the Christian schools of the Territory are those of the New West Education Commission.

I have made twenty-two visits in your day-schools, ten visits in your Sundayschools, and have spoken at twelve of your Gospel meetings. I am personally acquainted with most of your teachers, and they will compare favorably with the best teachers I have met in New England schools of the same grade. In fact, the larger part of them were selected for this work because of the record they had already made in Eastern schools.

The only trouble with them is that there are not more of them. Take this city for example. Besides Hammond Hall, which in my judgment is the foremost institution of learning in this Territory, there are now three free schools in as many wards, all crowded, and scores turned away this fall for want of room. There ought to be at least a dozen more free schools established in different parts of the city. There were last year nearly 600 pupils under New West tuition in Salt Lake. There ought to have been 1,200.

A noble beginning has been made, and its effects are already manifest to every observant and thoughtful citizen, but it only the beginning of what should be

a work of magnificent proportions.

Other Christians are also doing grand work here; but we look to the New West Commission to furnish us schools in such numbers and of such quality as shall cause the American Idea to dawn throughout Utah.

God bless you in your grand work. Tell your friends in the East, that we look to them for help. Now is the golden opportunity. Give us schools and teachers, and we will give back to you as your dividends in this investment, a new civilization and happy Christian homes. May our prayers be answered, and may the good men and women of the happy States of the East "make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before God for this land," that He should not destroy it. Ever fraternally yours, J. BRAINERD THRALL.

OPPOSITION.

But the difficulties besetting the teachers have been quite as great as in any previous year. The excited and angry spirit of many Mormons has made itself felt in bitter speech, unexpected antagonism, the withdrawal of pupils, and the circulation of slanders. The legal prosecutions, followed by the conviction and imprisonment of trusted leaders, has produced intense exasperation in some minds. All gentiles are classed together as enemies, and the teachers especially, who have found their way into their very homes, have been denounced as the most dangerous of their foes. The faithful saints have been warned, expostulated with, threatened, until in many instances they have been constrained to take their children from school. While in some towns the Mormon people have given a very kind reception to the teachers, and welcomed them to their homes, in other towns their conduct has been very different. Agreements to refuse them board, to isolate and annoy them, have been made, and in some instances, when admitted as boarders at high prices, they have suffered much from poor fare, from inability to have a separate room, and from coarse, profane and violent language.

But this could be borne with equanimity were it not for the industrious and cruel circulation of slanders by which some have hoped to drive away the teachers. "I am nearly frantic to-night," says a recent letter from a teacher. "The people here seem determined to pull down and destroy this school. If they cannot by truthful words, they do not scruple to make use of lies. They accuse me of calling the children profane and detestable names, and they say things

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