Every Mormon community gives especial attention to its schools, for
education in the regard of the people follows closely after their
consideration of spiritual affairs. The normal schools of the State
always have had a very large percentage of the youth of the faith,
training to be teachers.
Three of the four Arizona Stakes maintain academies, wherein the
curriculum also carries religious instruction. The largest of the three
Church schools, at Thatcher, lately was renamed the Gila Normal College.
It was established in January, 1891, under instruction that had been
received over two years before from the general Church Board of
Education. Its first sessions were in the meetinghouse at Central, with
Joy Dunion as principal. The second year's work was at Thatcher, where
the old adobe meetinghouse was occupied. Thereafter a tithing house was
used and was expanded for the growing necessities of the school, which
has been in continuous operation ever since, with the exception of two
years following 1896, when the finances of the Stake were at low ebb. The
academy was revived on assumption of Andrew Kimball to the Stake
Presidency, under Principal Emil Maeser, he a son of one of Utah's most
noted educators. Andrew C. Peterson has been in charge of the school most
of the time since 1906. In 1909 was occupied a new building, erected and
furnished at a cost of about $35,000. Leland H. Creer now is principal.
At St. Johns the St. Johns Stake Academy was founded January 14, 1889,
with John W. Brown as its first principal. The present building was
dedicated December 16, 1900. Howard Blazzard now is in active charge,
while Stake President David K. Udall, first president of the Academy's
Board, still occupies the same position, after 27 years of service.
The Snowflake Stake Academy was founded, with E.M. Webb in charge, only a
week later than that of St. Johns. The two institutions for many years
were the only means provided for local education, beyond the grammar
grades. At Snowflake industrial and agricultural courses are given
prominence in the curriculum. Thanksgiving Day, 1910, fire destroyed the
large school building, which was replaced by a more modern structure,
that cost $35,000 and that was dedicated Thanksgiving Day, 1913. For
years the school was directed by Joseph Peterson.
At Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert are maintained seminaries, mainly for
advanced instruction in Church doctrine.