Item Detail
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11817
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1
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0
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English
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Eastern Arizona College : A Comprehensive History of the Early Years
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Provo, UT
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Brigham Young University
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Ph.D. diss.
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"St. Joseph Stake Academy (Eastern Arizona College) was authorized in 1888 and was one of forty established under the direction of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The early years were years of struggle. Because the Church itself was suffering from severe financial distress, very little financial assistance could be given to the academies. The struggle became so severe that many of the academies were forced to close. St. Joseph Stake Academy survived these closures by moving from elementary to high school education. As the states developed their own high school system, Church leaders closed many of the academies and turned to Seminaries for religious education. The St. Joseph Stake Academy survived these closures, primarily because Mormons and non-Mormons in the Gila Valley united in a common cause--survival of the Academy. By the time other closures threatened the school, junior college classes had been added. During the 1920's, operation of its junior colleges again brought financial strain upon the Church. Once again, Church leaders decided it was not to their advantage to compete with emerging state junior colleges, closed their junior college program, and turned existing facilities over to the state. In Arizona, this transfer took place in 1933." [Author's abstract]