Item Detail
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7910
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0
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0
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English
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Faith in Schooling : Solving the 'Mormon' Problem
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Review Journal of Philosophy and Social Science
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1978
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3
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154-67
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This article deals with the efforts of the national Protestant churches to 'Christianize' the Mormons in Utah through the process of education. At first they tried preaching, but this resulted in few conversions away from Mormonism. Then they turned to mission schools, feeling that because of Utah's poor schools (which were really parochial schools supported by local taxes and assessments) they could establish schools that would be subversive to Mormonism. Dozens of non-Mormon elementary schools, secondary academies and a college were established between 1865 and 1900. Buchanan provides some tentative conclusions regarding the contributions of these schools toward curing the 'Mormon malady.' The schools were sponsored by religious organizations, but their curriculum was perhaps no more sectarian than that in public schools of the East. Buchanan concludes this partly on the basis of the fact that Mormon students attended them, and if they had been active and overt proselyters Mormon parents probably would not have allowed their children to attend. Also, there was conflict among Protestant preachers and teachers, with some of the latter opposed to this use of the schools. The schools significantly raised the educational level of Utah, but did not meet thier missionary objectives, and the Methodists eventually conlcuded that it was a waste of time. At the same time, in order to justify the time and resources spent, the missionaries had to claim they had succeeded, but Buchanan concludes that the evidence used for such claims was highly exagerrated. The schools succeeded in imparting fundamental learning skills to Mormon children but did not change Mormonism. Buchanan also concludes that the effort failed because the churches relied too heavily on schooling alone to educate children out of Mormonism and make they 'true' Christians. He also observes that the 'unsuccessful attempts to change or undermine the Mormon value system through education also underscores the futility of expecting schools to completely countermand the values instilled and reinforced by parental and community standards.'