Struggle (1930s)
Just like in other parts of the United States, Washington County and Dixie College were affected by the economic difficulties of the Great Depression.[1] During this time, the college often accepted tuition payments in the form of goods and services.[2]
By the 1930s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had already begun to change its approach to education. Increasingly, the church left secular high school education more with the state and leaned toward providing religious education through seminaries situated near state high schools. Public schools were free, supported by tax dollars, and were becoming more popular in Utah. In addition, the new church seminary model was cheaper than running academies.[3]
How the church would approach colleges was less certain.[4] Following the economic troubles of the Great Depression, the church began talks to transfer its colleges to the state of Utah, particularly the larger Weber and Snow colleges. By January 1933, the church had stated its intent to withdraw support for Dixie College.[5] To save Dixie College, Washington County communities and committees banded together to lobby the Utah State Legislature to take ownership over the school.[6] Their efforts were successful, but only after appropriations were struck from the bill.[7] This meant that the new Dixie Junior College would have to rely largely on self-funding and donations for two years.
Mathew Bentley later wrote that funding the institution during this difficult period was accomplished through cooperative efforts and donations. The Dixie Educational Association (DEA) was founded and helped coordinate and spearhead donations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated thousands of dollars toward the school during the two years and helped stock the college bookstore. Faculty and college patrons gave scholarships to needy students. The Washington County School District was another major supporter.[8]
While the church no longer sponsored the school, they started a fraternal organization called Lambda Delta Sigma and later the “Institute of Religion” that continued Latter-day Saint religious instruction for students near the campus and organized many social events.[9]
Citations
[1] "Labor Agent Sets Date for Registration," Washington County News (St. George, UT), February 11, 1932, 1, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6bc5crq.;
Joseph K. Nicholes, Joseph K. Nicholes to L.M. Forbush, 3 September 1932, Box 2, Folder 24, UA-021, President Joseph K. Nicholes Collection, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, St. George, UT, https://archives.utahtech.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/18384.
[2] St. George Stake Academy Board of Education. Stake Board of Education- Meeting Minutes- Photocopy, 1907-1933, UA-027, Box: 1, Folder: 4, 91, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives.
[3] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Chapter One: By Small and Simple Things,” In By Study and Also by Faith – One Hundred Years of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2015), https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/by-study-and-also-by-faith/chapter-one-by-small-and-simple-things-1912-1935?lang=eng.;
St. George Stake Academy Board of Education. Stake Board of Education- Meeting Minutes- Photocopy, 1907-1933, UA-027, Box: 1, Folder: 4, 47-48, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives.
[4] Douglas D. Alder, A Century of Dixie State College of Utah (St. George, UT: Dixie State College, 2010), 50-54.
[5] Joseph K. Nicholes, “President’s Annual Report 1932 - 1933,” President Joseph K. Nicholes Collection, UA-021, box 4, folder 17, 5, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://archives.utahtech.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/18398.
[6] "Dixie College Becomes Part of the State System," Washington County News (St. George, UT), March 23, 1933, 1, Utah Digital Newspapers, https://newspapers.lib.utah.edu/details?id=21781866&q=appropriation+dixie&sort=rel&year_start=1931&year_end=1934&facet_paper=%22Washington+County+News%22.;
Nicholes, “President’s Annual Report 1932 - 1933,” 5.
[7] “President’s Annual Report 1932 - 1933,” 5.; Dixie Junior College, H.B. 58, 20th Legislature, Chapter 50 (1933), 90, Hein Online, https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.ssl/ssut0133&i=102.
[8] Mathew M. Bentley, “Brief Historical Comments on the Activities of the Dixie Educational Association & Endowments to Dixie College,” Dixie Educational Association Collection, UA-034, Box UA-SC-1, Folder 6, 1, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://archives.utahtech.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/19080.;
Photocopy of Meeting Minute Book, 1946-1965, Dixie Educational Association Collection, UA-034, Box: UA-SC-1, Folder: 9, front page, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://archives.utahtech.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/10996.
[9] The Associated Students of Dixie College, 1940 Dixie (St. George, UT: Dixie Junior College, 1940), 50, Utah Tech University Library Digital Collections, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1091.;
Dixie Nineteen Hundred and Forty-Seven (St. George, UT: Dixie Junior College, 1947), 55, Utah Tech University Library Digital Collections, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/1098.
Images
Dixie 1920 (St. George, UT: Dixie Normal College, 1920), Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives, https://digital.library.utahtech.edu/items/show/686.
Dixie College Becomes Part of the State System, Accession 1900-628 Subject Photo Files, 1931-1981, Utah Tech University Special Collections and Archives.