Karl G. Maeser

Maeser was born on January 16, 1828, in the town of Vorbrücke (which later became part of neighboring Meissen) in the Kingdom of Saxony to Johann Gottfried and Federicka Zocher Maeser. graduating in 1848. Maeser became a schoolteacher and tutored Protestant children in Bohemia for three years. In December 1848, Maeser was required to enlist in the military for a two-year assignment, but was declared "unfit." Maeser had no major physical or mental disabilities that would have impacted his conscription. On June 11, 1854, Maeser married Anna Mieth, the daughter of the director of the First District school in Dresden. The couple had their first child, Reinhard, in 1855. They had eight children together. ==Membership in the LDS Church==

Conversion While teaching at the Budich Institute, Maeser came across Die Mormonen, an anti-Mormon book by Moritz Busch. Maeser was the first Latter-day Saint baptized in Saxony. He and his family left London in May 1857; their ship arrived in Philadelphia in July. The Maeser's infant son, Karl Gustav Franklin Maeser, died as they arrived and was buried in Philadelphia. Maeser returned with Anna to Philadelphia, where he was called by the church to serve as conference president. In 1875, Maeser took a second wife, Emilie Damke. He was arrested in 1884 for "unlawful cohabitation" and was charged with a fine of $300 (). ==Career==

Maeser accepted his first teaching position in the First District School in Dresden from 1852 to 1853, He also kept books for Leonard H. Hardy to supplement his income. Brigham Young Academy Maeser was selected to be the founding principal of Brigham Young Academy (BYA) by Brigham Young, as it had been run by interim appointments since its founding. The school struggled financially for some time and Maeser pondered going elsewhere, but a dream changed his mind. Maeser retired from Brigham Young Academy in 1892 to devote his time to his position as the Superintendent of Church Schools. He was succeeded by Benjamin Cluff. Superintendent of the Church Educational System In 1887, Maeser proposed creating a Church Board of Education to maintain and supervise LDS church schools. The board was created in April 1888. Maeser was a member, and was later appointed the superintendent of the Church Educational System. As superintendent, Maeser helped establish initial policies for new academies established by the church. He also helped train teachers, and gave suggestions on the architecture of new school designs. By 1889, Maeser oversaw 19 schools that operated under the academy system. The board awarded Maeser a Doctor of Letters and Didactics degree that same year. He also continued writing in the Juvenile Instructor in the 1890s to clarify church educational policies. Maeser participated in the Utah constitutional convention after Abraham Smoot's death in 1895. He proposed an article to support prohibition, but later backed down. Maeser's primary responsibility was to head the Utah exhibit at the Mid-winter Fair in San Francisco in 1894. The exposition was patterned after Chicago World's Fair of 1893, but Maeser's exhibit focused more on beliefs of the church and educational accomplishments of students in the church school systems. The church had an exhibit in the Manufacturers and Liberal Arts Building, and Maeser gave a series of lectures to bring more publicity to the church school exhibit. Utah's participation in the exhibit attempted to gain favor for its becoming a state. He and his companions helped distribute information about the history of Utah. ==Educational philosophies==

Maeser opposed educational philosophies of John Locke, who argued that education was for the elite only. Maeser recognized that Johann Bernhard Basedow had good ideas about treating students with kindness and removing physical punishment from the classroom; Monitorial system Maeser included the Monitorial system from Andrew Bell and Joseph Lancaster in his teacher training courses. This system suggested that more advanced students monitored the less advanced students and that the layout of a classroom should allow one teacher to oversee a large number of students. Maeser believed that this system was flawed because it focused on developing efficiency and disregarded individuality. Maeser argued that the teacher should have more personal interactions with students. He implemented his monitorial organization so that each student would be responsible for something or someone else. Pestalozzian educational theory While attending the Friedrichstadt Teacher College, Maeser was exposed to Pestalozzian educational theory, which influenced his educational philosophy. Pestalozzi encouraged teachers to treat their students with kindness and respect, and to show love to their students, instead of evoking fear. Pestalozzi was also in favor of universal education and opposed separately educating different social classes. Maeser adopted many of his ideas. He supported the education of women. Maeser believed that students should be allowed to express themselves freely and choose their own careers. His lectures tried to engage students and help them understand concepts through their own experiences. He also included many object lessons to coach students to observe their surroundings and make connections. Role of religion Maeser believed that religion played a key role in true education. He viewed each student as a child of God with individual capacity and potential. He thought that all schools should adhere to some religious aspect. He also argued that public high schools should be supplemented by religion classes. Maeser was respectful of other religious denominations, although Brigham Young Academy and Brigham Young University integrated beliefs from the LDS Church. ==Legacy==

Maeser's health had been declining, although he continued working. Maeser died in his home on February 15, 1901. A song was written in Maeser's memory, "Come, Lay His Books and Papers By". The words were written by Annie Pike Greenwood and the music by L. D. Edwards. This song became an LDS hymn and appeared in the 1948 edition of the church's hymnal. Maeser also inspired a sister-city relationship between Meissen, where he was born, and Provo, Utah. A public charter high school named Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy was established in Lindon, Utah, in 2007. ==References==