The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-02-01
PUBLIC OPINION
ON THE SCHOOLS
Expenses Ought to BE Reduced Bat
Efficiency Maintained Ia Our
Present System.
FEW PERTINENT SUGGESTIONS
The Old spsiIsr and Slate Night Be Used
to Adyastass--Rub on the Slate
sad Nab Lesson lnto
The boy.

The action OF the school board Thursday
night IN ieyylng q tax for expenses for
the ensuing year. and the remarks made
by the number OF citizens who were pres
eni. upon the question OF economy In.
management and tho salaries OF school
teachers. called forth much comment yes
terday. amongst all classes OF business
men. Tine majority ot hoao Hsan upon
the subject ccncurrcd IN the view taken
by Mr., Weleh. that economy was isecea-
aary. and tfat the way might DO found
10 reduce expenses IN the salary account
Quite number expressed the opinion
that the end in view might better be ac-
eompllahed by having une man. at
coed salary. as principal OF all the
schools. giving q portion Of his time 70
each. Ra generai supervisor and that then.
n lady might be employed as head teach
er IN each school, at much less salary
than would have 10 be paid 20 n man IN
the same position. Another gentleman
In referring 10 the same subject. said
that he It'd not believe that II was prac-
tlcablo 10 properly conduct a school In
modern ,lfafs. without a man at the heal
OF II. and that n you did not have good
men. tho best way was 10 hra them ana
Get others who could nli the lin. For
his part. he did not believe In commence
inf retrenchm@nt with the teachers or
their wages.
THE oI.n sPrLLEn.
Dr. Estes said TO tho reporter. that ha
thought every public school needed
man az the heal Of Il. II DO not believe
In cheap teaeherH. but We want good ores.
and enough OF them. There is one de-
partmtnt, however. OF tho public school
system. in which material reduction OF
expenses can be- made 10 the tax payers,
and that Is In the matter cf school books.
There are too many books. too many
blank books. exercise blanks, etc, for
pencil use. and while these do not cost
very much each. yer the aggregate ex-
penno IN 4 family OF four or Ave chill
dren Is heavy. A good slate II the best
thing I know OF on which 10 teach a-
child spelling and arlthmetic. Give him
a lessor. rub Il out. ami rub Il into his
head. There arc more poor spellers
amongst the people In Astoria generally.
not excluding school teachers. than In
any other place ! recollect OF ever being
IN
New tangled notions are all right
enough. and many very valuable Improve
menta have been made, both IN text books
and In methods, and I am not one to
cry down the advancement OF science.
But tharc certainly Ia not enough oral
teaching nowadays. AMI the tendency ia
to run too much 10 show. which neither
makes scholars or teacners. DO not be-
lieve that examinations are strict enough
for the admittance OF teachers In the
frat place We used 10 have our old
spelling books. McGuffy's. testament.
an arithmetic. and n slate. And when
we left school, we could az least spell
words OF three syllables.
mo, the place for economy is In books
and other like matters. and not In teach
erS. The truth Is, each teacher now has
too many pupils. 10 do Justice 20.
II think one remedy for these dlfFicul-
ties would be 20 legislate IN such way
that tho state would supply all Of the
books necessary for the pupils IN each
school Then you would see how many
times books would be changed. and how
much snperhuous paraphernaila would be
supplied"
THE SCHOOL BOARD.
Mr.. y. Van Duscn said that so far as
he had given the matter any thought, he
believed that Il was the duty OF the
school board TO run the schools, and to
supply them with proper teachers. ana
that the board Is responsible to the people
tOT tue NoUuuNt VI Nit S(U0OlH III the
district. without further INVESTIGATING
the matter Mr.. Van Dusen did not care
to expresI any opinion as 10 the compo-
tency OF the teachers now employed. os rs
to the adv disability OF making changes In
the system In any particular.
Mr.. wingate said that he believed lr
economy. but that he also believed In
having men for principals. and that he
thought the night school was one OF the
greatest rocns TO the city. The night
school furnishes means for education foi
boys and girls who have 10 work In the
daytime keeps the boys on the streets
where they would otherwise congregate
and smoke cigarettes on the corner A
small charge OF say 81 per month, might
be made to cover the additional expense
OF the night school. and II would also
be an Incentive to boys to become self
reliant.
Another gentleman standing by. said
that so far as the general expenses OF
schools was concerned. no believed In a
sufficient amount Of taxes being levied to
cover them all and not leave a deficit at
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