The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-02-27

iSS uidf Work. NedItZ10g that
many schools close about that time
OF the year, it frequently happens
returns cannot be made until school
closes. Especially does this occur
during the May examinations. the
heaviest months work of the year,
Al this time the county superin-
tendent cannot possibly do the
work personally.
Our plan is to send one or two
branches to some of the most eff
Eclent teachers Of the county with
suggestion TO complete the work as
quickly as possible. Say there are
40 appl. cants at an examination.
This means $50 pa 5ers to be grad
ed oreI44o pages of legal cap paper
to be read and graded. Two sub
jects would increase it to 1880
pages. Now as our teachers have
their regular work to do, this ex-
ira work of grading must be done
out OF school hours. The time for
such work is therefore, limited. Is
it any surprise then that it takes
so long to do the work? Again.
when the law makes no provisions
tor paying for such work, there is
but little inspiration to push the
work. Our already overworked
teachers must, therefore work with.
out remuneration or even little
glory. Where no pay is allowed,
we cannot expect the average teach
er to rush such work, neglecting
their regular duties or even burn a
little midnight oil. Although we
believe that some do this very
thing. They try to erade the pa
pers as quickly as possible.
1t has happened that on special
request for the immediate grading
of papers for a district. special ef-
forts are put forth to finish the
work as requested. We fail to re-
call single instance where this re-
quest was made that it was not
granted. To do such work re-
quires special arrangements, in or
der to complete the work within
the time specified. Unless such
request is made the papers take
their natural course, and are grad
ed along with those OF other ap-
plicants.
AS county superintendent we are
far from being satisfied with the
present method. But until some
better plan is suggested, we must
worry along doing he best we can.
We do not know of single coun-
ty superintendent in the state who
is not having the same trouble in
handling this work. 1t has become
serious problem with them to
finish the work in shorter time.
We believe the law should be so
changed that those grading the pa
pers W IL be paid for their time
This work should either be done
by the county board of examiners
or by special committee appoint
ed by the county superintendent.
These papers on once returning to
the school superintendent's office
should never leave it. 1t has fre-
quently occurred in our county
that papers after leaving the office
have become lost or were missent
One year all the papers in two
branches from Philomath and other
schools of the county were missent
and did not reach this office for
weeks afterward. For a long time
we thought they were lost. In
this case. we allowed every ap-
picant whose paper was missent-a
grade of SO per cent. At another
time the teacher kept the papers
for two or three weeks, then re-
turned them only partially graded.
The work after waiting this long.
had to be done by the county SUI
perintendent personally, as time
permitted.
Lastly, as county superintendent,
we will only be too glad to have a
committee appointed either by my
self or the directors of Philomath.
to grade the papers of that school.
This privilege is not only given
Philomath district but every dis
trict in the county desiring it. We
want this work done as quickly as
possible. The quicker the better.
Therefore. anything tending to ex-
pedite will be gladly welcomed.
While granting this request. we re-
serve the right to re.examine all
papers,
Again assuring our friends of
Philomath of our desire to have
this work accomplished in the
shortest possible time, we are only
too glad to grant the request of the
resolution.
Very respectfully,
GEO. w. DENMAN.
Helena, Moat., Feb. 22.-James
Martin was hanged in the county