Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1905-12-15
FOR GOOD OF SCHOOLS
Teachers, Directors and Clerks Meet
and Discuss Many Questions
of Importance.

1t was something new in educa
tional work in the state of Oregon one
year ago. when G. L. Starr, superin-
tendent of schools for Polk county,
originated the plan of holding school
officers convention in connection with
the annual county teachers institute.
Annual meetings Of teachers had been
held for many years, but the idea Of
calling the directors and clerks Of the
various districts together to discuss
matters Of interest and importance to
the schools of the county, evidently
had not occurred to the minds of other
superintendGnts, or, if such an inno-
walton had been thought Of, it had
not been carried into effect The meet
ing last year was fairly we'll attended,
and the necessity and benefit of such
a movement were so thoroughly
demonstrated that any doubt of the
ultimate success Of the organization
was at once removed. School directors,
clerks and teachers throughout the
county Immediately recognized the
value of the plan for bringing about a
better condition of affairs in the
several districts through organized
effort, and the Importance of meeting
together for the discussion of matters
Of mutual interest. Only a small
number Of districts were represented
in the 1904 meeting, but sufficient re-
suits were accomplished to assure the
success Of the organization.
At the meeting held in this city last
Friday and Saturday. 100 teachers and
70 school officers were present, as we'll
as large number of patrons from
each district who are actively inter
ested in educational work. State
Superintendent J. H. Alderman, who
has attended institutes in every county
in Greg )n, unhesitaCingly pronounced
this meeting one Of the best he had ever
attended, and other prominent educa-
tors in attendance were delighted with
the institute system that is being
followed in Polk county. Every ses-
sion was we'll attended, and marked
attention and enthusiasm were mani
tested in all the work Of the institute.
Among the teachers and instructors Of
state reputation in attendance were
e. d. Ressler, president Of the Oregon
State Normal School; B. F. Mulkey,
president Of the Southern Oregon
Normal School; Mrs X. e. Sloan, OF
the Ladd School in Portland, and Miss
Cornelia Marvin, secretary Of the Ore
gon State Library Commission.
In addition to the regular work of
the teachers institute, school officers
meetings were held each day and
many questions Of interest to directors
and clerks were discussed. The ques-
tion box, conducted by Superintendents
Alderman and Starr, proved an
interesting and valuable feature of
these sessions, and resulted in great
benefit to all concerned. On Saturday
afternoon, methods of obtaining
school funds were discussed at length, |
and the fact was developed that a
large number of school officers are in
favor of 6-mill levy for school pur-
poses by the County Court at the COM
ing January term. The levy at the
present time is 81 mills.
Officers were elected by the Associ-
alton as follows; President, G.. w.
Myer, of Smithfleld; Secretary, ex
officio, Supt. @. L. Starr; Vice-Presi-
dents: James Simonton, of Rickre-
all section; j. M. Prather, of Buena
Vista section; A. @. Guyer, of Airlie
section; H. w. Dickinson, of Elkins
section; W. L. Frink, of Falls City
section; J. A. Baxter, of Salt Creek
section; J. X. Guttry, of Harmony
section; G. L. Hawley, of Mccoy sec
tion j. r. Shepard, of Zena section;
T.W Brunk, of Eola section. Dates for
local institutes to be held during the
coming year were fixed for each Of
these sections.
or the 65 districts in the county, Al
were represented by school officers,
and the attendance of teachers was
larger than ever before. Each district
was requested to send one director or
clerk as a delegate, but many districts
lid better and were represented by
heir entire board. Those in attend
lnce were:
District No. Samuel Phillips, di-
'ector.
2-W. 1. Reynolds, r. r. Hill, Dora
Roy, Evangeline Hart, Mrs. F. H.
Morrison, Lima Stoufrer, Eloise Phil
ips, Ella Carpenter, teachers; board
lot represented.
S-Jessie Reese, teacher; S. T.
smith, J. G.. Trent directors; G. w.
lyer, clerk.
4-Bessie Foster, teacher; T. w.
'runk, B. l. Ferguson directors.
5-Nellie Phillips, teacher; H. NJ. '
lacey, director.
&C. L. ellison, teacher; board not /
+
7-Lucile Reid, teacher; A. W.
lankinton, director; w. L. Frink, \
erk. ?
S-Ella Austin, teacher; board not
presented.
9-H. B. Blough, teacher; board not \