Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1905-06-16
NO MONEY AT HAND
state Normal Schools Are Thrown
Upon Their Own Resources
for Existence.

NNhuAtlOu VI Gu6 IOur Normal
schools in Oregon has begun to
assume grave proportions since the
referendum was invoked upon the
general appropriation bill, which
carried the appropriations for their
support and maintenance. With the
condition OF "no money" staring them
IN the face, the four normal schools of
the state are thrown upon their own
resources for existence, and it is
questionable if all of them will sur
vive.
The incorporation of the appropria-
tions for the support of the normal
schools into the general appropriation
bill was directly responsible for the
referendum movement against that
measure, and it has operated not only
to tie up the funds provided for those
institutions, but all state institutions
provided for in the bill The other
state institutions, however will not
suffer so greatly on account of the sus-
pension of the effect of the act as will
the normal schools, as the employees of
the former are insured of at least a
certificate from the Secretary of State
as evidence of Indebtedness on the part
OF the state for their salaries, whereas,
the teachers and instructors of the
normal schools will not be given this
much of valid claim upon the state
for their salaries.
This being the case, the Secretary of
State not even being authorized to
audit their claims, it remains to be
seen whether or not the Board of
Regents of the different normal schools
will elect to make good any loss which
the teachers may suffer in the event
of the sustaining the referendum petit
tions by the people at the June election,
1906. 1t is also left for the teachers
and professors Of the normal schools
to decide whether they are willing to
take chances In receiving compensa-
ton for their services from the state
and continue their work with the
schools. At the present time the only
manner in which the teachers may
realize for their services is to borrow
the money from the banks, either
upon their own personal notes, with
vouchers from the auditing board of
the school, as security or collateral,
and now arises the question Of VIII ether
the banks will be content to do busi-
ness upon that basis and take
chances upon the people turning down
the referendum or the next legislature
making good the deficiency.
The situation appears very grave
to some, if not all, of the normal
schools, and the belief has been ex-
pressed that it means the complete
abandonment of all, or all but one or
two, of them before another year ex-
pires. The Monmouth normal school
is already running upon the credit
system, with the faculty and board OF
regents back of it, and the three others
are forced to do the same, and, failing
in this, to go out Of business either
permanently or until the question OF
the approval or disapproval of the
appropriation bill is finally deter
mined. The strain will become
especially severe upon the Drain,
Weston and Ashland normals, and it
may operate to put the former, and
probably one or two Of the latter, out
of commission entirely.
The Monmouth normal, being CEN
trally located and in the midst Of a
densely populated territory, will doubt
less survive the ordeal, as it has
strong financial backing, but the
Drain school is situated in a sparsely
settled and undeveloped region, and
it would not be surprising if it were
decided to abandon the school alto
gether and reconvert the building
into high school. The question OF
normal schools or no normal schools
has now come up squarely before the
people for decision, and it remains to
be seen how it will be disposed OF at
the next general election.-Salem
Statesman.