The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-01-30
TEACHERS MEETING
LOCAL INSTITUTE HELD IN
ATHENA SATURDAY.
Superintendent Welles Delivered an
Address Containing Advice to
Teachers and Boards.

by teachers from Pendleton, Adams,
Helix, Athena and Weston. In addi-
tion to the teachers many patrons of
the school attended both forenoon and
after noon sessions of the institute.
A male quartet pleasantly enter
tanned those present with several
choice vocal selections, these num-
bers being features of the program.
George A. Marquis took a prominent
part III the meeting and made an able
address. Assessor Strain was present
and received the endorsement of the
teachers present to his pr roposed plan
of having the inheritance tax money
diverted into the state school fund.
The meeting was addressed on topics
pertaining to advancement and pro-
gress in teaching, by L. r. Traver,
Chas r. DutIo, g. A. Marquis, d. L.
Gubser, Frank K. Welles and w. 0.
Read. The following teachers were
present:
ID. Lynn Gubser, Nellie M. Stevens,
Vivian Sweeney, Anice Barnes, Luella
Craigen, Esther Compton, Viva War
ren, Stella O'Harra, Charles Pinker-
ton, George Marquis, S. E. Darr, o.
A. Cannon, Lizzie Mckenzie, Amy
Mcdaniel, Mary Gibbons, Jennette
McKinnon, ]. R. English, Lillian
Dobson, Fannie J. Scott, W. o. Read,
James Scott, Beda Carlstrom, Nellie
Darr, ?. s. Rogers, Chas. R. Dutro,
Bertha Stachling.
The following teachers and visitors
came from Pendleton:
Superintendent Frank X. Welles
and wife, City Superintendent L. r.
Traver and wife, Prof. and Mrs. J.
w. Huff, Mrs. E. M. Churchill, 9.
p. Strain, Rev. and Mrs. G. l.. Hall
and Charles Witenhiller.
Following is summary of an ad-
dress delivered by Superintendent
Frank X. Welles:
1t is quite common custom among
teachers, when in search of school,
to apply for several schools at the
same time. have known instances
where teachers have secured the ad-
dresses of different school clerks, and
have written letters to 10 or IL dis
tricts, making application for the
school.
This practice is bad one for the
districts, for if board should elect a
teacher who has thus applied pro-
miscuiously for several schools, the
chances are that the teacher may have
been elected i'll one or more places,
and the district will be disappointed
On the other hand, this practice is
bad for the teachers themselves. The
impression goes out that the country is
full of teachers. Suppose that every
teacher in Umatilla county should
make application for ten different
places; there would apparently be some
thing like 1900 or 1000 teachers in the
county, when i'll reality there are Just
about enough to fill the schools, and |
none to spare.
This way of securing schools also I
hurts teachers salaries. AS there APP
pears to be so many more teachers
than there really are, boards of direc- ,
tors naturally take advantage of what
they believe to be an over supply of
teachers and expect to get teachers
correspondingly cheap.
The fault in this system does not lie
wholly with teachers, however. II
boards of directors would set some
time early in the year for employing
teachers, and then make contract
with someone, those applicants who
We're rejected would have plenty of
time to look around aud secure some
other place before the school begins,
and the seeming necessity for applying
for several schools at one time would
be avoided.
know there are many teachers
who do not make applications promis-
,uously over the country, who do not
think it right to do so. Whether it is
lustitiable or not, il you have applied
Tor more than one school, and secured
a place you should Immediately notify
al tho other schools for which YOU
have applied that you are engaged;
hat you have signed contract with
'ome district so that they will not be
any longer upon you. f,
This rule will also apply when you
make application to me for school.
IL is true that many of these things
IAN be learned through correspond
nee, but think by far the better way
secure a school is to make person
j application.
think your chances of securing the
place are very much better if you
ak the matter over with the board,
nd it is much more satisfactory in
very way.
1t has been my experience that
aaohers' recommendations that are
ddressed TO Whom it May Con-
ern, are of very little practical
alue in so far as they vouch for the
bility and success of the teacher.
The reason such recommendations
re not worth much, is because they
re many times untrue. They all
ontain practically the same pretty
hrases, aud high sounding compli-
lents. They are worded in various
ays, yet the substance is usually
10 same, though the ability of those !
arrying such papers is very different.
It is impossible to write an accept !