Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-10-19

County Superintendent w. NJ
( Smith and others who travel about
over the county and take the trouble
to oh erve the sentiment of the peo.
| pie, state that there is a widespread
interest being takei. in the county
high school plan, which is to be put
up to the voters for a decision at the
November election. However, ac-
cording to Mr.. Smith, there are many
people who do not understand the
scope and intent of the law.
The county high school law was
passed In 1899, but 80 far only five
counties IN the state have taken ad-
vantage Of its provisions. Four OF
these are over in sparsely settled sec
tIons of eastern Oregon. The other
Is Lane county, which decided by a
decisive vote at the June election TO
try the plan. The eastern Oregon
counties have county high echools
and Il may be news to many 10 know
that there is any other method of
procedure under the law. One sec
tlon OF the law states that the county
court shall have authority to con-
tract with existing schools for the
education OF pupil7 desiring to take
high school course. This means
that children may attend any high
school In the county instead OF being
forced 10 go to some central point
at some distance from home as would
be the case II county high school
were established.
Any school having the facilities for
teaching the high school branches
may, II Il has 10 OF more pupils who
desire to take the work, arrange for
n teacher TO handle the high school
branches This will divorce the high
school branches from the grammar
studies in many OF these graded
course Is already taught, and give
both grade scholars and high school
pupils q better chance.
Also, II keeps the young folks of
the farms and small villages at home,
which would not be the case In
county like Marion with a county
high school. In the sparsely settled
counties OF the eastern part OF the
state county high school is the
most feasible plan.
In discussing the mater recently
superintendent Smith said:
"The people are demanding that
high schools be established In rural
communities. Every district cannot
maintain a high school, but every
group OF six or seven districts can
do so. The district Is not the proper
unit for taxation for school purposes
as the valuation varies from n few
thousand dollars TO several thousand.
"The property OF the whole county
should be taxed for supporting the
education of children attending the
high schools as well az those at
tending the grammar grades. Statis-
tics show that every community that
has high school must levy a spe-
cial tax for that purpose. Therefore
country districts do not establish and
maintain union high schools.
"The county high school law was
nassed by the legislature of 1899.
This law contemplates the establish
ment of but one or two high schools
within a county.
"It can be readily seen that this Is
not feasible in a county which Is
thickly settled like Marion. II is un-
necessary 10 have many high schools
so the boys aud girls may be home or
night. Saturdays and Sundays.
"The third section of Article J.
221 OF the Oregon school
law provides that the county high
school board NAV contract with the
school board OF directors of any dis
trict In the county which now main
tains or NAV hereafter maintain
school OF high school grade TO teach
all county high school pnDils at such
a rate per capita or in the aggregate
as they deem right and Just and shall
pay for the same out OF the high
school fund
"By this plan the tuition of all
high school pupils In the county
would be paid from the county high
school fund and a student could en-
ter school in any district that main
tained a high school with at least
one teacher doing high school work
only.
ANY wide-awake district having
10 or 15 high school pupils, which
Is common center for several dis
'ricts. NAV form a high school and
the surrounding districts may send
tuition paid and the district In turn
receiving from the county fund that
much more for the maintenance a.
the school.
THE plan as worked In Lane coun-
ty is 10 allow each high school 80
much for every days attendance. 20
cents per dav for schools having an
attendance of less than 20 pupils and
is cents per day for those having
more than that number. This differ
enee Is made ~ encourage rural high
schools. A school CT 10 pupils would
get 500 4 month. a school OF 25 pu-
pills would get SIS per month.
The Law provides for high