The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-04-16
WOOD READY TO QUIT.

After making an able and gallant
fight on behalf of the Eastern Oregon
State Normal School Clark Woud of
the Weston Leader is ready to quit.
No man in the state has done more for
the Normals. His memorable battle
has been a long one. and honorably
and forcibly waged. The editorial
defense he has made in the long, nerve
racking contest stands in the front
rank of journalistic endeavor-no ed
itor in the state of Oregon could have
done more. In passing up the problem,
he says, in part:
"Any idea toward continuing he
Weston Normal next year may as we'll
be abandoned. 1t is not Weston's
business to train teachers for the bene
fit of the state of Oregon. and it has
already carried too many burdens in
this direction without assuming anoth-
or and greater one. Aside from the
people of Weston. Athena and Pendle.
ton. nobody cares very much about the
Eastern Oregon States Normal School,
and the sacrifices this community has
made to maintain a state institution
are not appreciated. Even when we
came to the rescue Of the unfortunate
teachers and students left on our hands
by misguided and thoughtless COM
monwealth-which is half century
behind the times in its attitude toward
normal school education-we are re-
warded by the following sneer in the
Portland Oregonian:
'"The critters are hard to kill. !"
Speaking for itself, the Leader has
contributed its last dollar and its last
ounce of effort toward state school
in this community. II wants no more
to do with state that stigmatizes its
citizens as "grafters" because they are
so unfortunate as to live in a normal
school town and manifest their loyalty
toward the school. For IA years un-
der its present management, aud for a
dozen years under proceeding manage
ments the Leader has fought and
worked for this school. only to see the
object of his pride and hope undone in
day by the Oregon senate, which
blindly obeyed the decree of the Port
land Oregonian and the sectarian
schools in the Willamette valley.
Nearly every valley Containing
church school gave large majority
against the general appropriation bill
in 1906 because of the rormals. Each
of the schools boasts of normal de-
partment and express its desire 10
train teachers without expense to the
state" Let them do so. and derive
what satisfaction they can from the
process.
''If it becomes expedient to attempt
an initiative campaign in the fall of
1910, this may just as readily be done
whether the Weston Normal is run
ming or not. =. In any
event, the Leader favors entire dissol-
ution with Estate normal" and the
esta ablishment of district high school,
with the full four year course, main
tanned ty district taxation. While the
Weston Normal has been in no sense
'local high school" doing profession
al work throughout its entire four
years course, and drawing all but 10
per cent of its attendance from out
side counties - Weston and Athena
would both by this time have had
flourishing high schools but for its
presence. Let its enemies. who are
fond of calling it local institution,
derive as much pleasure as they can
from this admission. They have done
their worst and we need fear them no
longer"