The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-02-26
SLANDER NORMALS
Senator Smith VS.. Senator Cole In
Statistical Showing Of Normal
School Status.

Senator Cole-"Cos ts about $18 a
year to provide for the instruction Of
high school student.
Senator Smith-''In Pendleton high
school the annual cost is $40.
Senator Cole ''The Normal schools
of Oregon have been spending an av-
erage of $1,000 for each pupil year. y
Senator Smith, Considering rough
ly the matter of salaries and equip
ment the expense for normal school
students amounts to abont 800 per
year."
Senator Cole-'The average normal
school graduate would not take posi-
tion to teach in the country schools
where teachers are SO badly needed. !"
Pendleton Tribune-"There were 20
graduates from Weston normal last
year, and of this class. 20 are now
teaching school"
Such, in part. is the argument used
by Senator Cole for his basis of op-
position to the normal schools, as CIV
en- the Pendleton Tribune in an inter
view. The Iefutations above given
are excepted from the following iu-
terview given the East Oregonian by
Senator Smith:
II consider that the action of the
legislature in killing the normal
schools was the most serious blow our
system of education has ever re-
ceived," declares Senator G. J.
Smith, who reached home last even
ing.
"The normal schools have been gross
ly slandered. 1t has been charged that
they were graft and were unduly ex-
pensive. It has been claimed that it
cost $1,000 per year to educate nor
NAL student. But there are 800
normal school students in the state
and all three schools confined asked
but $156, 900 for maintenance for two
years. They finally agreed to $780, ,00o.
Computing this you will see that it
means an expense of but $75 per an
mum per student.
"In debate upon the floor of the
senate, I showed that the per capita
expense of educating normal school
students is less than that for univer-
sity students. Considering roughly
the matter of salaries aud equipment,
the expense for normal school students
amounts to about 500 per year, while
at the university the cost is about
$3.50. When / presented these facts
upon the floor of the senate they were
not disputed. In the Pendleton high
school the annual cost per student is
$40.
"By action of the legislature this
state has doue away with normal
school education. We will now have
/ to have our teachers educated in other
states. This is not practicable because
of the greater expense and because
] when students enter at normal schools
| In other states they are forced to give
pledges that they will teach in that
state for number of years.
Limited normal instruction may
be given in our high schools. But
! the high schools can never take the
place of normal schools.
"Not only did the legislature stop
the normal education within the state,
but it took the means of education
away from class that is not reached
by either the university or the agri
cultural college. Owing to the ex'
lpense of travel and the distance from
homes many were unable to attend
those large schools. but they wer'
able to attend the nor NAL SCHOOL,
which were conveniently located.
"'g'he opposition to the norm a
schools grew largely out of the pessi
mistic attitude taken by the Oregon
ian. But we would have saved thu
eastern Oregon normal had the easter
Oregon delegation stood together. W
won out on every issue where tn
eastern Oregon men were united. Th
fact that the delegation from thi
county was divided hurt our chances.
In the fight for the normal schoc