East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-03-10
toregon Daily Journal.l }

school system alone TO be considered
were there no mistakes to ratif!
with regard to appropriations for me-
cessary improvements at state insti-
tutions-it would still be the duty oi
the legislature to meet in special ses'
sion.
Common business honor toward
the normals demands that there af-
fairs be wounl up in Legitimate
manner No school can arrange for
its contracts and obligations to end
IN the middle of fthe school year. No
teacher would teach, no pupil would
consent to be taught, under such
conditions. The honest debts of the
normals must be paid II Oregon
would save itself from shame
Graduates from eastern normal
schools and colleges teaching in Wes-
ton are positively aghast at Oregon's
seeming disregard or ordinary de-
cency toward its schools. They are,
or have been state institutions, yet
are abandoned without dollar with
every obligation TO their teachers and
students unfilfilled.
I have an interesting document on
file in my office in proof that they are
state institutions. Ii was sent me by
Mr.. Dunbar former secretary OF
secretary OF state, and curtly in
formed me concerning the decision
of the attorney general to the effect
that the constitution forbade that
should be paid for job printing done
for the Weston school. since it was
a state institution and its work
should be done by the state printer.
At this very time Mr. Dunbar was
quietly adding to his personal bank
account unearned fees that amounted,
it is charged. TO 100000 during his
term of office.
This reminds me that the normal
schools are the scapegoats for every
dollar appropriated by the state, and
suffer vicarious atonement for every
alleged graft. The 100000 given the
Portland fair did not bring a dollar
into Umatilla county, and took thou
sands out of the pockets OF our citi-
zens; yet the fair was hailed as a
blessing. while Umatilla county's nor
NAL school is stigmatized as a graft.
The Crater Lake road, useful only
to bug -buzzing tourists. gets 100000
without a protest from a single Port
land newspaper, yet each tries TO see
which can club the normal schools
the hardest.
The portage railway at Cello gets
$4,000 in addition to SIZE, 900 for
merly appropriated. At the same
time it shows receipts of about $4,000.
this road is undoubtedly of value as
a regulator of freight rates, yet it
costs the state great penny to
regulate" counting the interest on
that quarter of million invested. 1t
is quite likely a good thing-for some
body. l do not know, and am not
here to criticise.
Yet so is the training of teachers of
uEdoubted value to the state, and its
physical divisions are such that it pos
itively needs three normals. Massa-
chusetts has eight, believe, and the
man who would condemn them as
gratis would be sought for by the dime
museums.
The agricultural college got $370,-
600, and very likely was entitled to
every dollar. 1t is doing a great
work. Yet at this rate its 1925 stu
dents cost the state about s125 an
nually each. The Eastern oregon
Normal school has had $17.500 an
nually for the past two years-the
largest amount it ever received.
Just before it's recent troubles it had
172 actual attendance in its normal
department. aside from 100 in the
training school, which l do not count.
Al this rate its students cost about
800 annually each, and more than
80 per cent of them come from
counties other than Umatilla. 1t is
a bonafide eastern Oregon institute
on, and the legislature will find that
II has hosts of friends. 1t only be-
comes a local institution when Wes-
ton has to help 1t out, which the
town is doing right now, with a fund
that has reached $4,000, with the aid
OF other contributions from outside |
towns Ten acres of ground and |
brick building were among Weston's |
gifts in the past.
And the state university also, which |
has a handsome permanent mainten-
ance fund that did all in my power
t. aid in securing. Oregon needs this
institution, but the normals are no
more a graft than it is, and their
graduates we warrant do not cost the
state so much per head" In fact,
the graduates of the devoted and
gallant Monmouth normal, whose
history has been one of struggle and
sacrifice, are not at present costing
the state a dollar. Call the Mon
normal a graft, and then call
the Angel Gabriel thief for the lar
ceny Of his golden trumpet.
The district fair gets money; the
experiment station gets money; the
asylum. penitentiary, reform school
etc. get more money the coyote ,
counties get bounty fupds-money
goes out in streams from the state
for every conceivable pur-
pose-and only the normal schools !.
are gratis" Oh, but this is a tire .
some world to those Of US who have
time and again gone into our person.
Al pockets for the aid Of these state
schools.
The normal school question ought
o be submitted to the people for fin
Il dnnisinrl ae tn rrhnthnr tho.. -ra NJ