East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-03-10
(By F. d. Wagner. in Sunday orego
nalnn, \


has lifted the lid a trifle at least and
has allowed an expression from one
friend of the normal school gratis
to be printed in It's columns, l appeal
for space for few humble observa-
the home of another one of these al
legged gratis.
want to emphasize to begin with
that we are rather a simple country
folk out here, humble, albeit honest
as a rule, and have been taught ruth
fully to observe our political allegi-
ance to the state of Oregon and pay
our tribute to its commercial center,
Portland.
In our humbleness and simplicity
we read with satisfaction in the Ore
gonian two years ago that as solu-
ton of the normal school question,
which il was alleged had vexed legis-
latures for years, II had been decided
by our wise representatives assembled
at Salem to constitute one board of
regents for the state normal schools,
and not only to administer them, but
also to make report to the next leg
isature after a careful study and in
vestigation of the subject. of per-
manent normal school policy. This
board in its wisdom saw fit to recog-
nize the need for providing each Of
the three natural geographical sec
tions OF Oregon with normal school
facilities, and recommended the per-
manent maintenance of the three
schools already established at Weston,
Monouth and Ashland, with appro-
priations for maintenance and build
ings that would be commensurate
with their needs and creditable to
state institutions. These regents did
not ask our opinion nor did we at
tempt to thrust 1t upon them. Our
great governor saw fit not only to
approve this plan. but in his message
read at the opening of our late la
mented legislature recommended Ut
TO favorable consideration in this au-
gust body.
As was hinted before, being simple
folks but honest, we naturally felt
very much gratified at the favor
shown by the board of regents upon
our section of the state, and took 1t
for granted the action OF this board
would settle the matter in a general
way at least. For the board was cre-
ated by the legislature. and we fool
ishly thought that the legislature
would heed the recommendations OF
its creatures.
And this impression seemed to pre-
vail among most citizens of the state
until toward the closing days OF the
recent session, when sudden and
terrific onslaught was made upon
these schools. They were charged
with being CRAFTS, and everybody
around around Salem and Portland
Cat least those whose names got in
the papers) seemed to forget that
there was or ever had been a state
board of regents of normal schools
charged with the work of investlga-
ting this question carefully. For the
reports or recommendations of this
board were not called for and the
governors recommendations we're,
also, it seemed, entirely forgotten.
The newspapers ran amuck, and the
mention Of normal schools was to
them like waving a red flax at a
bull. The papers spread their infec-
tion and members Of the legislature
echoesd the grating sentiments. When
the battle reached the senate fury
seemed to reign. The chairman of
the ways and means committee would
lose his head at the mere suggestion
of an appropriation for three normal
schools, as recommended by the
board of regents. The president Of
the senate found himself called upon
to leave his exalted chair and climb
down to the level of common mem
bers of the senate, where he de-
nounced these schools and said In eff
feet they were conceived in iniquity
and born of legislative log-rolllng.
We, as stated before, being simple |
folk but honest, were surprised and |
at such declarations, and
began to wonder. We thought these
schools had been such great boons to |
the young and ambitious in all sec
tions of the state, as we knew the |
school here had been to southern Ore
gon. Our wonder grew when we in
vestigated and found that this same
president of the senate as a member
Of previous sessions of the legislature
had voted for the support and main
tenance Of these institutions. What !
did his changed course mean? We
were stunned with wonderment and
could only watch in amazement the
in the senate accom-
plished.
But our eyes are opening. We are
still dutiful and have continued to
'ead the Portland newspapers since
he legislature adjourned and are
'inding out some things. For in
stance, one Of the bright young leg
slative reporters of the Evening Tele-
,ram, in the issue of February 20,
ellis how 1t all happened in a nut
hell: "The breaking up Of the nor
nal school combination was chiefly
he work Of President Jay Bowerman.
lie refused to appoint a normal man
m the ways and means committee,
nd carefully organized other COM
nittees so that If the senate really
wanted to wipe out the schools the
opportunity was present"
SO you see we are not so simple
minded as we were before. We have
that the senate was framed