The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-03-12
STATE CASH is CUT OFF
President French Hopes Special Ses-
sion of the Legislature Will Straigt
en- Matters.
spokesman Review.)

(Spokesman- Review.)
Weston, Ore, March Sit would
be criminal for the legislature to de-
stroy this school with it's corps of ex-
cellent teachers, it's large attendance
and it's plant for educational work.
All the teachers are university men
| or women or are graduates of stand
ard normal schools. Some of them
| were obtained only after we had wait
| ed several years and some had given
up good positions to come here.
| "Our teachers are actuated by more
than the dollar idea, and their influ-
ence as means of broad, general cul-
ture is of inestimable worth to the
students coming under their care"
In these words President R. C
French of the Eastern Oregon Nor
NAL school referred to the recent ac-
| ton of the legislature in refusing to
pass the appropriations bill for want
of which the school will have to sus-
pend before the close of the present
term, or subsist on the charity of its
patrons. Several meetings have been
held and fund, yesterday given as
exceeding $4,000, has been subscribed
| in WeNon, PendIeton, Athena and
other towns of the stateto pay the
| teachers and maintenance fees till
commencement.
| Further meetings under the leader
ship of I. M. Kemp, cashier of the
Farmers National bank, are being
| planned as it will require, according
to President French, $4,000 to COM
plete the term. Continuing Mr..
| French said:
| Fighting Over Old Battle.
eve are having again here in Ore
gon and Umatilla county the same
fight that Horace Mann had in Mass
achusetts half a century ago. We are
refusing to profit by the experience
of other states. Here we have nearly
800 students including the training
department, who are being denied this
| education on unfounded charges of
graft and extravaganza in administer
ing the normal schools.
/ sit was stated on the floor of the
| senate in debate that the cost per
student was $1,000 year. This is en-
tirely false. The actual cost per en-
rolled student is somewhat less than
500 year.
"There have been charges of graft
but no one has ever attempted tc
show where. AS for extravaganza
there has been little in the way Of
/ improvements and our salaries rur
from $500 to $4,000 a year, with the
average around $1,000. 1t has cost
l$17,5O0 a year for the last two years
to run this school.
;. "We have here an educational PLAN
consisting Of II teachers, excellent
laboratories in physics and chemistry
good musical facilities, with 10 pianos
two dormitories filled with students
!, besides six cottages where small groups
/ of students live, and an excellent ad'
, ministration and recitation building
, Plans were completed for new mems
} dormitory and the appropriation
, called for was to purchase additiona
} land and erect that building.
il Now the senate, not the house Of
I'll
!, to the schools, has passed three bill:
!. nullifying the normal schools, one
denying the appropriation, another
, giving the land to the city of Westor
and third discharging the board o.
regents. 1t is shame and disgrace
to cut off now the use of this equip
I ment.
n "Once before we had to suspend
: the windows were boarded up and VIZ
e went away, but the school was givei
support in the following year and W.
returned and since that time there ha'
been quiet growth"
President French escorted Spokes
man. Review representative through
the building, showing the classroom
| in use, the special library for th
student teachers, the main librar.
with 1000 volumes, and the manua
training shop.
II have great hope for the future,
said Mr.. French. "I do not believ
; the school will be abandoned. A spe
cial session of the legislature is to b
called shortly, whether to discuss tn
/. normal schools I am unable to say
:, but the outgoing and the newly elect
ed governors are both favorable t
i the normals, and it is to be hoped thi
question will receive consideration"
THE NORMALS.