East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-03-25
SUPERINTENDENT ACKERMAN TELLS Of
EDUCATIONAL TENDENCIES IN OREGON

returns were not at all reliable, but
under the present arrangement, al
though far from being strictly reli-
able. the returns are a vast improve
ment on those previously made. From
these reports it is safe to conclude
that at least "a per cent of all chill
dren in the state between the ages of
four and twenty are or have been
regularly enrolled in some education
al institution, either public or pri-
vate. Altogether the attendance rec
ord Of our schools is one in which we
may TAKE a genuine inc we'll found
ed pride. Few items speak better for
that purpose which is, if not funda-
mental, at least of primary import
ance, for there can be no expectation
Of efficient schooling, no matter how
excellent the teaching, unless attend
ance is regular.
Why Children drop Out"
A matter which has been raised to
great prominence in educational cir
cles has been the extent to which
children drop out of school. 1t has
been pointed out many times that
comparatively few children ever get
beyond the lower grades, n the
question has been raised, Is not our
whole American system seriously, if
not fatally, defective?
Unquestionably, a smaller proper
ton of children pass completely
through the system than we could
wish. 1t is not fair, however. to con-
slider the subject from data at hand
during any one year. Rather viewed
from the consideration of many years
so as to find the trend, would seem
to be the only just method. 1t is, for
instance, a dispiriting thing to find
that the number of pupils who reach
high school is only a small per cent
of those who might have done so
but a very encouraging thing is to
find that the enrolment in American
secondary schools has increased 15O
per cent, while the population has
been increasing 20 per cent. In the
nation at large, between 1890 and
1900, this ratio or increase held true
giving evidence that a constantly
larger proportion Of pupils were pass
ing through the entire course from
primary to college.
Length of Year Gauges Progress.
The length of the school year fur
nishes in practice a rough gauge BY
which to report progress. True, it /:
often argued that a school Of twenty
weeks with a good teacher is better
than one Of forty weeks with a pool
teacher. The argument would bt
sound if there were in practice sc
great a difference in available teach
ers. Under existing conditions about
the same grade Of teachers will bt
found in a given district, whether
the school year Is twenty weeks In
length or forty weeks. This being
the case, the longer school year is te
be taken as evidence of better school
ing for the children, particularly a.
better teachers and improved teach
ing are usually found in practice tc
go hand in hand with the longer year
The Hawley bill, passed by the las
legislature, in which provision is made
for a minimum term of six months
school In every school district, tells the
story of progress in this direction.
In turning to seek the causes of the
general and steady improvement along
the lines Of attendance and lengthen-
ed schooling, it is natural to refer tc
legislative enactments which are cal.
culated to produce these results. The
most important among these have
been:
Legislative Enactments.
l. The revision OF the school code
which code has served both as a. uni.
tying and a stimulating force through.
u the past ten years with a con
stantly widening activity.
2. The adoption Of the uniform
course of study. The inevitable ef-
feet Of this in encouraging attend.
ancs and regularity and frightening