Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-02-01
NORMAL FOR MONMOUTH
COMMITTEE PREPARES BILL TO
RE-ESTABLISH OLD SCHOOL.
VIII Take Question Directly to Voters
of state Under Initiative
Method.

announce definitely that it will appeal
TO the people under the initiative for
an annual appropriation sufficient TO
carry on it's activities. Announcement
that this action would be taken was
made Saturday by an alumni commit
tee of the Monmouth institution IL
is believed that the other two schools,
will soon make known similar plans
of their own.
The amount that the Monmouth
school will ask of the state is to be
derived by an annual tax OF one
twenty-fifth of a mill on the assessed
At present valuations this
would amount to about $4,000. This is
somewhat less than was given to Mon
mouth under the old system OF legls-
lative appropriations. The committee
behind the movement, however, be-
lieyes that the institution can be con-
Quoted on that amount for the present
1t is also realized that the states as
sessed valuation will increase from
wear to year, while at any time, If the
school is hard pressed, it can appeal
to the Legislature for a special appro-
priation.
Each Schools Efforts Separate.
What appropriations the Weston and
Ashland schools will ask, IL any, re-
mains to be seen, If they set their
goal at the same figure proposed by
Monmouth it will mean a tax OF
$4,000 for normal school purposes,
providing all three bills meet with the
favor of the electors. Each bill, now
ever. will have to stand on its own
merits and it will be squarely up to
the people to decide whether there
shall be one, two or three normal
schools, or none at all.
Hood River and one or two other
oregon cities are ambitious to become
sites of normal schools and are pre-
paring to invoke the initiative for thai
purpose. These plans are apparently
hopeless in view of certain laws bear
ing on the subject which are being
cited by the supporters of the Mon
mouth. Weston and Ashland projects
To understand this condition it is nec-
essary to review briefly some of Ore
gon's normal school history.
There were formerly four normal
schools, three in the towns that have
been mentioned and the other al
Drain. These all existed by biennla
appropriations, secured in the Legisla'
ture. usually by vote-trading, log-roll'
ing tactics that were much criticised
MANY believed that four such institu
tions were too many for oregon ane
at last action was taken withdrawing
support from the Drain school. Drain
at the last session, again presented III
cause, but the Legislature finally enoe'
its existence, turning over to the peo
pie of Drain the grounds and pulio
ing.
State Schools Specified.
Monmouth, Ashland and Westol
were also on hand asking money, pu
nv the final outcome not cent TO
normal school purposes was approprl
ated. In fact, the Legislature wiped TN
statute books clean of all laws on tn
subject, excepting a single section
which was adopted in 1885. 1t follows
The Oregon Normal School at MOI
mouth. Polk County, oregon, and tn
Ashland College and Normal Schoo
at Ashland, and the Eastern Norma
School. at Weston in Umatilla Count!
Oregon. are hereby declared to .
state normal schools of the State
Oregon.
This obviously left the field clear
these schools, but with their funo
shut off all have since closed down.
State Board of Regents was create
and is still in existence. 1t consists
the Governor, Superintendent of Pul
lie instruction, ex-off1cio, and six oth'
members. If the state votes funds K
Monmouth Weston or Ashland, eac
school can reopen with all the machil
cry of operation provided for.
Other Towns Are Barred.
t other cities of oregon, outside
s Marion County are prevented fro
i going directly to the people for q
i establishment of a normal school
> section 8 of article IA of the constit
n tion which was amended at the ele
e ton of June 1, 1908, to read as Il
}. lows:
The seat of government when
tablished as provided In secuon l sh
not be removed for a term oI ~ ~ ~
from the time of such establishme
nor in any other manner than as pi
=, vided In the first section of this aruc
All public institutions Of the state 7
located elsewhere prior to January
Ie07. shall be located in the cour
wherein the seat of government Is,
cepting when otherwise ordered py
3 act OF the Legislative Assembly, ano
l. ratified by the electors OF the state
TX the next general election follow
sich act by a majority of all the Vo
cast on the question of whether or
In such act shall be ratified.
II the normal schools are to be ella
m ed as state institutions" there can
no question but that any town outs
sel Of Marion County except Monmo'
Ashland and Weston, must go first
- the Legislature and then to the ell
ors. before it can secure an approp
ZEE tion. The schools in the three to
mentioned were located prior TO J
X uary 1. 1907.
OF Alumni Issues Statement
-, The alumni committee Of the y
mouth school has its bill ready to
culate for a vote under the initial
The members will urge that as
oldest institution Of its kind In
state. public support should be res
ed TO Monmouth. They say they
,te- not enter into any agreement with
ca Ashland and Weston schools. but
in they viii not work against any
six sonable appropriations asked BY I
re- institutions
me The committees formal state'
at follows.
m. The failure Of the LeEisiatur
1905 70 make provisions for the q
N inc 81 teachers and for the ma
leir ~arce of normal school training IN
ouR efafe cannot but have a reacuo
ard q deInoralizing eject upon N
fcfencv of cur public school ~
T-.fs alton of the legislature, y
-. - ----r1ed uras not due to the "A
- On fhe part q the individual men
foh 81 the LEGISLATURE % recognize
ned and importance o. tne nee