Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-10-29

ition OF pupils attending high schools.
This law did not become operative
until voted on by the people Of the
cousty. II was voted on in the June
election Of 1908, and carried almost
three to one. It was found that there
was a large amount Of property that
was not in any school district, and
the only way to tax It for school pur-
poses was to make the levy general
one. For the first year levy of one
mill was thought necessary, but 1t
was found that for this year only
half mill was required. It costs the
people Of Pleasant Hill only half a
mill, as the tuition paid by the coun-
ty pays the teacher. There are now
high schools springing up in all parts
of the county. They already number
IA, so that almost every child in the
county will have chance to go to
high school without expense except
for books. and be home every night.
Many OF these high schools consist
of two grades only as yet, and per-
haps many of them ought not to at
tempt more than two grades at pres
ent
The county OF Linn made the law
operative in the November election
of 1908, and now has 1 3 high schools.
Several more will be organized there
within a short time. In Linn 1t took
half a mill to pay the tuition.
The law greatly stimulates high
school attendance in the towns, as
the boys and girls from all the sur
rounding districts can attend without
paying tuition. To keep the larger
towns from drawing more than their
share of the funds, the law provides
that the first 20 pupils that attend
school shall draw $40, $50, for each
of the second 20, and $3.50 for each
one over 40. II is found that this will
just about pay the expenses.
Ten years ago there we're only five
high schools in the whole state of
Oregon. Last year there were so
that graduated fourth year classes,
and now there are over $50 that have
been voted, and that are adding
grades as fast as the students are
ready for them. These are mostly in
towns, however, and the county high
schools in Lane and Linn counties
are the only ones in the state not in
towns.
In these high schools there should
be a course of study adapted to coun-
try life, but the time will never come
when the whole course will be indus
trial. There ought to be agricultural,
domestic science, bookkeeping, etc,
taught, but this ought to be optional,
in many cases, as some of the chill
dren intend to become engineers,
teachers, etc.
The high school problem is one of
the most important In the state of
Oregon, for IL we can furnish high
schools within the reach of all the
people will do what very few states
are doing, and will make 1t possible
for us to build up rural population
that will be the happiest and most
progressive, and best able to govern
itself that the world has ever known.
One of the best signs now in evil
dence at Pleasant Hill is that the
people are gathering around the high
school as a social center. They have
lectures on various questions, for the
old as well as the young. They are
building a library that all use. There
is a grange there, and IL is working to
make country life what 1t ought to be. |
If we can only show people that there
are fine opportunities in the country
for health and wealth we are going a