The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-04-28
The Need of Better Rural Schools and
Ola High School on San Juan Island

readjustment of district boundaries
so as to include in one district nearly
all of the territory now comprised
in districts Nos. /, 2, and IL and in
another approximately the present
limits of Nos. 9,.22 and 25. A few
places in No. 2 and possibly in No. /,
Cat Argyle) might be added to Fri
day Harbor district and a little of
No. 2 to the valley district. The
assessed valuation of the valley dis
trict would then be nearly equal to
the present valuation of the Friday
Harbor district and thoroughly
equipped school of eight grades en-
ploying two or three teachers and
providing manual training and ir-
struction in agriculture could be
established and maintained at some
convenient location near the center
Of the district, which would give
the children of one of the loveliest
and most fruitful valleys that the
sun shines upon advantages i'm
measurably superior to those afford
ed them under present conditions.
The two large districts thus con-
stituted should then be formed into
a Union High School district which
would be strong enough, having an
assessed valuation of half a million
dollars. to support a first class high
school here, providing a full four
years course fitting for the state
university or other schools of higher
education and giving boys and girls
not able to go further fair scholas-
tic equipment for the battle of life.
Such a school would be Of incalcul-
able value to the town, the island and
the county. 1t might. of course,
be established by union Of the
present contiguous districts without
any changes of boundaries, but such
a consolidation as | have suggested,
for the purpose of maintaining a
frs. class graded school in the heart
Of the San Juan valley, would, it
seems to me, be highly desirable
from every point of view.
In addition to the state school tax
of 2a mills and the county school
tax Of FIVE. mills, levied upon all
property in the county. the taxpayers
of most of the districts are required
to pay special levies of from one to
ten mills. In district No. / the
special levy is 81 mills T; in No. 2 it
is 4a mills and in No. IL it is u
mills. For less than the average
of these three levies a well equipped
graded school employing two or
three teachers could be maintained
and a suitable modern building, cost
ing $5, 900 or more, could be erect
ed in central location without
imposing any appreciable burden
upon the taxpayers. Such a school
would speedily become the main
spring OF the intellectual and social
life of the valley and the pride of its
people.
A first-class high school is one of
the greatest needs of Friday Harbor
and Of San Juan island as whole.
Eight years ago there was not q
school in the county in which in
struction was provided beyond the
eighth grade. Since then partial
high school course has been MAIN
tanned here, without any aid from
contiguous districts. whose young
peopel have shared its benefits upon
the same terms as those residing in
the town. Many young men and
young ladies have gone from here to
complete their high school work in
city schools and all have ranked well
| in their classes. But the facilities
which this district provides are now
taxed to the utmost overtaxed, in
fact. Little. if anything. more can
be done without additional room
and equipment and an increased
teaching force. The school building
is shabby, inadequate and i'll arrang-
ed. There is urgent need OF mo-
dern structure, which should be
erected upon land capable of being
beautifed with trees, shrubbery
and flowers and affording oppor-
tunity for experimental gardening
and the demonstration of practical
problems ii agriculture which every
country child should be taught.
Manual training should be provided
for and facilities afforded for the
practical training Of pupils for the
life they must lead and the work
they must do.
notwithstanding the fact that
school attendance is compulsory and
that sthe Commonwealth requires
the education of the people as the
/ safeguard Of order and civil liberty. !,
our schools lag monV years behind
|the timao IkeI & too much in. the
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