The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-06-16
TWO APPOINTMENTS
County Educational Board Names
Albert E. White and Geo.
Tonkin Supervisors.

In accordance with the requirements
of the new school law. the County
Educational Board met at the court
house on Monday of this week and
proceeded to organize. County Sup
erintendent Welles is ex-officio chair
man, and j. B. Saylor was elected
secretary of the board. The entire
toard was present. the other mem
bers being Manuel Friedly, Thomas
Jacques and Col. Fl. e.. Newport.
In speaking of the new law, a
member of the board said:
ut was the unanimous opinion of
he board that the maximum num-
Der of supervisors should not be en-
ployed at first. BY beginning with
small mum ber of supervisors. the ex.
pense would be less and at the same
time the plan of rural supervision
could be given fair test The board
divided the county into three super
visory districts. While the county su-
perintendent will still have general
supervision over all of the schools in
the county, his supervisory district
will include all of the towns and most
of the larger country districts of the
county. There will be about eighty
teachers employed in bis district, and
it will require about 56l miles of
travelling for him to visit all of the
schools in his district once.
''The northern supervisory district
extends from about eight miles south
east of Walla Walla to five miles west
of Holdman. and from the state line
almost 10 Pendleton. This district
contains about forty schools. only
one of which employs more than one
teacher; this district being situated
in tha mountains east of Weston. 1t
will require approximately 377 miles
of travelling to visit each of the schools
in this district once.
1.-THE southern supervisory district
extends from few miles north Of
Pendleton to Ukiah on the south, and
from Cabbage Hill on the east to
Lower Butter Greek on the west. This
district contains about thirty-fve
schools, and the supervisor must trav
! el approximately $40 miles to visit
each of the schools once. BY visiting
a half day at each school, the rural
supervisors can visit all of thei,
schools in about twenty days. How
ever, after becoming acquainted with
all of the schools, it is not likely that
they will be visited in regular rota
tion. as some of the schools will bt
presided over by strong teachers who
W i'll need very little assistance, while
others will need more help and must
be visited more frequently.
"From among the applicants fol
the office of supervisor, the board Sc
lected Mr.. Albert E. White of Milton,
and Mr.. George Tonkin of Pilot Rock.
Mr.. White will probably be given the
northern and Mr.. Tonkin the southern
supervisory district. These are 10th
young men of much experience and
ability. They are very energetic and
consoien ntious about their work, and
| have convinced the Educational board
that they will do their utmost to fill
the difficult positions to which they
have been elected.
''It will Of course take time for
| them to become acquainted with the
teachers and district officers among
whom they will work, and this should
| be taken into consideration in Judging
the results. 1t should he remem bered +,
too, that the system of rural supervis-
ion is something Of au experiment.
and the law may not be perfect 1t
is believed, however. ny those best
acquainted with our educational sys-
tenn, aud who are thus in the best po.
sition to Judge of these matters. that
there is room for much improvement,
and that the plan of supervision which
is now provided for will be of great
benefit. At any rate. whatever may
be our views regarding the new sys-
tenn, we shall have it for two years,
or until the state legislature meets
again. and every friend of the public
schools should assist in giving the
law fair trial, and if at the end OF
two years itH has not proven to be d
success. we should then all give oul
support in having the law amended oil
repealed"