The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1912-08-16
PROGRESS OF EDUCATION
IN STATE OF WASHINGTON
Growth and Development During LaSI
twenty-five Years

| trially. AT that time there were ABOUT
$4,000 children of school age, to-day
there are 175,O00. Then there were
but four high schools; to-day there are
24O with more than 10000 students.
Then there were $3.50 teachers not
very we'll prepared; to-day there are
10000 much better prepared teachers
in the common schools and about l.
900 in the high schools. The school
buildings were then small, poorly
built, badly equipped, and with little
or no attention paid to lighting, heat
ing and sanitation. To-day most bull
dings are greatly improved. Every
where there is evidence Of anxiety on
the part of directors of school districts
to provide the best buildings, we'll
lighted, scientifically heated and SAM
tary. Old buildings which cannot be
abandoned are being remodeled and
made to conform to better standards.
The little red schoolhouse is fast dis
appearing, and its place is rapidly be-
ing taken by the better one, surround
ed by large, well-kept grounds which
will soon include shade and ornament
al trees and shrubbery, play ground
and equipment, school garden, and in
many places a cottage home for the
teacher and family. The directors and
patrons are working more and more
with the teacher in getting the whole
community interested in the welfare OF
the children, the school, and the gen.
eral good and uplift Of all. Parent
teacher organizations are springing up
everywhere and give strong evidence
that the standard of the school and the
community is rising and must continue
to rise.
The trainers of the constitution wise
ly made ample provision for the edu-
cational needs and future development
of this state. By the enabling act,
sections Is and Sc of all state lands
were set aside for educational purposes.
This means that one-eighteenth OF all
public land at the time OF the admis-
sion of Washington into the sisterhood
of states was forever set apart for the
future educational advantage of the
boys and girls of the state. In the
division of these lands 10000 acres
were set aside for the State College, q
| like number for the state University
and 100000 acres were the portion
for the normal schools. OF the normal
school lands $4,000 acres have al
reaey been sold, and there is at present
in this fund from such sale $664, 900,
bearing interest at from four to six pei
cent. In addition to this some of the
lands are leased and a yearly revenue
of 50, 400 is the present income. Then
there remain $1,000 acres unsold, still
owned by the normals and worth al
least minimum price of $40 per acre.
These lands are increasing in value
each year, and the future outlook is
bright because of the wisdom of the
trainers of the constitution in thus set,
ting aside these lands for the educa-
tional needs OF the children of the
state. Another law, known as the
Barefoot Boys Act" provides that
the state and county each and severally
shall provide for the collection in the
yearly taxes Of $40 for every boy and
girl between the ages of five and TWEEN
ty-one. Nowhere in all the land has
better foresight been shown for the
growth and development of adequate
school facilities and advantages.
The legislature of 1911 passed an
act by which each of the five higher
institutions of learning will for five
years at least be free of legislative in
reference with its finances. Provision
was made for a levy of fraction of q
mill for each one. The state norma
at Cheney gets nine-hundredths Of a
mill and this levy will provide an an
nual revenue of about 100000, and
this added to that from the land gram
will make about 100000 yearly fol
the normal at Cheney. This norma
also has bright hopes Of being named
one of the benefciaries of federal aid
if the Page bill now before congress:
passes that body and becomes law, as
its friends have hope it will at the mex