The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-01-11
School Notes.
By E. E. Coad.

ut IldhE lGdCleiA NHHDcldlIOI UGlu
its annual meeting at Portland Thurs
day and Friday, December % and 49,
County institutes have been held in
connection with the state association
sessions until this year Such gather.
ings in the past were to large and the
departments too numerous to be very
satisfactory so the meeting this year
was an optional gathering together of
the educators of the state
Besides the general meetings each
morning and afternoon, the work of
the association was grouped under
the following departments: Rural
School Supervisors, Elementary School,
College and Normal School, Secondary
Education, Industrial Education, and
Social Hygiere. Many excellent pa
pers were read before the various
departments ard the round table dis.
cussions that followed were of great
value to those present.
Industrial education aud instruction
in sex physiology and hygiene were the
chief topics of discussion IN many de-
partments. Powerful influences are
being brought to bear upon these ques-
tions and they must be met aud an
sWered IN a satisfactory manner. The
solution does not rest with the schools
and the school teachers any more
than it does with the school patrons
ana citizens generally. The national
and state bankers associations and the
leading commercial organizations are
demanding that the schools shall pro
vide industrial subjects and include
them in the course of study.
department of city school superin-
tendents was created. A special ses-
sion of ttis department was held to
discuss and consider needed school leg
sIation and the proposed new course
of study for the high schools of Ore
gon. About thirty uporintendents
were present and took part in the dis
cussions. The points definitely decided
we're as follows. The superintendeuts
favored the introduction of industrial
work in the schools and thought that il
should be made mandatory yet allow
ing an abundance Of latitude as to
what the work itself should consist of,
so that each community could then
determine upon the form of industrial
work best suited to its needs. They
agreed that a course in Physiology and
Hygiene should be provided in every
high school Many other questions
mentioned aud some Of them con-
sidered, but it was decided to discuss
them further by correspondence and
meet again later in the year at the
call of the department president, Supt
j. NJ. Powers Of Salem
The meeting of those interested in
the State Debating League was of
value to the cause represented. The
League has had a rather precarious
existence because of the expense to its
annual program of debates Few high
schools noted a surplus of funds and
some recorded a deficit as high as
two hundred dollars. At the same
time the merit of the work in debating
done by the high schools of the state
under the plan outlined by the State
Debating Leauge has been so pro
nounced that it should be continued.
II was decided to change the rules so
that team could be composed of two
members and that one Judge should
decided the merits of a debate when
the schools were agreed upon the plan.
This will enable school to cut ex-
penses in the middle.
One feature Of the Association this
year was the constant reiteration of
the fact that the State Agricultural
College and the State University
would not attempt to prescribe what
the high schools should teach and that
they would give students credit for
the work they did provided they com
peted regular high school courses.
All seemed TO fealize that il is not SO
much what the subject is but the way
IN which it is taught, studied, and
mastered that counts after ALL