East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-10-28


while the large district building In
stead stands empty Thus the states
plant has been in some measure Rept
intact through occupancy, and can 70
put In shape again for the states use
by reasonable expenditure.
The millage tax bill for the schools
restoration and permanent mainte-
nance has been wisely drawn, in that
II permits the use Of whatever sum
the board OF regents considers neces-
sary for equipment and repairs. The
school was never wholly abolished,
merely suspended and when revived
would be subject TO the legislative act
OF 1907. II would be controlled by
board OF nine regents, called "The
Board OF Regents OF Normal Schools
composed Of the state board OF edu-
cation as ex-officio regents and Of six
appointed regents. None Of the lat
ter come from normal school coun-
ties, thus disposing or any fear OF
local interference with the manage
ment Thus the work OF the Eastern
Oregon State Normal would be d.
rected precisely that OF the Oregon
State Normal at Monmouth Is now d.
rected, and II would be wholly re-
moved from the sphere Of political
influence. One-fortieth OF a mill, or
two ani one-half cents on each thou
sand dollars OF assessed valuation,
would be ample for its support. II
need not ask and will not ask for an
other dollar aside from its annual In
come.
Oregon Normal schools Economical |
This reminds me that the oregon
normals have done a large amount OF
work for very little money Wash
ington. for instance, has regularly ap-
propriated from three to four times
as much money for its normal schools
as the oregon normals received. The
average cost of normal school stu
dents in oregon in 19O7-s was Ss4.
This compares very favorably to
Rhode Island, 1924: Colorado. s24s;
Massachusett. $3.50; Oklahoma, s141;
South Dakota, S1s2: Washington,
S1S9; Wisconsin. $40; Minnesota,
3115; New York. &1O6; West Virgin
ia. sos; Pennsylvania, ss4; Illinois.
375.
/ consider this showing remarkable
in view OF the troublesome IL not
avenging Nemesis which pursued the
Oregon normals from pillar to post.
Illinois only shows a lower cost per
student, while that OF Pennsylvania
is precisely the same.
The Eastern oregon Normal and
the Southern Oregon Normal are, in
my opinion, equally entitled to con-
sideration. Both have state plants
unused by the state, both are needed
in their particular sections and by the
commonwealth at large. President
Campbell Of the oregon university,
says that about 1000 new teachers are
needed yearly for the oregon schools.
ply trained teachers for its children,
II 1t is the states function to supply
trained men and women for the sew
eral professions? II would be as
consistent to dispense with all state
Of higher learning as to /
dispense with the normal schools.
They are not the cause, nor a con-
tributing cause, Of high taxes. State
taxes were higher after two normal
schools were suspended and only one
retained. The cost of all three would
be but nine cents on every thousand ,
dollars Of taxable property. Monmouth
receiving four cents, and Ashland and
Weston two and one-half cents each. {
Thus by denying himself one 10 cent 4
,igar each year. the thousand dollar
axpayer will more than save for him
'elf the cost OF three normal schools.
Alabama has four normal scoolh,
California five. Connecticut four. IL
inois five. Massachusetts nine. Michi-
IAN four. Minnesota. five. Missouri
our. New York IL. North Carolina
our. oklahoma four Pennsylvania
3. South Dakota four, West Virgin
t seven, Wisconsin seven, Georgia,
Kentucky. Maine, Texas, Ver- !
mont ana Washington three each. I
thirteen other states content them