Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-12-03
.SCHOOL LAWS SHOULD
. Be LEFT UNCHANGED
Superintendent Churchill Has
Made Good SUGGESTIONS in
His Report

NTN'ohSt VI Il Ntli-NtIlnpu sentiment
throughout the state among district
school officers and others. whose
duties it is to administer the law, that
too many and too frequent changes are
made in the school laws of the state
State School Superintendent Churchill
In his report to the next legislature
which was made public this morning
believes that it would be better to en-.
force the laws already on the statute
books and under them work for further
advancement in the public schools than
to make a large number of changes and
thus expend the energies of the school
people in familiarizing themselves with
the school laws, rather than improving
the school system.
lie recommends that the minimum
term sould be eight months for all
schools in the state and that the col
lection and disbursement of school
funds be changed so as to better eoual.
ize the burden of taxation and TO make
a more equitable distribution of the
money. If slight adjustment is made
In the general county levy it will ma.
terially decrease the special levy in
many of the districts. If this change
is made, he thinks the system of ais.
tribution should also be changed and
based upon the number of teachers and
the average daily attendance,
Made Good Progress.
In submitting the report to the leeis
lature Superintendent Churchill call,
attention to the general progress in the
pubic school system which has taker
place during the past two years. Ther,
has been an increase of more than 4
half month in the number of month,
school taught during the year, and tn,
average leugth of the school term nov
lacks only eight days of being eirbt
months. There has been a rapid in
crease in the number of high schools
throughout the state. In some districts
high schools have been organized with
out sufficient equipment and in som,
eases the elementary grades have beer
neglected. For this reason the depart
ment has issued rules and regulation
governing the standardizing and ac
crediting Of high schools.
Superintendent Churchill has also en-
couraged the organization of parent
teacher associations and published /
bulletin giving directions as To how [,
organize such associations, etc. Nor
han 300 parent.teacher association
were organized in school district
throughout the state during the pas
wear. They have brought about
closer interest in educational matters
Beautifying school grounds and build
ings, making the school garden proiec
possible, securing sanitary drnkin,
fountains are some of the things whicI
these associations are helping to estat
lsh. ''.
Industrial Clubs, Etc.
His report also deals largely with tb
subject Of boys and girls industria
clubs and the establishing of standard
for the rural school by the count
superintendents, the closer supervisio
Of the rural schools, and the holding O
school board conventions all tend {
: show the great interest that has bee
taken throughout the statet in impro,
ing and bettering the conditions of th
rral schools, SAYS the report. Undt
the direction Of the state department
5 through its two field agents, 10000 hoy
q and girls enrolled in industrial cml
A during the past year, aud repor
' from the bureau OF education stat,
\ that Oregon is better organized in boy,
I and girls industrial club work tina
e any other state in the union.
The standard school plan which WI
:. begun in Polk county about four yea
ago, and has also been tried out sati
i factorily in Jackson, Marion, Yamhi
/ Linn, Lane, klamath, Umatilla and
9 number Of other counties has be,
n adopted as state plan upon the rccol
- mendatiOn Of the conSention Of Il
county school superintendent. Throu,
4 this plan an appeal is made TO loc
" pride and the results are modern scho
= buildings and n demand for train,
" teachers in the rural districts.