The Weston leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 189?-1946, 1916-08-11
ATHENA OPPOSES
PENDLETON GRAB
Cracked Building" Falsshood
Denied by Those Who Know.


Athena. Aug. Sat a meeting held
In the office of n. n. Richards city
recorder. and presided at by Mayor
Homer T. wattA cltinens adopted the
following protest against the proposed
bin for a normal school at Pendleton,
1--WE. the people of Athena. Umatil-
Ia county. Oregon. IN mass meeting
assembled. do declare Il to be our be-
lief and opinion that the Pendleton
Normal school bill should be defeated.
when the voters and taxpayers of the
state deem Il advisable 20 re-establlsh
a normal school IN Eastern Oregon.
We believe that the state school now IN
existence al Weston--which was never
abolished. but merely failed of sup
port--should be restored TO usefulness.
We regard the abandonment OF this
school by the state senate In ts09 as
I'VE deplore pendletons act IN re-
newing the Normal school agitation
at this time as precipitate and NJ
advised. We fear that Pendleton's
ovcrweening ambition. which Is well
understood IN the Athena community.
has In this particular Instance warped
her Judgment. In our oplnlon Uma-
tilla county. itself. WI cast a suhstan-
tiai majority against the Pendleton
bnL and It's defeat Is practically GER
tain. We fear a fiasco resultant from
Pendleton's campaign that win react
against the normal school prospects
OF this section OF the state.
Exceptions to Statement.
The statement published hy the
Pendleton committee that the state
school plant at Weston Il worthless
and the administration building
cracked from top TO bottom Is false
and misleading. Athena Is situated
but three miles from Weston and we
are familiar with conditions there. We
consider the plant as ample for the
requirements OF an Eastern Oregon
Normal school II Is In good condi-
tion for use, and Is now. in fact. be-
Ing used under lease by the Weston
school district. Were it true, which
II Is not, that the principal building Is
cracked from Top 20 bottom such
unfitness should initiate against In
vestment BY taxpayers OF sl2s.00o In
a new school plant at Pendletou. The
state built at Weston. The Pcndleton
charge Of failure implies It's incompe-
tence. ff
I'VE know OF me good work done
BY the Weston Normal under serious
handicaps and Of the professional sue
cess OF its graduates II. as the PEN
dleton statement claims. this school
has cost but s1Tl.000 during an Is-
t.A -
money was unusually well spent. HAD
II been maintained until the present
time we feel assured that II would
have become flourishlng and sue
eessfui IHstitutiOn--a standard nor
NAL school in fact
District Large Enough.
THE district OF wseton is large
enough to furnish an ample number
Of grade pupils for model training
school. wherein the seniors could prrs
sue the study Of methods by observa-
tion and practice. The assumption
that Pendleton will turn over all OF
lis grammar grades 20 Normal
school for practice work we regard az
amusing. II would be easy for the
Weston Normal seniors to acquire ac-
tual teaching experience In the rural
schools OF the neighborhood. In view
of the fact that many OF the gradu- i
ztes would be required for the rural Z
schools Of this section OF the state. \
Iuch experience would be invaluable.
AS 10 climatic conditions and at,
ractive environment Weston Ia an ad-
nirabie location for a Normal school. 4
We are glad to say this In Justice 10
,ur neighbor. although Weston and 4
Athena are to certain degree rival 4
owns for the trade Of adjacent terri
ory.
From the viewpoint OF the taxpay- 4
ng public outside OF its immediate en-
irons. Pendieton's claims would i
eem absurd. Speaking for them- /
elves. Athena taxpayers object TO
'aying their share toward a si25.000
chooi plant at Pendleton, when an I
dequate plant at Weston ID already Z
valuable. They further object TO pay !
ne an annual tax Cf one-twenty-fifth
mill for a Pendleton school.
fhen one-fortieth or mill would re-
pen the Weston school with an an Is
uaI income or more than double It's
primer maintenance.
Whatever Indictment Pendleton y
iay bring against the Weston Normal
! also an indictment OF the Monmouth
a. Il. Pfnkerfcn aud + n Eu0atat. /.