The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-02-04

Respectfully submitted TINS TWEEN
! ty-third day of December, 1920.
F. S. THOMPSON,
G. H. TUCKER,
ALEXANDER STRACHAN
Extract From An Address By Jose
phine Corliss Preston, Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction.
The Code Commission tells us
that the present form of school adj
ministration is primtive-that its
form of representation is obsolete
that an appointive system marks a
great step in advance.
Before we discard all that we have
been building during and since ter
ritorial days in order to accept that
which is offered in its place, let US
pause to consider:
l. Dr.. w. C. Bagley, an eminent
national authority on Rural Educa-
lion, said at the Cheney State Nor
nal in a public address, November
), 1920, that Washington had more
nearly solved the rural school prob
lem than any other state and that
t is a close contender for first place
rural schools.
2. The Russell Sage Foundation
in its 1918 report of a study based
On a theoretical standard, on, school
attendance and school expenditures,
'anks Washington fifth in the Unit
ed States.
3. In high school attendance it
ranks the State of Washington sec
ond.
A study of the educational condi-
tions in our state for the past ten
years shows;
That the school term has increas-
ed 1.13 months-an increase of a
title more than 20 1-2 days. Our
lverage for the state is SO months
per year;
That the amount of money spent
COR teachers salaries has increased
81 per cent and the average annual
salary of teachers has increased
rom $690.18 to $1,16028-an in
rease of 68.1 per cent;
That the high school enrolment
has increased 1928 per cent. The
,ctual attendance in school has in
:reased 361 per cent.
That the number of consolidated
districts has increased from 120 to
257, or an increase of 114.1 per
ent Washington now boasts of the
argest consolidated school district
n the world. 1t is District PA of
Lewis County and includes an area
If 1900 square miles. In this con-
solidated district are three high
school centers which are solving the
problem of fitting the high school
work to local community needs. A
well trained and well paid superin-
tendent is in charge of this school
iystem. Consolidation of schools is
partially solving the problem of ade-
quate rural supervision. The con-
,olidation of school districts has
been one of the potent factors of
ural education. 1t makes for bet
tel schools and for better supervis-
;on. 1t centers the community life
If a natural neighborhood group
lbout a school. Consolidated dis
riots are eliminated under the pro-
5osed change.
During the seventeen years of my
practical experience in school adj
illustrative work in this state |
have had opportunity to study and
deal with many problems concerning
| our schools.
Teachers Cottage
The building of home for rural
| teachers better known as the
| Teachers Cottage - has been de-
| veloped in that period of time and
| has passed from countrywide
| movement to a statewide, and now
| nationwide movement.
The State of Washington made
| this contribution to the nation. Dur
| ing the recent teacher shortage
which affected our whole country
| Washington had no shortage of
teachers in the districts provided
| with teachers cottages.
Community Center
The vitaliZing and specialization of
| ural life through the Community
Center organization of the State of
| Washington has marked a great
| step forward.
1t is the plan by which the people
have been brought together across
all lines of creed, partisanship, So
cial barriers and neighborhood feuds
| for common purpose of thinking
together, working together and act
ting together for the common good.
We are proud of the fact that the
State of Washington leads in Com
munity Center work.
Increase in High School Attendance
Our nation has recognized the
problem of holding our boys and
girls in school. The personal con-
tact which we have had with the
boys and girls of our own state who
have completed the eighth grade and
| received state diploma has been
school. We are proud of the fact
that more than 80 per cent of these
boys and girls are entering our high
schools, and that Washington ranks
second in the United States in high
school attendance.
The issue on state and county
school administration before us in
this legislature is nationwide. From
the Atlantic to the Pacific during
the past decade or more the right
of the country people to have a
voice in the management of their
schools has been questioned by a
certain small group of people.
Some of the so-called educational
experts of this country tells us that
the people are not competent to
Judge of matters pertaining to the
education of the young. They speak
with contempt of the thousands of
men and women who are serving
and have served on local school
boards, giving their service freely
and voluntarily in the development
of our American Common School
System,
Those who share this point of
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