Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1922-09-28
OBJECTIONS TO
COUNTY UNIT PLAN
GIVEN ''ONCE OVER
In Letter to Leader G. Frank
Claser Tells How New School
Plan Will Work to Advantage
OF County Educationa Insti-
tutions.

tutions.
have been asked by several
teachers, and by Mr.. Coin, our
county superinten lent, to write
an exposition of the County Unit
PIN Of school administration,
which will be- an issue of the
November elections in Lincoln
county. From the general favor
with which the announcement of
this election has been received
one might surmise that the issue
ie well understood: but we are
inclined to believe that the con-
ditions Of the proposed change
warrant some opposition. 1t is a
welknown political aphorism
that "to tell the people more than
enough to win their confidence Is
to court disaster" Being educa.
tors, and no. politicians we pre-
fer the belief that "while truth is
not always thing Of beauty, 1t
isn't the truths fault" In this
exposition I will endeavor to dis.
pose Of some objections that may
be raised against the County Unit
idea.
In the event Of the success of this
election, Lincoln county would be-
come one large district. The county
court would appoint five men, who are
now chairman of district school
boards under the present regime, as
protempore directors of the county
school district. At the next annual
school election five directors would
be elected from the county at large
one for one year. two for two years,
and two for three years. (There is
bill before the state legislature OF
Oregon which proposes to change
this, dividing the county into sec
tiois, according to population, so that
one director would be elected from
each section of the county. AS the
law stands now, however, the five
directors would be elected from the
county at large)
There may be some objection to the
clause which places the appointment
of temporary directors in the hands
Of the county court. Some of us have
not a superabundance of confidence
in our commissioners, especially after
their reactionary performance in the
recent>consolidaton case. But, after
all they have 10 choose from the pre-.
sent chairman of boards; and these
chairmen ali apparently enjoy the
confidence of tho people who elect
them. Furthermore the people can,
by petition, designate their choice to
the court and thccc- officers cahnJt
well afford to be blind to the wisnes
bf their constituents.
Another objection may be RAISED by
people in less densely populated sec
tions of the county: they are not apt
to have direct representation on the
county district board. This is true.
But | would like to ask: could their
schools be as badly neglected under
any self-respecting county administra-
tion as they are under the present
mismanagement?" Moreover the
local school boards will be retained
as advisory committees with power
to determine civic uses of the school,
and to reject any teacher that may be
assigned to their schoo. by the district
board. In dead communities this local
committee would mean nothing,
while in live community the COM
mittee will have even greater influ-
ence, with greater resources, end with
cut the burden of responsibility that
it bears under present conditions.
There is still another objection
which might be raised by few nom
progressive taxpayers in districts
like the one in which am now teach
ing. The resources of rich sub-dis-
tricts would be poo.ed with the rest.
so that school taxes will be equalizeL
throughout the county Won't that be
nice? That's one big reason why
Wen vote Eyes"
| have heard another objection a
personal one, against Mr.. Coin, who
would, under existing law, become ex-
officio superintendent of the county
district until the term Of his present
Office expires. realize that better
superintendent might be found, just
as better teachers might be found to
fill my place. But Mr.. Coins term
of service in this county speaks
strongly in his favor. 1t would pres
age nothing but failure to install a
new executive at this most critical
point in our county schoo. career. To
anyone who may be worried on this
score j would say that, while the
superintendent will have greater OPP
portunities for service thru his recon-
mendations to the board of directors.
he will by no means control the
board but will act as official execu-
tive Of the peoples will, as PROFOUND
ed by their chosen directors.
This seems to cover the principal
objections to the County Unit Plan.
! will leave discussion of its won
derful advantages for a future com
munication. Perhaps an abler ex-
ponent will relieve me Of that task.
PAGE Superintendent Shave
G. FRANK CHASER.