Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 21.djvu/160



150 JOHN C. ALMACK

sentative W. I. Vawter of Jackson County, author of the one- board of regents bill, writes :

"It is unquestionably true that there was trading for votes during these several sessions. I think, in fact, that 90% of the measures calling for appropriations were combined with matters that members from somewhere else in the state were interested in. The general rule was if a member from Eastern Oregon would vote for some appropriation wanted in Western Oregon the member from the west would reciprocate."

On the same subject, B. F. Mulkey, president of the Ashland normal 1902-1907, and long prominent in state politics, states:

"This school (Ashland) had not been maintained by politics, but by public needs and public sentiment. Politics had been necessary as a means of getting done what the people of that great section wanted done. Politics was not invoked in the interest of normal schools, as has been maintained, but rather they triumphed for a decade in spite of it."

The report of the special committee appointed in 1909 to study the normals covered such matters as equipment, build- ings, fitness and qualifications of teachers, character of work being done. The report set forth that at only one institu- tion, namely Monmouth, was creditable work being done. At Drain and Ashland the chief purpose of the instruction seemed to be to prepare for teachers' examinations. The course of study offered at Weston was very little different from what one might find offered in any good high school in the state. This high school work was very well done, however. The report conveyed the impression that three of the schools were noth- ing more than local high schools maintained at the expense of the state. Reference has already been made to the use made by W. B. Ayer of the report of the committee, quoting the members as saying that out of fifty-one teachers visited only sixteen were good, some were fair, and some absolutely poor; and further that "the buildings and equipment were a dis- grace to the people of the state."