Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 21.djvu/167



OREGON NORMAL SCHOOLS 157

Separate petitions were drawn up for each school. Each asked for a permanent levy of 1/25 of a mill, a rate that would bring in at that time about $25,000 a year. Estimates were made in the arguments for the schools filed with the secretary of state that the cost annually to the property owner paying taxes on $10,000 would be about forty cents for each school. Ashland in its arguments called attention to the obligation the state owed the students who had been forced to give up their school work before it was completed, and said the state was under moral obligation to complete the terms of its contract entered into when the students registered. It gave a history of the institution, enlarged upon the need of trained teachers, particularly in Southern Oregon, and listed an investment in the school plant at $60,000.

The claims of Monmouth were similar. The central loca- tion of the school was pointed out ; the need of trained teachers was dwelt upon. Monmouth was given as the proper place for their training because "it is free from the bad influences of a large city." The value of the plant was set at $100,000. Mon- mouth appointed a committee of her alumni, 50 and her friends went actively to work in her interests.

Weston enumerated material which had appeared from year to year in the catalogues : climate, healthful location, good buildings, and equipment. It was emphasized that more than one school was needed, and Eastern Oregon, on account of long distances to other institutions, should be given one. The buildings, grounds and equipment were valued at $75,000. No arguments were filed against the petitions, and normalites felt confident of success.

Not much publicity was given to the campaign. The Ore- gonian continued anti-normal. On July 8, 1910, it reiterated the argument that the normals were nothing but local high schools and business colleges, remarking: "Very few teachers have been trained in these imbecile institutions." There was considerable controversy among the voters, and it was not

50 William D. Fenton, Judge George H. Burnett, John C. McCue, J. B. V. Butler, Ira C. Powell, and A. C. Hampton constituted the promotion committee.