OREGON NORMAL SCHOOLS 125
tions : ( 1 ) that a board of regents of five members be created to have complete control of the normals, agricultural college and university; and (2) that appropriations sufficient for the needs of Monmouth, Ashland, and Weston be allowed, the total aggregating $318,000. On these propositions, the vote stood five to four, and a minority report was submitted.
W. B. Ayer of Portland presented the minority report. Mr. Ayer said that the normal school question had arisen because there were too many schools. The poor buildings, inferior equipment, and poor teachers were in his opinion a positive reflection on the intelligence of the people of the state. Dr. H. D. Sheldon's study of normal schools of the United States was quoted as saying that the small school gives better train- ing, 300 to 1,000 students being the proper limits. Professor E. D. Ressler president of the Monmouth Normal was also quoted as saying in his report to the board of regents that 300 students can be taught as easily as 100, yet the total attendance of the three normals was in 1909 only 285. The minority report favored two normals, on account of the great distances to be traveled; the locations to be determined by the board of regents, but one to be in the western part of the state and one in the eastern.
Endorsed by a majority of the board 31 of regents the nor- mals went before the legislature of 1909 asking for $318,000. Their adherents were fully aware of the difficulties before them. A favorable report from the house committee on ways and means 32 was secured, and the bill was safely steered through the house. Monmouth had an alumnus 33 from Clatsop County in the legislature on the house ways and means com- mittee and he did valiant service for the schools. But the bill made no progress when it reached the senate.
Jay Bowerman, an aspiring leader of Condon, Gilliam Coun- ty, was president of the senate. It was charged that Bower- man had an animus against the normal lobby that went back
31 Governor Chamberlain had modified his views on the normal question. In his message to the legislature, 1909, he said: "I hope the legislature will once and for all settle the normal school question, and probably the best way to do it is to act upon the recommendation of the board of regents and make provisions for main- taining three schools in fie state."
32 The normals had two avowed adherents on the ways and means committee in the house: John C. McCue of Clatsop and Mann of Umatilla.
33 John C. McCue.
