132 JOHN C. ALMACK
extravagance, the appropriations totaling about $2,000,000. Of this amount $100,000 was given to build an automobile highway to Crater Lake, which was characterized by the South- ern Oregon papers as for "the gratification of the idle rich," and for the use of "bug-buzzing tourists." On the normal question itself the papers outside of the interested centers were silent. The Blue Mountain Eagle of Canyon City said :
"No state-wide legislation of any importance has been ac- complished. The time has been spent mostly in raising salaries, and debating ten-inch hat pins and nine-foot sheets."
The Corvallis Gazette on February 26th said this on the normal fight :
"In wiping out the normal schools, the senate has succeeded in accomplishing something no other legislature has ever been able to do. The breaking up of the normal school combination was chiefly the work of President Jay Bowerman. For several years the normals have played a most important part in the deliberations of the legislature. They have defeated and made laws, and they have defeated and made United States sen- ators. At least one of the normals was created because of votes given to a candidate for United States senator."
"This is the first time the normals have ever been downed, and they have taken their defeat hard. The senate refused absolutely to even make the small appropriation of $10.000 to pay salaries to the end of the school term. This appropriation was designed as funeral expenses, but the senate was in a mood where it would not even spend money for flowers."
The schools were cut off in the middle of the year without means of support. Students who had been in attendance for three and one-half years lost their hopes of graduation. Many of the faculty had come from the East at the beginning of the school year to take positions and several teachers were left practically penniless with two months' salary unpaid. The feeling against the senators in the schools was bitter. Ashland with a perseverance that did her credit at once raised $1,500
