OREGON NORMAL SCHOOLS 135
picture of the daily affairs of the schools, an inquiry into their organization, conditions, and life is necessary.
The presidents of the normal schools were also teachers. Pedagogy, ancient and modern languages, psychology, history, science, and mathematics represent some of the subjects taught. Generally the tenure of office was short Monmouth being a conspicuous exception. Many of the prominent men of Oregon have been in charge of the destinies of one of the state normals.
Monmouth has had but four presidents since 1882: D. T. Stanley, who was successful in having the normal established ; P. L. Campbell, who secured the first appropriation, now presi- dent of the state university; E. D. Ressler, president 1902- 1909 while the fight was on in the legislature, now dean of the school of education, Agricultural College; and J. H. Acker- man, incumbent, who held the office of state superintendent during the hottest part of the normal fight, and was elected president when the normal was reinstated in 1911. At Ash- land there were M. G. Royal, J. S. Sweet, W. M. Clayton, W. T. VanScoy, and B. F. Mulkey; at Drain, H. L. Benson, F. W. Benson, W. C. Hawley, W. T. VanScoy, Louis Barzee, E. H. Anderson, J H. Orcutt, W. H. Dempster, and A. L. Briggs; at Weston, C. A. Wooddy, F. J. Van Winkle, M. G. Royal, D. V. S. Reed, J. A. Beattie, J. M. Martindale, and Robert F. French. H. L. Benson is now a member of the state supreme court, and W. C. Hawley is United States Con- gressman from the first Oregon District.
College degrees were not required of the faculty members, though the board of regents finally went on record as being opposed to employing teachers unless they were at least grad- uates of a four-year normal school. 39 W. B. Ayer in the minor- ity report of the board of regents quoted the visiting commit- tee appointed to visit the schools in 1908 as reporting that: "Out of fifty-one teachers reported upon only sixteen were good; the balance were fair only, or absolutely poor." As an example of the typical faculty roll the following list is given
39 1898.
