Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 21.djvu/170

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160 JOHN C. ALMACK

chosen president. The legislature convened in the winter of 1911 and appropriated $50,000 for the construction of a girls' dormitory. Needed repairs were also provided for. In March, 1911, the Oregon Teachers' Monthly stated that the normal was scheduled to open on September 18 and that President Ackerman was already in charge of affairs and engaged in working out a normal school policy.

In the same issue of the Teachers' Monthly Dr. Joseph Schafer, head of the history department of the University of Oregon, published an article on the "Responsibility of the Normal School." Dr. Schafer took occasion to say :

"(Oregon) is about to reopen on what is reputed to be a thoroughly sound financial basis the normal school at Mon- mouth. This institution, whose career was for so many years so creditable to its management, and so advantageous to the educational interests of the state, particularly the town schools, was put out of existence two years ago by the legislature, and is now revived by the people under the initiative. It is vir- tually a new creation in all except the buildings."

As Dr. Schafer said the school which opened at Monmouth in 1911 was virtually a new creation. A millage tax had been voted for maintenance, and it was believed it would no longer be necessary to lobby for support. The legislature had also provided for the standardization of the school by prescribing the method, and defining the term. According to this law a standard normal is defined as follows :

"For entrance, four years' work above the eighth grade in the secondary schools.

"For graduation, two years' additional work, including a thorough review of the common branches and training in a practice school.

"The maintenance of a well equipped training school, the course of study covering work in the elementary grades.

"An attendance of 216 weeks above the eighth grade re- quired for graduation; provided, that any normal school may