Survey of Public Education in Eugene.
77
It carried, but by a small margin.[1] The opposition succeeded in getting a special meeting called to reconsider the vote. This time the victory of the school party was decisive.[2]
Work began at once. The building was erected, and in January, 1878, school opened in the Central School House, of which the citizens of Eugene were justly very proud.
Our survey is practically completed. With the erection of the new building and the adoption of the policy of educating all the children of the town in it,[3] old things had passed. There was no longer any need for private schools in Eugene, and they abandoned the field. At last educational interests and educational effort were unified.
JOSEPH SCHAFER.
- ↑ Interview with Judge J. J. Walton.
- ↑ Guard, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 1877. It is interesting to note that the presence of the university in Eugene is used as an argument in favor of the building project. "We cannot go before the legislature with very good grace and ask for state aid for the university when we do not show enterprise enough to have a decent, respectable district schoolhouse."
- ↑ While the school was not yet wholly free, it was nearly so. In 1878 the directors asked the patrons to pay a rate of fifty cents per quarter for each pupil. The school was at once thoroughly graded, under the supervision of Prof. T. C. Bell. The attendance leaped at once to almost the full capacity of the new quarters.
