put down and out, and if they are not voted back this November I do not know what we will do for teachers in the next two years.

School boards are asking for either trained or experienced teachers, and they cannot be found.

HIGH SCHOOLS.

We have several schools in this county that are doing three years of the high school work, but only one that has been carrying the full high school course, Monmouth. Dallas, Independence, Falls City, Ballston, and Bethel will this year have the full course. We will in November vote on the creation of a county high school fund, and if this carries, as we all believe it will, the high schools of this county will be placed on a better basis.

SELECTION OF TEACHERS.

School boards of this county are very careful in the selection of teachers in nearly all cases and are not hiring teachers without first inquiring into their preparation, experience, etc.

About 85 per cent of the boards are relying on the county superintendent to advise them in the selection.

MANUAL TRAINING.

A few of our schools have been doing some work along the lines of manual training. One in particular, the Bethel school, under the guidance of Professor F. G. Chute did some excellent work this past year. This only shows what can be done by all schools, for the Bethel school is a three-room rural school, and if a teacher with the amount of work that Professor Chute had to do could accomplish what he did in manual training, others can do something along this line.

SANITARY CONDITIONS.

We have been making a campaign along the lines of sanitation and are well pleased with the results. Last year nearly all out-buildings were repaired and placed in a sanitary condition. Window boards or some other equally good means of artificial ventilation were placed in 61 of our 66 schools in the county. Nearly every child has its own drinking cup or the use of the drinking fountain.

SPELLING.

Last year an effort was made to secure better spelling by having spelling contests over the county, and the results were highly successful. H. C. SEYMOUR.

TILLAMOOK COUNTY.

W. S. BUEL, SUPERINTENDENT.

The school conditions in Tillamook County are steadily improving. Within the last year school grounds have been cleared and leveled, modern buildings erected, special taxes levied for school purposes, competent and trained teachers sought, attendance more regular than in previous years, institutes well attended and much interest shown, course of study being used and applied, and high school attendance doubled.

Five modern school houses have been built and equipped within the past year. Three districts are now preparing to build the coming year. Suitable play grounds are being arranged for in the selecting of sites.

Thirty-eight of the forty-eight districts of the county raised funds by special tax, ranging from $80 to $5,600, with an average of nearly $700, or a total of $26,400. Taking into consideration that the census is less than 2,000, it seems to me to be all that we could have hoped for.

School boards are seeking experienced or trained teachers. This is having its effect upon teachers. Many are attending summer normals at Salem, Corvallis, Portland, and McMinnville during the summer vacation.

A much larger percentage of the census are attending school since the compulsory law went into effect than had been in attendance before that enactment. Pupils attend the entire term, whereas before about 30 per cent would attend only about one-half of the school term for the year. The attendance is much more regular. We have one thing yet to be improved that is punctuality. Many teachers report an excessive number of tardies each month. However, the teachers are striving to reduce this annoyance to a minimum, and I hope for the best possible results.

Practically every teacher in the county has attended the entire sessions of our annual institutes. Prospective teachers, pupils, patrons, and ministers have also attended our sessions and shown much interest in the efforts that are being put forth to better the school conditions.

The institutes have been favored with vocal solos, instrumental music, and readings for which we desire to express our appreciation. Teachers have profited by the time spent in these meetings. Upon visiting the teachers in their school work I found many of them applying with success lessons that had been given them at the institute.

The course of study has solved the problem of classifying the pupils and thus relieved a great burden from the teachers. It has also helped to make the work uniform. It stimulates both teacher and pupil, since it points out the amount of work that should be done within a given time. Its value is inestimable.

The county is divided into three divisions for the purpose of doing local institute work. Teachers are expected to attend sessions held within the territory covered by their division. A list of the subjects to be considered for each meeting are sent each teacher. Each teacher

working in the division is requested to lead the discussion of some one of the topics. If teachers have specialties they are assigned such subjects.

Four-year high school courses have been established at Tillamook, Bay City, and Nehalem, with more than 100 pupils doing high school work. Two-room schools are maintained at Cloverdale, Hebo, Fairview, and Wilson River.

I would be pleased to see one change in our school laws. I believe it would be of advantage to all concerned to have the county treasurer act as clerk for all the districts to a certain extent; that he retain all funds and pay it out upon order from the chairman and the clerk. This would relieve clerks from giving bonds. It would not make any more work for the treasurer, and would lessen the work of the clerks. It would make the work more accurate and thus make it better for the superintendents. I would suggest one exception-that of counties wherein there were districts of the first class.

Promising a more detailed report for the next time, I am,

Very truly yours,

W. S. BUEL.

UMATILLA COUNTY.

FRANK K. WELLES, SUPERINTENDENT.

In looking over the progress made by the public schools of Umatilla County since my last report, two years ago, I am very much encouraged. I believe that our schools are really making substantial progress. There has been an increase each year in the number of months of school taught. District officers are becoming more particular about whom they employ as teachers. They are paying better salaries, and are trying to get better teachers.

The number of our eighth grade graduates has increased 50 per cent in the last two years, and we have had a corresponding increase in the number of high schools that have been established.

There seems to be a gradual change of sentiment in regard to the school laws. The expression, "Oh, yes, I know it's the law, but," is not heard so often as it used to be. District officers seem to have more respect for the school laws, and are making a greater effort to comply with them.

SCHOOL HOUSES.

There has probably never before been a time in the history of Umatilla County when so many fine school houses were being built, as now. Seven buildings, costing over $130,000, have either just been completed, or are in course of construction. This means not only better accommodations for the pupils, but it means more and better equipment, better paid teachers, the addition of high school courses, and a revival of interest in the schools throughout the communities where these buildings are being erected. Many of the old school houses are being repaired, and new equipment is being added. A general awakening in these matters seems to prevail throughout the county.

INSTITUTES.

Since the law was passed permitting counties to hold joint annual institutes, the institutes for Umatilla County have been held jointly with Baker and Union counties, the meetings being seld successively at Pendleton, Baker City, and La Grande. This plan has several decided advantages and seems to meet with the approval of nearly all of the teachers. Each county helps in bearing the expenses of the meeting, thus providing a much larger fund with which to employ speakers, and assuring a stronger program. The expense to the teachers is slightly greater for railroad fare, but this is about offset by the pleasure of taking a trip to another county, and thus becoming better acquainted with the State. We have always had quite a good balance left in our institute fund after the expenses were paid,. and have used this in improving our local institutes.

SCHOOL TAXES.

After trying for several years to persuade our county court to increase the levy for the county school fund to more than $7.00 per capita, which is the smallest levy that is allowed by law, I succeeded last January, with the help of several commercial associations, many school district officers, and some of the heavy taxpayers, in having the levy increased from $7.00 to $10 per capita. Although this increased our county school fund nearly $20,000, there was no objection on the part of the taxpayers. This action of the county court gave practically universal satisfaction, and it is probable that the next levy will be made at the rate of $10 per capita.

There is no uniformity in the size or wealth of the school districts of this county. One country district may not have one-fourth as much

taxable property as an adjoining district, and yet their expenses may , be the same. Thus, if a one-mill special tax were sufficient in the wealthier district, the poorer district would have to levy a four-mill tax.

An increase in the county levy allows a corresponding decrease in the special district levies, and secures a greater uniformity in the payment of taxes. Then, too, there are some districts in the county that never vote a special district tax. They depend entirely upon the State and county funds, and when this money is exhausted the schools close. These schools are being benefited by the increase in the county school fund. It has come to my notice that at least three small districts that were allowed to lapse, will have school again this year. They will now have enough money to run their schools for six months, and this they intend to do.

OUR NEEDS.

We are greatly in need of trained teachers. The supply of teachers of any kind is not sufficient to fill our schools, and about one-third of the teachers employed in this county each year never taught here before, and many of them in fact never taught anywhere before. The lack of a sufficient number of trained teachers is a great hindrance to our schools, and is, I believe, a much more serious thing than many persons realize. The want of trained teachers, and the lack of close supervision, in all of our schools except those of the large cities, are two very serious problems.

UNION COUNTY.

E. E. BRAGG, SUPERINTENDENT.

COUNTY INSTITUTES.

For some years the counties adjoining this county have all joined in one big county institute, and hold it in connection with the eastern division of the State Teachers' Association. The last meeting of this kind was held at Pendleton. Ninety-five per cent of the teachers of this county attended. This meeting will be held at La Grande this year, and Umatilla, Baker, Wallowa, and probably Malheur counties will join in with us. November 21, 22, and 23, are the dates for the meeting, and I think it will be up to the usual standard of these meetings.

LOCAL INSTITUTES.

Local institutes have always been well attended in this county, and teachers get a great deal of good from them. We have three or four men and women from points outside of the county to help in these meetings during the year, and so far we have always had the State Superintendent attend at least one meeting. These meetings are held in different parts of the county. We usually have six or eight meetings a year.

COMPULSORY EDUCATION.

This law is now pretty well understood and I think will be more of a success than it has been in the past, though it has helped a great deal in the past, as our attendance record is better every year since the law has been in effect. It would help this law a great deal if we could pay more for the truant officers. The pay is entirely too small, and it is hard to get the work done on that account.

EIGHTH GRADE EXAMINATIONS.

This year we had much the largest eighth grade class in the history of this county. These examinations are a big help to the pupils and

teachers in the country schools. It keeps many pupils in school longer than they would be if we did not have these examinations. I encourage having graduating exercises in the country schools, and when possible I attend them and do what I can to encourage the pupils to go on to high school.

HIGH SCHOOLS.

We have four schools in this county doing the full four years of high school work. La Grande, Union, Elgin, and Cove are the schools. Island City and North Powder both have three years of high school work, and Alicel, Imbler, and Summerville are all doing work above the eighth grade.

COURSE OF STUDY.

The course of study has been a greater help to this county than any one can well estimate. Every teacher who has been here one or more years understands the course pretty well, and new teachers take to it very kindly.

Very few teachers find fault with the course, and they are usually teachers who do not understand it or any other course.

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

Salaries are a little higher this year than they have been before, but they are not high enough yet. The cost of living is increasing more than teachers' salaries are.

TEACHERS' MONTHLY REPORTS.

These reports are a great help to the superintendent though they do make a lot of work. Teachers understand these reports now, and usually send them in on time.

NEW BUILDINGS.

La Grande is now building a new high school building that will cost a little more than $75,000. School men say that it will be one of the very finest high school buildings in the State, outside of Portland. It will be ready for use by January 1, 1911.

Union has voted bonds for a $50,000 high school building. The bonds have been issued, but I think it will not be ready until the beginning of the school year 1911.

GENERAL OUTLOOK.

Never in the history of Union County has the educational outlook been so bright as it is at this time. We have better prepared teachers than ever before. Teachers and parents are working well together. School officers are generally earnest and painstaking.

I fully realize that our schools are not what they should be, but I also realize that they are better than they have ever been before, and that they are getting better every year. The outlook is bright. E. E. BRAGG.

WALLOWA COUNTY.

J. C. CONLEY, SUPERINTENDENT.

I beg to submit the following special report of school conditions in this county:

GENERAL OUTLOOK.

The general outlook for bettering the school conditions in this county is more favorable than ever before.