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ASTORIA. OREGON:
D. C. IRELAND Editor.
FRIDAY JA20JAKY 3, 1879
"An Oasis in the Desert."
The Slar Chamber Committee Kcport.
The long expected report of the
Star-chamber committee has at
length been given to the public,
and while our space forbids general
comment at present upon the many
phases of corruption which the re
port pretends to present, in view
of the fact that the selling of ex
amination papers to persons am
bitious to become teachers in our
sister state California, has raised
one of the loudest noises that has
ever been made through the press
of that state, we are somewhat as
tonished to see this in the Oregon
smiling committee repert:
The committee also desire to
state that the books, papers and
vouchers of Professor L. L. Row
land are in a complete and intelli
gible condition, and the committee
believe that this officer has per
formed his duties as superintend
ent of public instruction in an
honest, systematic, and straight
forward manner. His conduct is
an oasis in the desert of official
inefficiency and peculation in the
state administration of the past
four years.
That Mr. Rowland's papers are
intelligible we are not prepared to
deny. That they are "complete"
we are certain is false; that the
duties have been performed in a
"systematic manner" may be true,
but it has been a system of fraud,
and not of "honesty." "We assert
without fear of successful contra
diction, that during the last four
years the department of education
at Salem has been conducted in a
manner that would in many coun
tries send the Rev. Mr. Rowland,
this "oasis in the desert to prison"
for a term of years. There has
been some villainous things devel
oped in California, but none that
can compare in shamelessness with
the actions of this "oasis" Row
land. "We assert that for coin the
highest certificates in the state
have been given without so much
as a pretense of examination. That
women, who in county examina
tions could barely get the lowest
grade, have been given state and
life diplomas. That the standard
was placed high to make it profita
ble. Even for a common certifi
cate the law says: "He shall
strictly examine all persons who
apply to him for certificates."
Speaking of the state board the
law sa3Ts:
The board shall have power to
invite not less than four profes
sional teachers to assist in the
semi-annual examinations; but
such assistants shall not be allowed
any pay, other than is provided
for in this act, concerning fees for
diplomas and certificates.
rtNot less than four professional
teachers." Now attend to this
fact; when the parties were will
ing to pay, 7io examination was
necessary, the matter was easily
arranged. How much this one got,
or how much Rowland got, we
'were in hopes this committe would
discover. We go further, we
doubt if during the past four years
there have been two state diplo
mas or life diplomas issued upon
examination, and the whole num
ber issued is not far from a hun
dredperhaps the investigating
com niitteacan tell just how many?
Mr. Rowland's successor, the Rev.
Mr. Powell, was a very useful man
to, the comittee; did the committee
discover from the "complete"
records of Mr. Rowland's office
that Mr. Powell holds one of those
Vleft-handed" diplomas? Did Mr.
Powell tell them that Gov. -Grover
at first refused to sign"his diploma;
and that it took Mr. Carin two!
days to persuade him? Did he
tell you, gentlemen, that he, Mr.
Ring and Mr. Crawford, raised a
sum jointly or separately, or did
he show you in the "complete" pa
pers how Mr. Rowland figured up
ninety per cent, on eleven differ
ent branches, without asking a
question? Did he tell you how
much it cost to get a diploma?
Did Mr. Rowland tell you whom
he intended to gull when in his
biennial report of 1S76, he says:
Candidates for life diplomas and
state diplomas, must present to
the board satisfactory testimonials
of good moral character, and of
marked success in teaching for a
period of three years, of which at
least one year must have been in
Oregon, and must pass acceptable
examinations in all the studies
prescribed for a county certificate,
and in the following in additien:
General history, algebra, geometry,
composition, English literature,
book-keeping, physiology natural
philosophy, theory and practice of
teaching, constitution of the United
States and constitution and school
law of the state of Oregon. To
obtain a life diploma, a candidate
must answer correctly at least
ninety per cent, of all the ques
tions; and to obtain a state diplo
ma, he must answer correctly at
least seventy-five per cent, of the
questions.
It has been said of Mr. King,
Mr. Crawford and Mr. Powell,
there was no need to examine
them, they certainly could pass
examination. It is a sufficient
answer to say that the law is no
regarder of persons; and any hon
est man knows that if they had
felt certain-of their ability to get
diplomas according to law they
would not have tried to get them
in violation of it. The law says:
Sec. IS. The proceedings of each
session of the board shall be pub
lished for general distribution, con
taining, in addition to the ordinary
proceedings, the4 result of the ex
aminations for certificates.
Did the investigating committee
see any of these results? Did all
have over ninet' per cent? Are
the answers on file? Will the pa
pers show who were the examiners
in each particular case? No, gen
tleman; no, nothing of the kind.
You know this, or else you know
nothing about it. Some may say:
"Why do you mention Mr. King,
Mr. Crawford, and Mr. Powell?"
Because they were the first to open
the gate. They have acted as
sponsors for others; they have had
the brass to pretend that there was
no violation of law in the matter,
and they are drawing large salaries,
upon these certincates, ana are
aware that other teachers in the
Portland schools are doing the
same, notwithstanding that the
law says:
Sec. 48. If any board of direc
tors shall draw a warrant on the
school fund for the wages of any
teacher who has not obtained a
certificate as required by this act,
and laid the same before the di
rectors for their inspection, such
district shall forfeit its proportion
of the school fund for the year.
Sec. 19 was a very useful section
to the state board. If a person had
ever lived in the neighborhood of
a Normal school, large or small, or
had a cousin or an acquaintance
that had attended one, the matter
was easily arranged, if they were
thought to be financially sound.
Read the section and then we will
illustrate its applicatien:
Sec. 19. The state board may,
at their discretion, grant, without
examination, diplomas and certifi
cates to persons presenting authen
ticated diplomas or certificates
from other states, of the like grade
and kind, as those granted by the
board of this state.
The Rev. Mr. Jones had a di
ploma from California; it stated
on its face that Mr. Jones had
passed a satisfactory examination.
J Xhe board were pleased to' 'gran,t
the Rev. Jones a diploma. Mr.
Rowland is a Rev., and of course
had a "fellow-feeling51 for Jones;
and Mr. Chadwick is almost a Rev.,
and has a fellow-feeling for every
one. Here was a safe case, and so
they determined to let the Rev.
Mr. Jones see how exact and law
abiding they were. They gave
Mr. Jones to understand it would
be necessary to authenticate the
diploma; then it came out that
Mr. Jones had the diploma, but
that he had never passed the ex
amination. His friends, his well
known experience, his unquestion
able merit, had secured him the
honor of a diploma without the
"degradation" of an examination.
The board were surprised, not to
say chagrined. They could not
pretend that the diploma was good,
after what they had said; they cut
the Gordian knot; they declared
that the fact that' Mr. Jones had
the courage, the honesty to tell the
truth about the matter, so surprised,
so overwhelmed them, that they
felt constrained to show that the
were not insensible to the moral
grandeur of his character, and to
mark their admiration of truth,
they would give him a diploma
that substantially asserts that out
of 110 questions, on eleven branch
es, he had answered 09. when the
7 7
truth of common people would be
that he had not answered one.
Did you discover, gentlemen,
that an ex-president of a collegiate
institute, connected with the Port
land High-school, had the misfor
turne while J. J. Browne was
county superintendent, to get only
a second-grade county certificate,
and that thereupon the Rev. L. L.
Rowland, D. D., this "oasis," did
urge the state board to grant a
life diploma to the said gentleman
"on account of his high social
standing;" and that furthermore
one of the teachers of examination
took occasion there and then to tell
the Rev. L. L. Rowland what he
thought about the matter; and
what the people would think about
it, if they once got to understand
it? And did you, among the "com
plete" papers of this "oasis," find
a resolution of the board that no
more diplomas should be issued
without examination? And did
you discover, furthermore, that the
promise was a lie; that the resolu
tion was a snare, and that, like a
river, their course of knavery broad
ened and deepened as it came to
its close? At the institute held
in Salem, August, 1S77, the follow
ing resolution was presented by
Professor Marsh:
Resolved, That in the opinion
of this institute it is unwise as well
as unfair and illegal for state cer
tificates or diplomas to be issued
to applicants, otherwise than on
regular examinations before the
board, or on presentation of similar
certificates or diplomas from anoth
er state.
Mr. Syl. C. Simpson offered the
following substitute:
"Whereas, We have been in
formed that it is the determination
of the state board of examination
hereafter to issue the state diplo
mas and certificates provided for
by law only to candidates who have
been duly examined and found
worthy, to those who present sim
ilar diplomas or certificates from
other states, and to retiring mem
bers of the board, therefere:
Resolved, by the Oregon State
Teachers' institute, That we heart
ily approve this determination of
the board, believing that the prac
tice of granting such diplomas and
certificates to other classes of per
sons without examination is liable
to great abuse, and is a prolific
source of jealousy and dissension
among the teachers of the state,
and thai the inflexible rule of the
board on the subject should be
"equal and exact justice o all, and
special privileges to none'."
And the Rev. L. J. Powell got
up and introduced a "love feast,"
and a camp-meeting,. right, in thet
midst of the institute, and begged
them, and implored them, not to
destroy harmony and good feeling
and gentle and brotherly love, by
passing such a resolution. And
King, and Rowland, and Crawford
peddled diplomas, and positions in
the Portland schools, and promises
some of which have not been
kept and the matter was post
poned but not forever.
Gentlemen of the investigating
committee, there were some four
or five thousand dollars in this ed
ucational job; there were many in
terested in keeping it quiet; it has
been kept quiet. You have made
your report it was the crack of a
pocket pistol when it might have
been the roar of a cannon.
J-We desire it to be distinctly
understood that those who send us ad
vertisements from abroad, must send
the cash with the advertisements- if they
would have them appear. "We have
numbers of advertisements sent us from
strangers saving, "Please insert aad
send uni.' This we cannot do; the cash
must accompan y theeopy and the order.
BORN.
In Astoria, December 31, 1878, to the
wife of E. B. Parkerr a son.
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
Farter! Natitfe.
MTE VARIOUS COMPANIES
OF THE
X Astoria Fire UenArtuieafc are requested
to attend the funeral! rtf Mr! Ferdinand Fer-
to attend the funeral! rtf Mr! Ferdinand Fer-!
rell. member of Astoria Engine Co. No. 1,
..... "lv;,. rv. .'n i
wiiicit will take piatfe on Friday, January
church.
i&Tfl.at li) o ciocK Ajryj., atMJrace (K
ninco nan
C. J. fllEXCHAllD.
Ulnct' Engineer, a. f. d.
Astoria, Jan. 2, 1S70,
2-dlt
;tukpi:v house.
D. L. TBJtPIN - - - Fkoivrietor,
MAIN STREET,
2ween.Kquemocqhe and Jefferson,
J aVtoria, Oregon.
farid lodging per week .0 so
lioary par day ....7. 1 00
Single Meal 2S
Tue table will be supplied at all times with
the best the market affords.
Q E. BELL
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
Notary Public and Commissioner of Deeds for
California and Washington Territory.
Agtorin, Oregon.
Office Corner of Snuemocqhe and Cass
streets, up stains, ovek. S. Larsen's store.
iYOTICE CAUTION.
THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CAU
tions everybody and gives notice that he
will not be responsible for any debts con
tracted by any other person than himself, for
or on his account, without his written order.
after this date.
Also that all moneys due the undersigned
on current accounts must be settled and paid
within ten days, otherwise they will b put
in the hands of an attorney for collection.
H. R.FARKE1U
Astoria, Oregon, Jan. 1, 1S7S. l-2w
IT IS A POSITIVE TRUTH
That housekeepers can do better bv dealing
with J. K. WIRT, on Main street, as
he keeps the best of
FRUITS, CANDIES, NUTS.
LIQTJOES AND CIGARS,
SMOKED SALMOM,
BOLOGNE SAUSAGE,
JERKED ELK MEAT,
And also from Clatsop every other day
FEESH BUTTER, EGGS, CHEESE,
CLAMS, DUCKS, CHICKENS,
And everything that is needed in the cook
ing line at the lowest living prices.
Call and examine before purchasing else
where. J. K. WIRT.
JUST OPENED AT
B. HAMBURGER'S
A FINE
DEY GOODS!
IN ALL ITS
QiXiioiTijarixiJsriQ-
THE FINEST ASSORTMENT TO BE FOUND IN THE CITY.
FIFTEEN DOZEN HATS RECEIVED PER STEAMSHIP OREGON,
ALL OP THE LATEST STYLES.
We have marked these goods down to tlie lowest mark and purchasers will do well to
call on ns before purchasing. An Invoice of
GOLD
SILTED mJCHlIftGS, SOMETHING XEW.
MAIN STREET, - - - - -
I HAVE ON HAND
SUGAR TOYS,
GUM PASTE TOYS,
DOVE BASKETS,
THE
FANCY BASKETS,
And other Christmas Tree
of plain and Fancy CANDIES,
CAKES,
AND
CRACKERS
NUTS,
Which I will sell at the lowest
8cnon hnndsomoly ornamented
A liberal discount to ohjrchcsfor
monts at
OEPOS1TE THE
.git OYSTERS . SERVED
BANKING AND INSURANCE.
X W. CASE,
ASTORIA, OREGON.
BROKER AND BANKER.
DEPOSITS RECEIVED IN COIN OK cur
rency subject to check at sight.
KS-Sight checks issued on Portland, availa
ble in any part of Oregon and Washington
territory.
e"Sigbt checks issued on San Francisco,
available m any part of the State of Cali
foniKi. rSight checks issued on New York citv,
available in any part of the Eastern States."
ESTApproyed bills discounted. Loans made
on available security. Collections made
promptly.
$67,000,000 CAPITAL.
LIVERPOOL AND LONDON AND
GLOBE,
NORTH BRITISH AND MERCAN
TILE OP LONDON AND
EDINBURGH.
OLD CONNECTICUT OF HART
FORD, AND
COMMERCIAL OF CALIFORNIA
FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES.
Representing a capital of S67.O0O,OOO.
A. VAN DUSEN. Agent.
Home Mutual Insurance Co,
OF CALIFORNIA,
.T. F. iloupiiTOx .President
Ciias. II. Stokv Secretary
Hamilton Boyd, u . . ,
Geo I Story, j Agents for Oregon
Officic Northeast eorner of Stark and First
streets, Portland, Okego
Net Cash received for Fire-Premiums
m 1S77 335,511 04
Assets, Jan. 1,1878
Liabilities
. 578,005 S3
Losses vuipaid JS.!,KW 37
. Tiivwlniifle 1 iv.t tr
Surplus for Trope .-tv Holders .9r747n 4T
I'MIUIIIMJ ..u)l ni
5.5K ST
Losses paid iu Oregon in six yearsu$ll4,5lG 72
I. "IV. C 1SR, Agent,
3-26tf Astoria. Oregon.
AUCTION SALES.
"P C. HOLDEN,
Notary Public for the State of Oregon-.
Ren! Estate Agent and Conveyancer.
Agent for the FIREMEN'S FUND INSUR
ANCE COMFANY of San Francisco.
COMMISSION AGENT and AUCTIONEER.
Bents and Accounts Collected, and re
turns promptly maik.
Regular sales day,
SATURDAYS nt 2 P. 3T.
N. B. Tarties having real estate, lurni
ture or any other goods to dispose of either
at auction or private sale should notify me :vs
soon as convenient before the day of sale.
No storage eharged on goods sold at Auc
tion. L C. HOLDEN.
td Auctioneer.
A GIRL "W.tNTED.-To do general house
work ni a small family.
Address : F. O. BOX 75.
1-tf Astoria, Oregon.
Barbour's
IRISH FLM THREADS
AND
Salmon Net Twine
Cotton Seine Twine,
Cork and Lead Lines.
BARBOUR BROTHERS,
119 Piue Street, San Francisco.
HENRY DOYLE & Co.. JT"naww.
STOCK OF-
DRY GOODS
DEPARTMENTS
- - ASTORIA, OREGON.
LARGEST ASSORTMENT OF
HEARTS, FIGURES,
FLO"WER BASKETS,
CORNUCOPIAS.
WAX CANDLES.
Ornaments. Also, a fine lot
with all kinds of
FRESH ORANGES, LI3CBS
AND COCOA NTKESi
cash price, Will havo fii dua
cakes for Christmas and Now Yoar.
candies and Christmas Tree rna-
BELL TO"VVER.
.IN E.YEB.Y STYLE r?S - -
Hmmsi
9 " V
t
.