Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Coquille herald. (Coquille, Coos County, Or.) 1905-1917 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 1917)
T he coquille H erald VOL. 35, NO. 19 FAVORS COUNTY UNIT PLAN Baker Would Have the Law Placing Schools Under County Control Pass COMPARES IT WITH DISTRICT Would Improve Schools and Equalize Taxes A bill will be introduced in the Or egon legisalture this session to pro vide for the County Unit I'lun o f sup porting und administering the com mon school system o f the state. In order to be able to judge the merits of the proposed system intelligently a brief discussion o f its advantages in comparison with those of the pres ent district system, may be in order. file district system as we now have it in most o f the United States is found only in this country. The schools o f Europe and o f civilized na tions m other parts o f the w orld are supported and controlled either na tionally or by some unit closely cor responding to our counties or states. The district system sprang from the pioneer conditions o f the colonial days o f New England, and was car ried thence to other sections as the tide of migration rolled westward. It was the only possible plan for isolated pioneer settlements, which were often made in territory where no county or state government had been organized. Later, the difficulty o f welding these individual and sometimes conflicting units into a harmonious whole pre vented the growth o f county or state control so that in more than half of the states we still have this inherited system, regardless o f whether it is adapted to the educational needs of modem times or not. One o f the greatest arguments used in favor of the district system is that it is democratic, and ullows the people o f each community to build up and maintain just the kind o f school they wish. This might be true if each dis trict had its proportionate share of wealth with which to endow its school, and equally com petent boards to ad minister them. In reality this boasted democracy consists o f only one thing, democracy of control. If true dem oc racy means anything worth while it means equality of opportunity, and this the district system not only fails to give but absolutely prevents. A few illustrations may be given to show the weakness of the district system. The Bridge School, No. 77, Coos County, Oregon, levies from fif teen to twenty mills special tax each year, hires three expert teachers for about sixty pupils, and gives not only the common school but three years of high school work. It educates about seventy per cent o f the children o f ed- ucable age in the district. The Big Creek School levies from one to three mills, hires one teacher, who is gen erally a beginner, and has from thirty-seven to seventy per cent of the children o f school age as shown by the census, in actual attendance. Tw o other adjacent districts that might be contrasted are North Bend, with its sixteen mill levy, eighteen teachers, full high school courses, and nearly seventy per cent of its census enumeration enrolled in school; and Kentuck Inlet, No. 17, with its three i..!'.! levy, one teacher, less than sixty per cent of the children in school, and a district feud that has become known through the kindness o f the newspa pers from one end o f Oregon to the other. The two main features o f the pro posed County Unit Plan are, first, the support of the common school sys tem by a blanket tax levied on the entire county. Second, the adininis- traton o f the entire school system ' y a board o f five memoers elected at the time of the annual school meeting, ;,o m li.e zones into which the county is divided. This board appoints the County Superitendent as its execu tive officer, and would probably be assisted by a loeal representative for each school in the county. As the assessed valuation o f all the school districts in the county for the present year are not yet available in convenient form, the valuations and levies for last year have been taken as an illustration o f the way the sys tem would work in Coos county. The total valuation for the county fo r last year was $21,109,670. The County court levied a general fund tax o f $54,960. The six districts hav ing standard high schools levied special taxes amounting to $100,003.- 75, o f which $33,716.90 was for the support o f high schools. The other districts o f the county, all except the six maintaining high schools, levied $51,033.42 for the support o f the com mon school. COQUILLE, COOS COUNTY, OREGON. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1917. Amount raised by cities for common school sup port ....................................... $66,286.85 Amount raised by rural districts .............................. 51,033.12 Amount raised by general fund, levied by Co. court 51,90o.00 Total special tax and County F u n d ........................ $172,380.27 This would require a levy o f eight and sixteen-hundiedths mills o f tlse valuation o f the County for last year, but this levy would also include the general fund levy made by the County court o f nearly two and seven-tenths mils. Districts that levied more than five and one-half mills for the support of the common schools last year I ex cluding the amount levied for high school support) would, therefore have profited under this system exactly in proportion to the increase o f their special millage above five und one- half mills. On the basis of last year’s school census and assessed valuation, the av erage assessed valuation per census pupil was $3072.73. This would have been the financial resource back of the education of each child had the county unit plan been in operation. But only one town district, Marsh field, and 35 rural districts out o f a total o f 86 districts in the county had this large a valuation per pupil, so the other 50 districts were financially handicapped by valuations lower than this average for the county. The per capita valuation of the towns per census pupil was as follow s: Coquille ................................ $1,776.30 Marshfield ............................ 3598.41 North Bend .......................... 1801.49 Powers .................................. 2001.35 Myrtle Point ........................ 1446.42 Bandon .................................. 1170.00 The problem of high school support would not be changed from the pres ent one, as each district maintaining a standard high school would make a special levy for its support, but would be paid by the rest o f the county the actual cost of schooling the non-resi dent high school pupils, actually at tending its high school. Thus, if a district had 100 high school pupils, of whom seventy-five are resident, and twenty-five non-resident pupils from rural schools, the district would have to pay seventy-five per cent o f the expense o f the high school and the icst of the county would pay twenty- five per cent. Under the County Unit plan the follow ing results would be attained: District lines would be practically wiped out, and children could attend school wherever it was most conven- ent for them to do so. All tuition charges against the pupil would be eliminated. The county board would fix practi cally uniform salaries and terms, and could rapidly standardize buildings and equipment in all the districts. Buildings could be located wherever needed, and transportation provided where it would be more advantageous than to maintain local schools. Buildings could be erected when needed. Many distrets are now too poor to build decent school houses. A trainod teacher could be provided for even the most remote rural school. Lofal feuds would be almost entire ly done away with. Another advantage would be that (he County Treasurer would handle all the funds for the districts, and the county would receive interest on the unexpended balance, which is now scattered over the county so that the interest it might draw if kept Intact, is now lost. Cooi county, last year, spent over >1800 for district clerks’ salaries. Most o f this would be saved by having the County Treasurer act as custodian of the funds. The elimination o f special district levies would greatly simplify the work o f the County Assessor and Sheriff. The sheriff’s office estimates that at least 25 per cent o f the ex penses o f collecting taxes would be eliminated by the County Unit plan. The fact that the County Assessors, at their annual meeting last year, voted unanimously in favor o f this plqn is strong evidence that those wno know best how it would work out are its strongest advocates. The burden o f taxation will bs practically uniform from year to year, which would be a great advantage to all. The same district may now levy a one mill tax one year, and a ten or fifteen mill tax the next. Last year, district number 83 had a valuation of $657 back o f the educa tion o f each child; Bandon had about $1170 assessed valuation per census pupil with which to support her com mon and high scho-w system, while district No. 22 had $75217.50 valua tion per pupil with which to maintain a one room school with an average attendance o f but seven pupils. Any efficient organization must have a board of control and an exe cutive head. The County School Sup erintendent Is now supposed to be at the head o f the school system o f the county, but he actually has very little power. Two thirds o f his duties as laid down in the Oregon School Laws (Continued on Page 2) FARM LOANS INTEREST MANY Farmers Make Many Inquir ies Regarding New Law— Ask About Organizing MATTER I1ISEIISSEII AT CLUB cause he gave them credit for sincerity and for wanting only what they thought right, the whole matter was arranged amicably and with the best o f feeling. O f the picture itself, it may be said that, whatever it may have contained when first issued, everything that could be called objectionable had been cut out, and there remained a clean and moral story enacted in a series o f the most beautiful scenes that have ever been presented on the screen. The ar tistic beauty o f the settings, both in terior and exterior, was wonderful. The acting was above par, and that of Miss Munson was surprisingly good. The house was well fulled, and every one seemed pleased with the picture. CLUB PROTESTS NEW SCHEDULE Efforts Being Made to Over come Inconveniences in Present Service SCOTT UPHOLDS SC H ED U LE A. J. Sherwood Explains Fine Give the Boys a Square Deal Says Change Would Discom mode Traveling Public Points of the Law The farmers o f the Coquille valley, or at least a goodly number o f them, ore very mr.ch interested in the Feder al Farm Loan act. This fact was brought out by A. J. Sherwood in his address before the Commercial Club Wednesday night. Mr. Sherwood said that a number o f farmers spoke to him on the subject after it became known that he was to discuss the subject be fore the club, wanting to know what was going to be done at the meeting and when it was purposed to organize a local. Several farmers from Bridge called him up on the phone and said that if the meeting was for the purpose o f organizing they intended to come down. * With so much interest prevalent among the people who most of all will benefit from the forming o f a local as sociation under the Federal Farm Loan act, it should be exceedingly simple to bring about such an organization. No active program was decided upon by the Club, after listening to Mr. Sherwood, except that the discussing o f the law Í3 to be continued at the regular meeting tomorrow night and any farmers or other persons who are interested in the matter are urged to be pres» nt and participate in the meet ing. The purpose o f the discussions is to familiarize the people with the act, so that it will be possible to go ahead in an intelligent way with the forma tion and utilization o f the local. Mr. Sherwood in his talk Wednesday night went into detail regarding the purpose ar.d workings o f the law, show ing how the intricate system, consist ing o f the Federal Farm Loan Board, o f Washington, the regional Land Loan Banks, the one for the Northwest being located at Spokane, and the local asso ciations, which may be formed in any part o f the country, protects the farm er and allows him to secure money at a low rate o f interest and for a long period of time and at the same time guards against abuses o f the system. That the organization of a local loan association would not materially inter fere with the business o f the local banks was also brought out by Mr. Sherwood. He pointed out that but a very small part o f the bank’s busines consisted in making farm loans and the loss o f this would be more than offset by the financial benefit which the farm er would receive and in which the banks would share. Numerous other phases were also discussed by Mr. Sherwood, and an un informed listener was able to obtain a very good understanding o f the law from his discussion o f it. The Young Men’ s Club, an organiza tion which uses that name until another and better one can Fie obtained, was formed by a number o f the younger men o f the city Monday, January 8. The object o f the club is to fill the need, which has been keenly felt by its mem bers, o f having some other place of common meeting than the street cor ner. The club has rented and fitted up several rooms in the Golden building on Front street and their regular meeting nights are the first and third Wednes days in each month. Besides this members o f the club may congregate whenever they so desire and amuse themselves as they see fit. In the fu ture, President Earl Schroeder states, they intend to have social functions at frequent intervals. The young men o f the club, which includes about fifteen members, feel that the reports that have been circu lated by word o f mouth and through an article in the Sentinel have given the public a wrong conception o f the condi tions that exist about the club rooms. To verify their statements in the mat ter, a member o f the Herald staff took it upon himself to inspect the premises, with the result that, in his judgment, the stories seem to be unfounded. The rooms appeared orderly and well kept and the much talked o f cigarettes on the stairway and about the rooms were conspicuous by their absence. - - Will Answer Questions For the benefit o f those farmers who, while interested in the subject o f the organizing o f a local Farm Loan Asso ciation, are unable to attend the meet ings o f the Coquille Commercial Club, where the Farm Loan A ct is receiving a great deal o f attention, the Herald will attempt to answer, through its columns, any phases of the act upon which the reader is not entirely clear. The Herald is especially interested in seeing an association formed in the Co- quiile Valley, and a matter o f first im portance is that the law, its purposes, and the manner in which it operates, is clearly understood by the people who must form the association. By a dis cussion o f the different points o f the law, both at the Commercial Club and in these columns, we believe that this end can be accomplished. The Herald is printing, and expects to continue to print, articles explaining the Federal Farm Loan Act. How ever, there will very probably be points that are not covered by the articles, and questions will arise with the reader that did not present themselves to the writer. The Herald will be very glad to attempt to answer these questions, if the reader will tell us what they are. County Agent J. L. Smith also spoke for a few minutes upon the desirability -— -------- - o f having a local loan association form ed, stating that one o f the greatest Carl Danielson Dies needs of the farmers o f this section was money with which to improve their Carl Danielson, formerly an engineer farms and to stock them w ith « higher on the river boats here, but who has grade of stock. recently been firing donkey at Beaver Hill in the McDonald & Vaughan camp, Committee Unanimously died at the Mercy hospital at North Approves of “ Purity” Bend Friday night after a short illness o f typhoid fever. Mr. Danielson was The committee appointed by Mayor about 40 years and four months old and Johnson last Tuesday at the request of was a native o f Norway, having come some o f our citizens and with the con to this country when still quite young. sent of the Scenic manager, to pas» on The deceased is survived by a wife and the picture, “ Purity,” which was to be two children who reside at Bandon. He was a member o f the Coquille presented that evening, were unani mous in their verdict, which they ar Lodge o f the Loyal Order o f Moose and rived at immediately after seeing the the funeral was held under the auspices picture, that it was unobjectionable o f that organization Sunday and inter and under the conditions made by the ment was made in the Masonic ceme Scenic, there was no ground for object tery. Funeral services were held at ing to its presentation. The member the Ellingson Undertaking parlors, ship o f the committee was as given where Elder Slye of the church o f Lat last week, excepting that Rev. H. M. ter Day Saints of Myrtle Point, preach Law filled the place o f Rev. F. S. Shi- ed a splendid and touching sermon. About fifty members o f the Moose mian, who was taken ill. F. B. Phil lip» also retired before the picture was Lodge took part in the service». finished, on account o f not feeling well. This left Messrs. Howard, Law, Haw Mrs. Hamilton Entertains kins, Gardner and Stanley, and they gave their verdict as indicated. A birthday dinner, in honor o f Miss Never was a difficult situation more nicely solved than the one that had de Bonnie Smith, was given by Mrs. V. L. veloped through the wrong impression Hamilton at her home Friday night. It given by the posters and through mis waa Mias Smith’ s ----- birthday and she leading statements made to some o f says that if they would all be as happy our citizens by persons who, to take a as this one they could not come too o f charitable view, did not know what ten to please her. Dinner was served they’ were talking about. There was a shortly after six o ’ clock and afterwards most excellent chance for a “ big row ” the party attended the basket ball and a lot o f hard feelings. But, be game between Marshfield and Coquille cause both sides were sincere in their and later in the evening the dance giv views; because those who had been led en in honor o f the visiting team. Those present w ere: The Misses to believe that the picture was one that should not be shown were still Bonnie Smith and Allie Phillips; C. J. willing to give the Scenic man credit Fuhrman, Dan Magee, o f Marshfield, for a willingness to do the right thing, R. B. Murdock, K. Hodsman, and Dr. and to give him a chance to do it; be and Mrs. V. L. Hamilton. Since the announcement last Wednes day regarding the new train schedule, that leaves the Coquille valley without through passenger or mail service, the Commercial Club has taken the matter up with the Southern Pacific officials at Portland and with the Public Service Commission; but so far little satisfac tion has been obtained from either source. Under the new schedule the through train from Portland stops at Marsh field aud the mails and also passengers bound for the Coquille valley are re quired to remain over right in Marsh field. Likewise those wishing to go out on this train must go to Marshfield the night before and mail must be in the office here by 2:30 p. m. if it is to leave Marshfield the next morning. The Commercial club is not askifig that the through train be continued, as it is generally conceded that the S. P. company was running more trains to this valley than the traffic justified; but they are asking that the local train leaving Marshfield in the afternoon and Powers in the morning, be run to make connections with the through train. In answer to a telegram sent Satur day to John M. Scott, general passen ger agent, o f Portland, stating that these were the changes the people wanted, the Club yesterday received the following reply: “ Present arrangements o f local trains affords convenient daylight ser vice between Marshfield, Coquille, Myrt’ e Point and Powers, with connec tions both directions to and from bun- don, and enables passengers from ai y o f the above points to visit any of th"se cities and return the same day. To schedule one o f the locals to connect with morning and evening limited at Marshfield would discommode large number o f traveling public. Every phase o f this question carefully consid ered before schedule was authorized. Present service best can do under pres ent conditions o f track between Marsh field and Eugene.—John M. £ co tt.’ ’ In reply to the Club’s question as to what could be done in the matter the Public Service Commission said that the S. P. said that the service was not paying but that should the Club wish to enter a formal protest it would re ceive prompt attention. Whether or not they will order a change o f sched ule in the local train when they fully understand the situation, is a matter of guess work. R. B. Murdock, who is at the State capital, expects to appear be fore the Commission today and explain the matter to them in detail. In the meantime the Commercial Club is writ ing to Mr. Scott, explaining the objec tions in detail and trying to make him understand that the Club represents the traveling public he seems b o con cerned about discommoding. It is also understood that some o f the other towns o f the valley are taking the mat ter up and it ia hoped that the volume o f protest will be so great that it will obtain the desired change. PER YEAR $1.50 D. L. Watson, Pioneer At torney, Is Called by Death Judge D. L. Watson died at his home at Coos City Sunday morning, January 19th. Ho had been seriously ill for some time, and his death was not un expected. The funeral services wej^e held at the home at Coos City this fore noon. David Lowry Watson was born at Guarnaville, Iowa, June 25, 1842. He crossed the plains with his parents and brother and sister in 1859, coming to Oregon and settling about seventeen miles north o f the Umpqua. In 1869, he moved to Empire and en gaged in the practice o f law. Novem ber 23, 1870, he was married in Jackson county to Miss Laura L, Owen, a sister o f A. P. Owen of Marshfield, and the late T. G. Owen. Nine children were born to them. Those surviving are: County Judge James Watson, o f Coquille; Mrs. Harry E. Folsom, o f Marshfield; Robert R. Watson, former county £clerk, o f' Co quille; Neil O. Watson, o f Coos City; Mrs. Clarence L. Tuttle, of Coquille; Miss Laura L. Watson, o f Coos City. Mrs. Watson, who survives him, has been in rather poor health and the shock is severe on her In 1886 Mr. Watson was elected county judge o f Coos county, and serv ed eight years in that capacity, retiring in 1894. In 1900 he made arrangements to quit the law practice and in February, 1901, he moved onto his ranch at Coos City, five miles up Isthmus Inlet from Marshfield, where he had since been living in comparative retirement. In the early seventies “ Lowery Wat son,” as he was known, was one o f the prominent members of the Coos county bar, and he was known to all o f the old settlers. Of conspicuous ability, ready wit and great geniality, liked by every 0"'\ and though they have seen little of him in late years, he has not been forgotten by his friends o f the earlier days. - »• - - Sees Good Times Ahead G. S. Costello, editor o f the Daily Record-Abstract published at Portland, was in the county last week on business connected with his publication. He said that the people o f the county did not realize how many concerns in dif ferent parts o f the county were looking toward Coos as an ideal place for open ing new industries. “ I look for conditions in this particu lar part o f the county to improve great ly in the next few months,” said he. In fact he cited one case o f a concern that he knew of that were making in vestigation here that, if the showing was satisfactory, would result in a large industry, the nature o f which he did not state for publication, being opened here soon. Mr. Costello’ s paper is primarily a contractor’ s publication and he jwas down here getting a line on the road work that would be done this summer. “ less of the Storm Country” This is a new print nf one o f the most popular Mary Pickford pictures ever produced, a problem drama of heart interest and pathetic appeal which presents “ little Mary” as a lov able waif, whom she endows with all the Pickford charm and sweetness. The story deals with the transformation o f an ignorant girl’ s life by love and an unshakeable faith, and though the main incidents are in no sense new nor start lingly original, there are so many ten der and appealing scenes and so much o f the quality of humanness about the telling o f the simple tale that one fol lows the fortunes o f loyal little “ Teas" with genuine interest, and great satis faction in the happy ending, in spite o f the lack o f suspense in the unfolding of the drama. Harold Lockwood is Miss Rebuked by the Federal Pickford’ s leading man, and by his Farm Loan Board work in the role of “ Frederick,” he leaped into great favor with picture The federal farm loan board has ad patrons everywhere.—The Spectator. This picture will be shown at the ministered a righteous public rebuke to the New York surety company that Scenic Tuesday, February 20th. urged its agents in all parts o f the country to “ horn in " to the organiza Curry County Paroles tion and use the official positions thus Prisoner to Cut Cost acquired to throw bonding business to the company. Commissioner Norris Because Curry county could not a f ivell terms it— ford to pay his hoard in jail and his “ A soidid aptical to the cupidity of w ife’ s expenses as an indigent. F. C. the recipient o f your letter, and betrays Hawkins, convicted o f importing il a total lack o f ability to comprehend legal amounts o f liquor into the state, the broad and beneficent purposes of has been paroled. the farm loan act, and amounts to an When Hawkins was convicted and attempt to prostitute the ac' to per fined $250, he took the alternative of sonal gain.” going to jail. This cost the county $10 The national board is confronted with a month for hia board. Then Mrs. a tremendously difficult constructive Hawkins, declaring she was unable to undertaking. Success o f the new sys i earn her living, applied for $1 a day tem calls for efficient and loyal service support. The total, for Hawkins’ term, from all its officials and employes. would have been $300. Once it became known that the admin The Curry county court appealed to istration was using it in a partizan e f Justice Porter, with the result that fort to provide jobs for an army o f Hawkins was paroled.—Times. politicians, or permitting it to lie man ipulated by selfish, ulterior interests, Bruce Piggott, the logger who was the great organization would be doom taken into custody a few days ago, was ed to failure. ordered committed to the Oregon Asy Fortunately the danger ia well known lum for the insane at Salem by County Piggott to the commissioners, and they are ■Judge Watson Wednesday. vigilantly on guard to circumvent the said that he came to Marshfield last designing interests that would wreck Friday and had worked only two days. the institution if they were given the He is 29 year: old. He say» his folk» run a rooming hou e in Portland. opportunity.—Spokesman Review. SYNOPSIS OF MANY EVENTS News of County, State and National Interest Told in Brief Concise Form S. P. GIVES EMPLOYES BONUS Lassen Peak Furnishes Fire works Again _____ > Increased prices for cigarettes were an nonneed by the United Cigar Store Company and the Tobacco Products Corporation. It is rumored that the C. A . Smith company is contemplating a raise o f wages for their employees at the Coos Bay mill. Admiral R. George Dewey, hero of Manila Bay, died late Tuesday after noon o f hardening of the arteries and a general breakdown. The ten per cent bonus which, it was announced, was to be paid to certain employes o f the Southern Pacific, was not included in the January checks, but will be forwarded later, it is stated. Within the next thirty days Rose- burg may be designated as the location for a $40,000 condensing plant, with additional plans perfected for the se curing of 2,000 acres o f dairy land with which to supply the milk and cream. The U. S. Navy has arranged with a private contracting firm to jack up the submarine H-3 from its sand grave on the beach near Eureka, crate it, and roll it across the peninsula for relaunch ing in Humboldt Bay. The contract price is eighteen thousand dollars. Lassen Peak erupted with tremen dous force, following a series o f violent internal explosions Wednesday. A streak of heavy black smoke twenty miles long poured out within half an hour, indicating a great sealed crater on the mountain top had been blasted open. James L. Coke, circuit court judge, Oahu, Hawaii, was nominated by Presi dent Wilson as associate justice o f the supreme court o f Hawaii, filling the va cancy left by the resignation o f Justice Edward M. Watson. Vacancies now exist on the circuit and federal benches. A- bonus of approximately $700,000 was divided this month among South ern Pacific railroad employes. Every employe was paid, in addition to his salary, 5 per cent thereof, figured on his annual compensation. This applied to employes whose salaries plus the bonus share did not reach $2500. It was announced that another bonus o f 5 per cent would be distributed July 1. Railroad construction in Oregon dur ing the past year includes : S. P. Co. completes Coos Bay line, 118.3 miles; O. W. R. & N. complete Eastern Ore gon line to Crane, 127 miles; California & Oregon Coast Railroad puts in opera tion 15 miles proposed Grants Pass to Crescent City line, Portland & Oregon City have 15 miles in operation and Valley and Siletz complete 13 miles. District Attorney Walter H. Evans, o f Multnomah county, has written to District Attorney John F. Hall to se cure a transcript of the conviction o f Chief Engineer Mooney, o f the steam ship F. A. Kilburn, in Justice C. L. Pennock’ s court on June 29, 1916. It occurred that when the Portland offi cials arrested Engineer Mooney they found upon him Justice C. L. Pennock’ s receipt for Mr. Mooney’ s $300 fine.— Record. Following the introduction into the Senate at Salem of ¡ ill No. 37, which provides for a reduction o f the legal in terest rate to 5 per cent and the con tract interest rate to 8 per cent, from 6 to 12 per cent respectively, the Pa cific Building and Loan Association of Tacoma has informed its Coos Bay rep resentative that, if the hill passes and becomes law, it will withdraw from Oregon. Claimants have filed on a total of 1600 acres o f land in the Eureka land district under the new Federal home stead act which permits filing home steads on 640 acres instead o f 160 acres o f government land. The law became effective January 1 and several filings were made immediately, but shortly thereafter instructions were received from Washington by the local land office, advising that the law had been questioned and directing that no more •ntrie» he permitted until the matter was settled. The annual stockholders’ meetings of the two Bandon banks were held dur ing the past week and the reports submitted revealed the fact that de posits in the two institutions are not only up to normal but are as large as they have ever been. The report» were unusually gratifying to the stock holders, for they indicated that finan cial conditions o f the community are improving and are bound to have a wholesome effect on business conditions generally.