V
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County School Superintendent's Office To Face Problems, Mekvold Says in Brief
l MAIL TRIBUNE, Mcdford, Of.
i Sunday, Jan. JO, 1960
9
A study of the intermediate
unit or county school super-
mtenaenx s o 1 1 1 c e snows a
number of problems made it
difficult to operate in the
past, and some serious prob
lems are expected in the fu
ture, according to a brief com
piled by Alf B. Mekvold, coun
ty school superintendent and
chairman of the legislative
committee of the Oregon As
sociation of County School
Superintendents.
One of the chief problems
in the past has been its piece
meal growth, according to
Mekvold's brief.
When founded, the county
office was largely for the scat
tered one-room schools and a
simple program. The county
superintendent was an elec
tive office requiring minimum
qualifications.
The original law which au
thorized the county school su
perintendent's office gave the
superintendent's duties as:
Visit Schools In County
"Visit the schools taught in
his county at least once a
year. Seek to aid, instruct and
inspire teachers to employ
the best methods in teaching,
governing and. conducting
their schools. Procure the
proper classification of pu
pils, enforce the course of
study prescribed by law and
the care and protection of
school property.
"Study to awaken among
parents and children a deep
er interest in the public
schools, to secure improved
attendance, deportment and
scholarship and more fre
quent visits of parents and
school directors. Carefully ob
serve the condition of school
houses and surroundings. Note
all defects and notify the
board of directors of same.
Hear, examine and decide ap
peals from district officers,
and teachers, without cost to
the appellates and subject to
an appeal to the superinten
dent of public instruction.
"Advise and consult with
the district school boards rela
tive to the construction, warm
ing, ventilation and arrange
ment, of schoolhouses, the im-
RECEIVE CHECK - A check representing
funds collected in the Medford Moose
lodge's Christmas tree pick-up is turned
over to Mrs. B. Brandt Bartels, second from
right, and Mrs. Edward Collins for the
Junior Service League's kindergarten for
hard of hearing children. Presenting the
check is Bob Trimble, chairman of the tree
project, while watching is Billy Dean, pre
late and acting governor.
-(Knackstedt Photo)
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proving and adorning ot
school grounds, methods of
instruction and discipline in
the school and condition of
the schoolhouse, sites and out
buildings and appendages of
the district generally."
-. More duties were added lat
er. These included member of
the county school district
board, member of the county
board of health, secretary to
the non-high board, county
testing program, consolidation
and election proceedings, en
forcement of compulsory at
tendance law, recommenda
tions for emergency teaching
certificates, apportionment of
funds, the county institute and
in-service programs, some
work in the area of the stand
ardization program, curricu
lum study groups, distribu
tion of materials and forms
and others..
New Law Provisions
When the rural school law
was passed in 1947 it was not
aimed at reorganizing or im
proving. The county school
superintendent would be hired
indirectly as secretary to the
rural school district board, ac
cording to the new law's pro
visions. Since the rural board
now had budget review pow
ers, the county school super
intendent's position became
more important, Mekvold's
brief noted.
The rural school law . of
1957 provided for the superin
tendent's appointment and es
tablished his qualifications
The law also stated that the
rural district would cover the
county, which made the rural
board a county board.
"Not given too much legal
status, compensation or ade
quate personnel, many super
intendents did a commendable
and professional job," Mek
vold wrote.
Four Kinds of Offices
There are now four kinds of
county superintendents in
Oregon's 36 counties, Mek
vold noted. They are: (1) five
county units, where the coun
ty district superintendent is
a. qualified administrator ap
pointed by the county unit
board; (2) four counties which
Machinery Firm f o
Get Portland Branch
Cal-Ore Machinery com
pany, Medford, recently an
nounced plans to establish a
new branch in Portland. The
company distributes mill and
logging equipment and con
tractors' machinery.
The new branch will be lo
cated in a building to be con-
F. Baker, Vancouver, who
recently purchased the site,
will build the structure and
lease it to the Medford firm.
Land and building will rep
resent an investment of about
$75,000, according to Baker.
The building will include of
fices, parts storage and a re
pair shop.
are all in the rural district
operating under provisions of
the old rural school law and
where the superintendent is
appointed by the board; (3)
Morrow county, now an ad
ministrative district under the
reorganization law, although
operating as a county unit;
and (4) all others, about 20,
changing from elective to ap
pointive offices as terms ex
pire or the incumbent super
intendent leaves.
Differences in O r e g o n's
topography and population
patterns cause another prob
lem. A f lexible pattern is
needed for the intermediate
unit to meet different situa
tions, Mekvold pointed out.
Bills Introduced
Two bills were introduced
during the last legislative ses
sion. One would have weak
ened the position of the coun
ty office and the other would
have more clearly defined its
function and those of the ru
ral board. Both bills failed.
Legislative act cannot change
the picture before the 1961-62
school year and maybe not
even the next year, Mekvold
pointed out.
What will determine what
the county office can or will
be doing, however, is more
apt to be how professionally
competent the office is, will
ingness of the taxpayers to
approve the necessary budg
ets and what services are
needed.
The county school office is
an intermediate unit between
local school districts and the
state department of education
in most states. Exceptions are
12 county-unit states and Dela
ware and Nevada which have
no intermediate district and
New York and the New Eng
land states where the inter
mediate unit consists of sev
eral towns.
Among those having county
boards of education are Ar
kansas, California, Idaho, In
diana, Iowa, Michigan, Missis
sippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
South Carolina, Texas, Wash
ington and Wisconsin.
Establishes Districts
New York changed its laws
to establish 65 intermediate
districts in place of 181 super
visory districts. In 16 of the
65 intermediate areas, propos
ed boundaries corresponded
roughly with those of the
county.
An Illinois study revealed
that some type of intermedi
ate administrative unit is
needed to provide specialized
services and leadership, and
that the intermediate unit has
a unique function of leader
ship to perform even after
school district reorganization.
The study was conducted af
ter the Illinois local districts
had been reorganized, Mek
vold noted.
A poll of Illinois school su
perintendents revealed they
thought some sort - of inter
mediate administrative unit is
needed and the county is not
necessarily the best area to
provide such a unit, he wrote.
They said in some" cases it is
too small and in others it does
not conform to the appropri
ate area to be served by such
a unit.
Believe in Services
Washington superintendents
generally believe an interme
diate unit's services are need
ed. More of the larger school
districts thought so than the
smaller ones.
An Indiana study conclud
ed preferred size of interme
diate units would be" to cover
from 4,000 to 5,000 pupils in
five to seven districts. Local
school administrative units
could be provided better and
more economically at the in
termediate level.
The New Jersey county su
perintendent is more of an
arm of the state department
of public instruction accord
ing to method of appointment
and source of money, Mek
vold's brief noted. New Jer
sey is noted as one of the
first states to provide a well
organized, carefully planned
and adequately staffed pro
gram of county office super
vision. Current Problems
Among current problems
are those brought by the pres
ent operations of the rural
school district as revised in
1957. These include inequita
ble distribution of the rural
school district funds, conflicts
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with the basic school support
law, regarding the school dis
trict reorganization and hav
ing no legal status spelled out
for services from the rural
school district.
"It has been pointed out
further that the present pro
vision of the rural school law
which makes the budget of
the county office and the
county rural board the first
charge against any tax re
ceipts is not proper," Mekvold
wrote. "This provision was
written into the first rural
school law in 1947 and was
not changed in the revisions
made in 1957."
"The budget of the county
office and the rural school
board should be subject to the
same budgetary limitations as
the budgets of any other tax-1
ing unit," Mekvold stated. j
Based on Average
Apportionment of funds in
counties operating under the
revised 1957 law now is based
on estimated average daily at
tendance. Figures in s o m e
counties show this is not the
best basis of distribution, Mek
vold pointed out.
Some people feel that the
county equalized levy under
rural school law has conflict
ed with the basic school sup
port law ever since enactment
of both laws. A local district
may receive state funds under
the equalization provisions of
the state basic fund law. How
ever, the same district may
be a comparatively wealthier
district within ; a county and
in turn would contribute' to
county equalization.
General Provisions
The 1957 rural school law,
as originally written, provid
ed that the county should be
considered as a unit in ap
portionment of school funds.
If the county were considered
as a unit when receiving state
funds there would be no con
flict, Mekvold pointed out.
The 1957 revisions of the
rural school law made only
general provisions on the le
gal status of a rural school
district. The legal status and
functions of the rural school
district office or the county
school superintendent's office
should be spelled out more
definitely, Mekvold suggested.
Should the county rural
board be discontinued the
county superintendent, ap
pointed by the board, and
other county staff members
could not be appointed. No
provisions would be included
for financing and administerr
ing a county program of serv
ices, Mekvold said.
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WESTERN THRIFT
ROGUE VALLEY STATE BANK
MEDFORD . . . OREGON
CONDENSED STATEMENT DECEMBER 31, 1959
RESOURCES
LOANS AND DISCOUNTS
Less Reserve for Losses
United States Bonds
.$1,867,355.19
18,649.49
Municipal Bonds and Warrants
Banking House, Fixtures and Equipment
Cash and Due From Banks '.
Stock in Federal Reserve Bank '
- TOTAL
Capita! Stock
Surplus
Undivided Profits
DEPOSITS
LIABILITIES
Interest Collected, Not Earned
TOTAL
$1,848,705.70
2,730,007.19
337,402.41
99,386.02
989,529.23
7,800.00
$6,012,830.55
S 150.000.00
110,000.00
32,517.47
5,682,808.19
37,504.89
$6,012,830.55
(INCLUDING BRANCH OFFICE AT 701 EAST JACKSON BLVD.)
3 Interest Paid on Savings Accounts
OFFICERS
Clarence H. Young
Ron E. Cordon.
Ralph E. Pierce
Neal A. Curry
President
.Vice-President
.Vice-President
Cashier
.Assistant Cashier
.Assistant Cashier
Gertrude F. McCorkle
Raymond E. Rieger
Glenn Lusk Manager, East Medford Branch
Two Offices
DIRECTORS
W. H. Young, Chairman
Clarence H. Young
Leonard Bradshaw
Ralph E. Pierce
Frank P. Farrell
J. H. Stanley
1109 Court Street and 701 E. Jackson Blvd.
Serving Jackson County Since 1911 Local Ownership and Control
Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Member Federal Reserve System
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