214 Charles Abner Howard in the Oregonmn of May 5, 1869, about two weeks after the opening of the first public high school classes in that city, in which, after general commendatory remarks con- cerning the new educational venture, he says : "Already one of the beneficial effects of such an in- stitution is visible in the influence it has upon the public schools themselves. Such is the emulation it promotes that scholars are continually applying for admission who cannot be admitted because they are not up to the re- quired grade, but return with renewed animation to reach the desired point of advancement. ****** We congratulate the citizens of Portland as well as the pro- jectors of the plan on this new and essential element in the intellectual wants of the city, wherein is secured free of special charge, and entirely at public expense as full and thorough an academic course as can be had in the city and perhaps in the state." Evidence of opposition to the public high school from those interested in private institutions is apparent in Bushweiler's closing paragraph : "We bespeak for the high school nothing that shall derogate in the least from the other schools and academies of the city, but we wish the success of all. They are en- titled to the highest consideration and most earnest sup- port of our citizens. They are true exponents of the popular mind and are well entitled to the liberal support of the taxpayers." A friendly attitude occasionally crept into the editor- ial page also but, needless to say, not from the pen of Harvey W. Scott. An editorial of this nature in the Ore- gonian of January 1, 1878, closes as follows: "Objections to free secondary education lie, if of any force, equally against free primary education. Either the state has no right to interfere in education of any kind, or the degree of that education must be defined, not arbitrarily, but by the standard of popular intelligence.
- ar g Umen t contemplating free educa-
tion to the point of a high school and then excluding this, can, we think, be proved inconsistent and illogical."
