PICNIC LUNCHEON COOKED AND SERVED BY SPRING VALLEY CHILDREN
We drove out from Salem in automobiles. On reaching the grove we found it filled with teams tied everywhere, and many automobiles standing about. Promptly at ten o'clock the school children marched down from the schoolhouse in an industrial parade, carrying things that they had made or raised in the garden. A pretty sight they were, as they took their places on the reserved benches in front, all in their best clothes, most of the girls in white dresses of their own making.
The Governor of Oregon was there, and made the first address. At the close of his talk, the Spring Valley children sang in voices as clear as the birds, "There is no Land Like Oregon," and were most heartily cheered. After the remainder of the addresses and songs came the most breathless part of the day, the awarding of the school-credit prizes for the year's work. A member of the school board read the list of winners, and took occasion to express the appreciation that the district felt for Mr. O'Reilly's work. He assured the audience that the people of the district considered the plan one of the very finest that they had ever known, for it put the children in the right attitude toward their work, and gave the parents the feeling that they were assisting in the work of the school. Never in the history of the community had there been such a year.
The judging of the industrial work was then carried on, while the Spring Valley home-credit girls set the long tables for the luncheon, which they had prepared without assistance from their mothers. We all envied the three women up on the platform tasting the cakes, and were glad when the ribbons were pinned on, for we knew then that the dinner would begin. The blue ribbon for cake-making by children under thirteen was awarded to a boy, Arthur Z——. The governor and I placed this lad between us at the head of the table, and he gave us very generous portions of the prize cake.
This was Mr. O'Reilly's last day with the Spring Valley School. The next year he was chosen one of the rural school supervisors in Lane County, and he is still there making an excellent record. A recent letter from him briefly takes up the later history of his Spring Valley winners in the home credit contest. He says:—
Evangeline J—— was one of the winners. She is doing finely in high school, and still winning prizes at fairs. She leads her class in domestic science in the Eugene High School. She has eighty dollars in the bank, sixty-one dollars and fifty cents earned from prizes. You know the home credit started her bank account with three dollars. Golda B—— is another. She is attending the high school at Sheridan. Her standings are fine. She very seldom has to take examinations. She has about seventy-five dollars in the bank. Jack S—— has finished the eighth grade, and is going to attend high school in Eugene this year. His bank account is thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents. Mabel S—— has finished the grades and will go to high school in Hopewell this year. Her bank account is thirty-eight dollars. She has a piano her father got her, and is doing well in music. Verda R—— attends high school in Eugene this year. The other winners are still little ones, and are attending school in Spring Valley.