"Were all the schools in session at the same time there would be required a force of 116 teachers. The districts employing more than one teacher are: Walla Walla—30, Waitsburg—7, Prescott—3, Seeber—3 and Dixie, Wallula, Harrer and Touchet—2 each. Of those employed at this time, 7 hold life diplomas or state certificates, 18 normal diplomas, 25 first grade certificates, 21 second grade, and 15 third grade. Twenty applicants failed last year. If the present crowded condition of the Walla Walla and Waitsburg schools continues next year it will necessitate an increase in the teaching force of five or six at the former place and of one at the latter.
"The Teachers' Reading Circle was reorganized in January, and meetings have been arranged for the more central points throughout the county. The sessions are well attended, the exercises carefully prepared. About fifty teachers have purchased one or more of the books and enrolled as members. All teachers have free access to a library of about seventy-five volumes, treating principally on theory and practice, or the history and philosophy of education.
"Our school districts never began a year on a more solid financial basis than they did the present one. Fifty-one of the sixty-six had a good balance to their credit in the hands of the county treasurer. A comparison of the last financial statement with that of previous years is given to mark the increase.
| Receipts | 1897 | 1898 | 1900 | |||
| Balance in hands of county treasurer | $9,521.43 | $9,279.24 | $25,838.81 | |||
| Amount apportioned to districts by county supt. | 32,104.54 | 56,210.31 | 58,574.66 | |||
| Amount received from special tax | 11,761.62 | 26,346.81 | 26,503.99 | |||
| Amount from sale of school bonds | 500.00 | 1,410.00 | 500.00 | |||
| Amount transferred from other districts | ........ | ........ | ........ | |||
| Amounts from other sources | 131.54 | 82.69 | 2,212.15 | |||
| ———— | ———— | ———— | ||||
| Total | $54,019.13 | $93,347.05 | $113,629.61 | |||
| Expenditures | 1897 | 1898 | 1900 | |||
| Amount paid for teachers' wages | ........ | $47,278.95 | $38,691.71 | |||
| Amount paid for rents, fuel, etc. | $38,027.39 | 10,697.78 | 13,653.06 | |||
| Amount paid for interest on bonds | 2,578.00 | 2,645.55 | 4,301.00 | |||
| Amount paid for sites, buildings, etc. | ........ | 2,902.68 | 32,152.61 | |||
| Amount paid for interest on warrants | 4,113.75 | 5,649.78 | 1,650.94 | |||
| Amount reverting to general school fund | 2.75 | ........ | ........ | |||
| Amount for other districts | ........ | ........ | 12.86 | |||
| ———— | ———— | ———— | ||||
| Total | $44,721.89 | $69,173.94 | $90,962.18 | |||
| Balance on hand | 9,297.24 | 24,173.11 | 22,667.43 |
"The hard times experienced two or three years ago materially affected teachers' wages in this county. The average amount paid male teachers, according to the annual report of the county superintendent in 1898, was $56.57; for female teachers, $39.54. For 1900, male teachers, $62.50; female teachers, $52.40. There seems however, to be dawning a brighter future for the conscientious teacher. Rigid examinations for two years have lessened the competition from those who entered the work only because they had no other employment; the districts are able to hold longer terms and pay larger salaries now. The minimum salary this year is $40, other rural districts pay $45 and $50. Salaries in the graded schools are from fifty-five to one hundred dollars per month. The average length of term in 1898 was 6½ months; the average from 1900 is 7¾ months.
"The estimate in the county superintendent's annual report for 1898 places the total value of schoolhouses and grounds at $162,080; of school furniture; $15,317; of apparatus, etc., $3,871; of libraries, $1,690. Amount of insurance on school property, $79,605; of bonds outstanding, $45,300; warrants outstanding, $41,274. The last enumeration of children of school age shows 4,275 resided in the county on June 1st; of these 3,621 were enrolled in the public schools, and made an average daily attendance of 2,076.
"For 1900, schoolhouses and grounds, $194,060; furniture, $16,350; apparatus, $4,000; libraries, $2,450; insurance, $100,650; bonds outstanding, $75,300; warrants outstanding, $82,721.16; children of school age, 4,767; children enrolled, 4,102; average daily attendance, 2,322. Such was the report of the county superintendent in 1900. Now we present the report of city superintendent, W. M. Kern, for year ending in 1917:
| Enrollment | Boys | Girls | Total | ||
| Elementary schools | 1,280 | 1,234 | 2,514 | ||
| High school | 428 | 393 | 821 | ||
| Night school | 46 | 81 | 127 | ||
| ——— | ——— | ——— | |||
| Total | 1,754 | 1,708 | 3,462 | ||
| Transfers to high school | 17 | 26 | 43 | ||
| ——— | ——— | ——— | |||
| Total actual enrollment | 1,737 | 1,682 | 3,419 | ||
| Deduct night school | 46 | 81 | 127 | ||
| ——— | ——— | ——— | |||
| Actual enrollment, grade and high school | 1,691 | 1,601 | 3,292 |
Teachers in city schools, 101; valuation of property of city schools, grounds and buildings, $790,000; equipment, $72,000.