EDUCATION. In 1900 only 3.3 per cent. of the population ten year: of age and over were illiterate. The State Board of Education con sists of the Governor, Secretary of State. and a superintendent of instruction. County superin tendents are elected biennially, and officers of district boards every three years. Women are eligible to the office of school director, and widows with children to educate and owning taxable property in the district may vote in school meetings. Congress in '18-18 gave Oregon sections 16 and 36 of all the public domain (3.387,520 acres) for public schools. 26 town ships (500,000 acres) for a State university, and 90.000 acres for an agricultural college. From the proceeds of the sales of a portion of these lands an irreducible fund of $3,500,000 has been secured. The sparse settlement of a large part of the State makes the maintenance of schools difficult in many places. The Oregon law does not provide for district high schools, and rural communities are therefore without the advan tages of secondary education. The length of school term. 123.9 days. is considerably below the average for the whole country. In 1899 there were 101,900 children between the ages of five and eighteen; the number enrolled was SS, 485: the average attendance was 01.234. The public high schools numbered 15, and the private secondary schools 19. There are State normal schools at Monmouth, Drain. Ashland. Weston, and Gold Beach. The University of Oregon at Eugene was established in 1572. Pacific Uni versity and Tualatin Academy at Forest Grove are under Congregational control; Willamette University, Salem, is Methodist Episcopal; College, Baptist; land University, University Park. Methodist Episcopal: Pacific College, Newberg. is a Friends institution; Philontath College, Philomat h. a United Brethren; Corvallis College, Corvallis, Methodist Episcopal. Blue Mountain University is located at Lagrande. The State Agricultural College is at Corvallis. Willamette University gives instruction in law, and the University of Oregon has a law' department at Portland. where also is situated the medical department of Willa mette University. There is a successful Indian training school at Chemawa.
CIIARITAnLE AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS. There is a soldiers' home located at Roseburg. but the
other State charitable institutions, in accordance with the requirements of the State Constitution, arc located at the State capital. They are as follows: School for Deaf Mutes; Insane Asylum; School for the Blind; Boys' Reform School; and the State Penitentiary.
HisTour. The accounts of the early explora tion of Pacific coast are conflicting and unreliable. The Spanish explorer Ferrelo possibly reached latitude the southern boundary of Oregon, in 1543, and the English flag was carried fifty or sixty miles north of this point in 1579 by Sir Francis Drake. The Spaniards Vizcaino and Aguilar reached or just beyond in 1603. The fear of a Russian advance led Charles 111. of Spain to order further explorations. and Perez in 1774 reached and on his return :Anehored in what has been identified by some a- Nootka Sound. The next year Heceta. with Perez as second in ennimand, observed the mouth of the Columbia. and a party landed at the modern Port Grenville, where several were killed by the Indians. One of the ships reached The English navigator Captain Cook in 1778 landed at Nootka Sound, which he so named. This English claim to possession was disputed by the Spaniards in 1789, hut Spain was forced to agree to give up exclusive claim to the region. (See NOOTKA SOUND.) The French navigator Laperouse in 17S6 sailed along the coast from 58' 37' southward. The American claim began with the visit of J. Kendrick and Robert Gray, sent out by Boston merchants to seek tor furs. The winter of 1788-89 was spent at Nootka. In 1791 Captain Gray returned, and on May 11, 1792, entered the mouth of the river Saint Roque. which he renamed the Columbia, from his ship. Another English expedition under Vancouver ex amined the coast in 1793. Fur traders entered the country in 1793, and in 1811 the Pacific Fur Company founded Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia. (See ASTOR, JOHN JACOB.) This was captured by the British, December 12, 1813, and renamed Fort George. It was restored to the United States in 1815. but abandoned by the owners. In 1824-25 Fort Vancouver was found ed by John McLaughlin, chief factor of the United Hudson's Bay and Northwest Fur Com panies. and he was practically Governor for many years.