The Fight to Keep Cheney Normal School Open
Students petition Governor McGraw to honor their contract with the state after the institution faces closure due to budget cuts.
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The action of Gov. McGraw in cutting down the general appropriation bill and effecting a saving to the state of nearly $200,000 meets with the approval of the people. However, there may be a question as to whether the governor has not unwittingly worked a hardship in striking out entirely the appropriation for the normal school at Cheney. The school has been in existence for three years and currently serves 120 pupils. The senior class of 1893 has petitioned the governor to recall his veto, noting that they made a contract with the state to teach in exchange for their diplomas. They argue that if the school closes, they will be unable to complete their education. While the governor's veto cannot be legally recalled, there is a legal pathway to address the shortfall through the emergency board. If the trustees can demonstrate that the public interest is served by keeping the school running, the board has the authority to grant necessary relief.
“Upon entering the school we made a contract with the state, pledging ourselves to teach in return for diplomas. If the school is closed now, we lose what is rightfully ours.”
Educational funding battles in Washington have a long history, dating back to this 1892 fight over the Cheney school, now Eastern Washington University. The students' plea highlights the precarious nature of state-supported higher education when it is caught between fiscal austerity and the promises made to those seeking to enter the teaching profession.
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