The Portland daily press., 1863-09-16
Dedication of the New High School
Edifice.


The new, substantial and splendid ed6ce
erected during the last year on Cumberland
street with rear front of uniform appearance
connecting with a broad passage way to Con-
gress street, having been finished and turned
over to the city authorities by the contractors,
the exercises attendant upon its dedication to
the Intellectual and Moral Improvement of
the children of our city, were held on Monday
morning last At nine o'clock the room APP
propriated to the Girls High School in the
second story ON the Cumberland street front
was filled with the members of that school,
such parents and citizens as took the interest
to attend. Seats were provided entirely
around the spacious room for the parents and
others, and the Superntending School Com
mttee with the head Master occupied the
platform. The two grammar schools which
occupy the third stories of the buildng-Miss
Chamberlain for girls and Mr.. Symonds for
boys-then came in in excellent order and took
seats provided for them on each side OF the
building, making in all some six hundred pu-
pills present. Phinehas Barnes, Esq, OF the
School Committee then arose and made a
statement that on account of the engage
ments of many of the Committee the exerci-
SEES would be confined within the space of an
hour, and stated the order in which they would
proceed.
Rev. DIR. Carruthers then read the Hymn,
From all that dwell below the skies
Let the Creators praise arise,
Let the Redeemer's name be sung
Through every cline by every tongue.
Eternal are thy mercies Lord;
Eternal truth attends Thy word;
Thy praise shall sound from shore TO shore,
I'LL suns shall rise and set no more.
which was sung by the whole assembly, all
standing. Rev. DIR. Carruthers then offered
fervent and appropriate prayer of dedication,
in which he alluded to the purposes of the
building, of the connection between Chris
tianity and Education, and to our city, and
the state of the nation.
Mayor Mcclellan then arose and addressed
the Committee as follows:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen Of the Superinfead-
ing School Commiitee-In behalf oft City Council
and the Committee on Public Buildings am here TO
place in your charge and keeping this building 1t
erected under the direction of the former City
Council; we have had only to TO its completion.
Under the direction of the architect, Mr.. Harding.
the contractors, the Messrs Stewart have complied
with the terms of their contract in every particular
and there has not been by the present Committee any
deviation from the original plans furnished by Mr..
Harding.
The building its purposes we believe to be all
that could be asked for.
Mayor Mcclellan concluded by handing the
keys of the building to the Chairman as the
emblems Of their possession and immediate
authority under the city government.
Rev. Mr.. Burgess, Chairman of the School
Committee, replied as follows:
Mr.. Magor-Tbe experimenting School Commit
tee with special qualification and gratitude
ceve this noble building and join in your satisfaction
that sit is all which can be desired" In the action
of the present and of preceding City Governments,
they recognize the determination of the citizens that
nothing shal be lacking 10 secure the best education
for children not only while they very young,
but when they grow to the age in which they are
strongly tempted TO give up school and study They
feel the added weight of responsibility which the
generous provision of the city has laid Them and
with the help ofGod, will take up. city,
full and liberal toward the interest of tho children
cannot but prosper.
Mr.. Burgess then called upon Rev. Mr.. Steb-
bins who delivered the following eloquent
address:
gentlemen associated with you in the Committee, my
grateful acknowledgements for the honor you have
conferred upon me in assigning to me part in these
ceremonies. Ii is especially gratifying to that
although am not associated with you in the School
Board. you have done me the justice suppose that
i not an Indifferent observer of this magnificent
enterprise on behalf of public education.
Enterprise do say. If it were implied by that.
that there was anything in this undertaking in the
nature of speculation or experiment that il a
project, scheme, not yet domesticated in the expe-
Tience of the community, should indeed commit a
great wrong and impair the moral dignity of this
occasion. The noble, inspiring aspect of this work
Is that il has been conceived carried on completed
with sobriety of purpose, calm steadiness of per-
formance such as men apply IN the pursuit OF their
daily bread that il is the product of sentiment
well fixed in the public mind that education is es-
teemed one of the chief staples of common life.
No new undertaking, no adventure, no scheme how
ever magnihcenty conceived and however brilliant
its promise, could be so grand this social opinion
settled into habit which no longer attracts atten-
ton, and provides education daily bread for ALL
Let it not be supposed that am indiT- rent TO or
Ignorant of the many of public opinion still
il vogue concerning the real objects and methods OF
education. Let it not be supposed that would de-
preciate this hour to an occasion of seadulaion,
the fattery of our pride But feel that WELL
grounded decorous selfrespect not only ustiss but
demands that shouh set forth to ourselves that i'm
which we all rejoice. Amid all the that may
lie entertained concerning education, II is cause OF
distinguished congratuaton that lot is cast in
community, in civilization which produces as one
of the incidents of n conviction common air, such
ediice as this.
And may not gain yet another testimony TO the
steady benignant powers of society, in which
may take profound satisfaction from the events in
the midst Of which this work ha> been carried
The Government of which we are part has been
engaged in a war which not only makes the whole
land trembe but shakes the very globe. We have
contributed our share for the common defence, and
we have built this noble for the education
of our children unmolesied by alarms from without
or from within, with feeling security, which
only attests thathe foundations of society s, stand
firm but that its resources are far and untouched by
emergency
With conscious satisfaction and with just pride
a citizen, congratulate you Mr. Chairman aud Eel
low Citizens on the completion of this noble building
Fair expression of the guardian care of a noble
people for the coming generation !, i Pledge and
crown and promise of free state bright particu-
lar glory of constitutional liberty and Christian civil
ization. More beautiful than Grecian temples, and
fountain OF power mighter than Roman Senates,
In coming here to-day to throw open these doors,
not only open gates of privileges 10 the
young, but we remind ourselves of obligations
to the founders of the state receive and per-
petuate their wise and benignan purpose. They say
10 with the accumulated authority of wisdom and
devotion, 60 forth and educate this people, lib
erty shall be dissolved in license and law shall be
lost in anarchy.
Concerning the general architectural structure and
effect of this building the city has done well in avoi
ding all extrayagant ornamentaton, yet giving
certain dignity OF durability.
This is not the occasion TO enter into any discussion
of theories of education. Neither is it appropriate
TO me to offer any suggestions TO those into whose
hands committed the interests of education.
Among the changes and discussions going on in pub
lie sentiment, however there is one so prominent
and conspicuous that TO refer TO il cannot be consid
cred an Intrusion of individual opinion a sugges-