The Portland daily press., 1867-01-21
Our Common Schools.

The first feature Of the report of the State
Superintendent Of Common Schools which at
tracts attention, is the account of the present
condition and future promise of the Normal
School at Pennington. The school was es-
tablished as an experiment. Two years of its
trial have been completed; the third is already
begun and the two remaining will speedily
bring before the people Of Maine the question,
whether the undertaking shall be abandoned
or put upon a permanent footing. The results
have hitherto been all that could reasonably
be expected. One class Of students has grad
uated and entered upon the practice of teach
ing. Other members of the school have from
time to time engaged in the practice OF their
profession while continuing its study. The
testimony from School Committees and from
other sources is conclusive as to the merits of
these teachers. They are unquestionably bet
ter fitted for their work than the majority of
persons who engage in this work. The whole
number of students during the last term was
119, representing every county in the State
except Piscataquis. The school is under the
care of Mr.. George M. Gage, who has been
connected with it from the outset. He has
now four assistants. The expenses have av-
eraged s34 a year for eachpupn. The expenses
of ten similar institutions in other States con-
siderably exceed these fgures-the lowest, In
Minnesota being SAL, and thu highest, in Con-
necticut, being s13o for each pupil. Massa-
chusetts pays more than $4,000 a year to sup
port her Normal schools. Maine pays more
than 1000 year to support her excellent
Reform School. Mr.. Gage thinks she may
we'll afford to appropriate one fifth as much
for the education of those whose duty it is to
teach good behavior and obedience to law to
children not yet needing reform. The State
appropriated last year SS400, which is only
little more than half enough. Mr.. Cages
estimate of the expenditure now needed to
put the institution upon good footing for fu-
ture usefulness, includes $4,000 to secure the
property of the Pennington Academy, $1,000
to complete the buildings and lay out the
grounds, and $4,000 for library, furniture, &C.,
&c. These estimates are very moderate 1t
is understood that the property at Pennington
is worth considerably more than the whole of
the proposed expenditure. The experiment
ought to be fairly tried. 1t would seem that
even those who are not yet convinced of the
usefulness of the school, cannot object 10 Civ
it fair opportunity to succeed it it can. The
Eastern Normal School will be opened at Cas-
tine this year, if the necessary appropriation
is made.
The School Agent for the Madawaska town
ships reports that he has established twenty
schools during the past summer. The hrst
great difficulty in this region is the want OF ef-
fcient teachers well instructed in both the
French and English tongues. The French
language is universally spoken, and though In
struction ought for various reasons to Be CIV
en- chiefly in English, it is an indispensable
qualification for the teacher to speak French.
The Normal School ought to furnish some as
sistance in that direction. Another difficulty
Is the want Of suitable books, which the Agent
would have the Legislature furnish. Still an.
other is the brief time allowed for education.
most ef the children being Withdrawal tsom