The Portland daily press., 1868-01-10
DAILY PRESS.
ND.
Friday Morning, January 10, 1868.
PORTLAND
Destitutien i'm Maine.


The annual report of the Superintendent
of Common Schools is, as usual, formida-
BILE document. Its 142 pages comprise, be-
sides the Superintendent's extended discus
sion of the various educational interests of
the State, copious extracts from the reports
of local school committees. The financial
condition of our public schools, and the pro-
gress of the Normal institutions at Farming
ton and Castine were treated at sufficient
length in the Governors Address, which has
already appeared in these columns.
The condition of the schools in that Ulti-
ma Thule, Madawaska, seems to be one of
the most interesting and important parts of
the report. Here are IS school districts with
$500 pupils, under the supervision of Mr.. D.
Gage, only twenty CT which have received
during the past year any part Of the $3.50
appropriated for their support. There are no
school-rooms, and but very limited supply
of books. The teachers are of the native
French variety, and the instruction seems 10
to be for the most part in the French Ian
guage, or that corruption of the polite tongue
which is spoken in Madawaska. The pupils
assemble in dwelling-houses during the
twelve weeks which constitute their average
term. The inhabitants, owing to the limited
views necessarily entertained by simple peo-
pie completely isolated from the. great world
whose inspiration is felt through railroad,
mail and telegraph, by more favored commit
pities, are content with the primitive educa-
tional advantages which the fates and the
State government bave given them. They
are not even willing to purchase books for
their children. In view of these facts, Mr..
Gage makes the following recommendations !:
Under the above circumstances I would
recommend change of system with regard
to these schools. In order to accomplish the
desire of the government, there must be
teachers qualified, who reside in the territory
To go "outsde' for teachers, for twenty
schools, would cost more money for transport
alton by reason of the isolated position of this
territory than we shall draw for these schools
There is good material here, if properly ed
ucated, to make good teachers. I would
recommend that the public school fund be
longing to these townships, be concentrated
upon three schools; namely, one at Fort
Kent, one at Madawaska, and one at Violet
Brook in Van Buren provide |, that the in
habitaDts in the above named localities. re-
respectively, will furnish good and sufficient
school house, capable OF accommodating
seventy-five pupils, and will raise a yearly
fund OF not less than $500 oWards the sup
port of said schools; and until these require
ments are complied with by the inhabitants
OF the townships where the schools are to be
so LOCATED, the public school fund shall be ex-
pended in such place or places as shall have
complied with the above requirements; that
each OF these schools shall continue for at
least SIX months in the year in each and every
such school; that a good efficient male
teacher shall be employed, who is qualified
in such branches as are usually taught in our
High Schools; also female as an assistant,
who is suitably qualified in both English and
French to instruct in such school, and all
pupils embraced within the "Madawaska
townships" may attend, tuition free; and
that the State shall donate such sum or
sums as will be sufficient to accomplish the
object, and that the said schools shall be un-
der the superintendence of board of three
suitable persons, appointed by the Governor
and Council
1t might seen that matter of this kind,
relating to limited number of people in an
obscure corner of the State, is not deserving
of SO extended notice, but all history shows
that there is ever latent danger in an is
norant population. The French of NADIA
waska remain to all intents and purp oses as
mnch foreign people as ii they dwelt in
Abyssinia They are in no way identified
fully with the interests or purposes of the
State of which treaties have arbitrarily made
them citizens. 1t should be one of the first
objects Of the Legislature, which in its wis
dom must recognize the supreme Importance
of securing homogeneous citizenship, to
bring about a community of feeling and of
interest between this outlying territory and
the rest of the State. In no way can this
object be effected so speedily and surely as by
enlargng the views of its people through the
instrumentality of common schools. 1t is a
painful surprise to learn that hitherto the
State has only proposed to establish schools
ewhere there is reasonable chance of sue
cessp Times OF trial may come when the
State of Maine will sorely need a patriotic
and intelligent people on that very frontier,
and when in default thereof it may be neces-
sary to lay out thousands in place of the hun
dreds of dollars, the judicious expenditure
Of which would in few years make the peo-
pie of that region "as good as anybody" The
European and North Anne rican railroad has
been recommended as good prospective
war measure The civilization of NADIA
waska is more important one.