The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-27
Letter from H oc lkland.
SCHOOLS, SCHOOL HOUSES AND THE RAILROAD


SCHOOLS, SCHOOL HOUSES AND THE RAILROAD.
RocKLAND, March Is, 1863
To the Editor Of the Press:
The Legislature of the State, at its last ses-
sion, passed an act, consolidating the various
school districts in our city into one and pla,-
ing in the hands of the city government the
powers, usually possessed by city governments,
of directing school affairs. Rockland, as you
know, is a young city, which grew up rapidly
under the impetus of favorable commerce. As
matter of course, it grew irregularly, one in
terest developing at the expense of others, till
they should receive their share of public at
ten,ion. Men engrossed in trade and manu-
features could not give the requisite time and
thought to educational improvements, al
though they felt keenly the need of such i'm
provements. Wooden buildings were thrown
up hastily for the accommodation of schools
and kept in repair at greater cost than would
have been required to supply better edifices.-
Our schools and scholars have SO increased in
numbers within few years, that the school
districts have been obliged to rent rooms for
occupancy. The more influential citizens have
turned their attention in good earnest to one
marked deficiency in these respects. They Pc
titioned the Legislature for authority to act in
a corporate capacity, and SO the districts with
in the city limits have been put under NUM-
cipal control.
The government of the city has not been
fully organized by the Common Council
Some offices remain to be filled and will be
filled at the next meeting or two of the Com
mon Council. The Office of Street Commits
sioner will be the most difficult to I'LL. Two or
three of the candidates are very eager for the
Office and their friends, nearly equal in num-
bers, will essay their election, until it becomes
evident that some one must be run, upon
whom the electors will be more united. Mr..
Clough, the retiring Commissioner, served the
the city faithfully and honestly and, though
he has many opponents, many favor his re-
election.
The next question to come up will be the
ordinance affecting the schools. The action of
the Legislature will be approved without OPP
position Of any account and the government
will assume control of the schools. 1t is then
proposed to appropriate money for building
High School house, with accommodations,
perhaps, for one or two other schools. The
only opposition to this measure, it is appre-
HtHueu, VIII pe ndue NY tue lew democrats
among the Aldermen and Councilman. May
or Farwell is strongly in favor of the proposed
appropriation and, as its opponents are few,
there can be no doubt of its success
We hear with regret of the action of Mayor
Patten upon the proposition of railroad be-
tween Bath and this place. His Honor is op-
posed, 1 believe, to the construction of bridge
across the Kennebec and urges the substitu-
ton of ferry to connect with the road. This
want Of harmony with the previous plan of
constructing the line is looked upon by some
as ominous of disfayor to the whole enterprise
and it is feared that the city government of
Bath may not be as enthusiastic as formerly
for the road. In case Bath should abandon
ITS purpose of cooperating in building the
line, we would gladly unite with those who ia
vor communication by rail between W;scasset
and Rockland. Hon. Francis Cobb of Rock
land, being one of the Directors, we feel that
our interest is committed to safe hands.
The steamer VIM. Tibbets, which ran upon
ledge hallway from Owls Head to White
head, lies to-day at the mercy of the waves
and weather. She ran aground at midnight.
or late last night. The weather was clear and
the ledge, which is almost exposed at high tide
and is marked by a buoy, is considerably near
or shore than vessels and boats outward bound
nsnally run. It almost seems as ifcarelessness
were the cause of the accident.
Ten Young ladies graduated last Friday at
our High School, and their performances did
them great credit