The Portland daily press., 1868-02-08
DAILY PRESS.
CORTLAND.
Saturday Morning. February 8, 1853.
PORTLAND
A Eonrd Of Educatinn.


isdoing excellent service in the cause of edu
cation, contains three striking articles. The
first, by Mr.. A. p. Stone of this city, com
plains of the unnatural separation of the col
leges and common schools of the State, eaci
forming not part ofa general system of ed
ucation but little system by ITSELF A sec.
ond article, by Mr. C. B. Stetson of Auburn
complains of the confusion and lack of sys
TEN among the common schools themselves
resulting from the unlimited powers of the 10
cal committees and displayed especially in
the selection of text books. Finally. MI
Gage, in an editorial article. calls the atten.
ton OF the Legislature to the fact that sin
stead of needing some important changes
in our system Of common schools, we need n
common-school system" Besides these ar
ticles in the Normal there have this week an
peared in the Lewiston Journal two com.
munications from Hon. E. P. Weston, in
which he proposes legislation that seems to
him calculated to bring partial order out o.
the present educational chaos. No man in
the State has better right to be heard on
this subject on this subject than Mr.. Weston
whose experience as Superintendent OIL
Schools and as successful practical teacher
has given him every advantage for under.
standing 1t in all its bearings. 1t is with no
surprise, therefore, that we hear that a bin
has been reported in the Legislature from the
Committee on Education which substantially
embodies his plans.
The bill before the Legislature provides for
Board of Education, consisting OF a State
superintendent to be assisted By a County
Superintendent in each county. The Countv
Superintendents are to be under the control
OF the head of the department. They are to
hold county conventions every year, assis
teachers in forming town associations, recon-
mend uniform system of textbooks anC
hold State Convention at the Capital once
a year. In addition to these general and 10
cal superintendents the principals of the tive
State normal schools are to have place OF
the board. This will give us Department
OF Education" consisting of niueteea officials
The scheme, if adopted, will unquestionabl,
be great improvement upon the present alb
senee OF all system. Complete municipal in
dependence in the management of education.
al interests results in the same anarchy that
would follow in national affairs from full
recognition of State sovereignty. Centrali.
zation, under proper restrictions, is no lonee,
the pet horror of the American people. Uni
formity and systemization are IFS results in
republics and monarchies alike, but under tho
democratic form of government, where the
central and all subordinate authorities derive
their power legitimately from the people and
are responsible to them, none of the danger,
that otherwise attend Capitalization are to be
apprehended.
The plan suggested remedies the evil com.
| planned of by Mr.. Stetson,-that of want oil
uni ormity In text books. 1t also meets the
| sweeping reproach of Mr., EGage, for it GER
tainly would give us a common school sys
tenn. But would it be equally adapted to re
move the evil complained of by Mr.. Stone il
the article to which we have already refer
ed? Mr. Weston in reply to Mr. Stones
article, which was published in the Press
| admits that there is not that unity of pur-
pose and that efficient cooperation between
the teachers of the different classes of schools
which is necessary to secure the highest de-
gree Of prosperity to them all. He only
contends that Maine is not singular in this
respect, but that in all the States, college pro-
fessors, principals OF academies, normal and
high schools and teachers of primary schools
devote themselves Too exclusively to their
immediate duties with but casual reference
to the relation they should sustain to the
general cause of education. If there could
be engrafted upon the system proposed by
Mr. Weston an additional provision which
would have tendency to break down this
| exclusive spirit, and bring about something
| of reciprocity between schools, it would EN-
brace nearly all the features cor sidered de
sirable by the persons who have engaged il
the recent discussion. To effect this pun
pose, not only the principals of norma
schools, but the presidents of the college
might be members of the Board OF Educs
tion. To avoid making that body too hume
Gus the counties of Penobscot, Kennebet
Cumberland, Androscoggin, Franklin an
Hancock, where the colleges ard norm;
schools are situated, might be represent
ed exclusively by the officers of those inst
tutions. Thus the members of the Boar
would not in any case exceed seventeen
number.
1t occurs to us that another modification O
the act in question would improve it. Tn
appointment of the County Superintendent
by the State Superintendent would make til,
chief of the department too autocratic. 1
would not give an opportunity for the repre-
sentation of different views and interests
This objection, if it is one, would be removed
it the County Superintendents could be Sc
! lected by the Teachers Associations of th
several counties, as the Board of Agricultur
is made up of persons selected by the Count
Agricultural Societies.