The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-07-09
lCcuespondeooe Unos AID JovasALI
OUR CKOOL SYSTEM.
raon rms srLnl

school system Of our State. In tho able rcpor
Of Mr.. johnson the defects Of our present sys
ten are clearly shown, but we have become 8
attached TO ways and forms which have been i
vogue not only since VIC have been State, bu
which were bequeatbed to us by our parent
Massachusetts, that II is almost impossible I
arouse the people to the Importance Of 20 re
modelling our school system that II may compar
fayorably with that Of other States. To sen
children 10 the same uncomfortable, unhealthy
dilapidated apologies for school houses, that the
occupied to have school only i've mouths I
a year to change teachers every term to pur
chase obsolete text books and grocery-adyertis
ing writing books /; to obstruct In every way a
measures that the committee introduce for Oh
improvement Of schools; are the delights Q
thousands Of parents in the country towns Q
our State. Let US look ut our school system an,
see where the defects are which bring about sue
results.
The district Is the unit. Why do we establish
and maintain district limits, build, repsi
% district school houses, and maintain distric
school houses! District limits are establishe'
by vote Of the town In the annual Marcl
meeting, and cannot be changed except by
vote of the town upon the written recommenda
ton Of the selectmen and school committee
Therefore It is necessary to get the consent O.
Recommendation Of two separate boards Of tow
officers and beside that vote Of the town, be
fore child in district "0ne" can attend schoo
in district "Two" and draw his money, ever
though he may live mile nearer district "Two'
and though the 1.-TWO" school may be far supe
rior.
It Is almost impossible to change district linn
its under existing laws. There are two board,
Of three men each, two Of each board must rec.
ommend, and then they must secure favorable
vote Of the town before district limits can b,
changed. Suppose district zone" is to be di.
minished to enlarge district Two" or suppos,
districts "One," 1.-TWO, I" "Seyen" and "Nine'
are to be diminished slightly so as to accommo.
date better district "0ne," the selectmen and
committee are so scattered in town that you arr
sure to affect personally one or more of each
board and your project fails Immediately. II
you wish to unite two districts and have secured
the unanimous approval Of the selectmen and
committee, there will be parents enough, whose
children will have to walk half mile further "a
school, together with men who believe In the
democratic ~ and suicidal policy Of letting
districts manage their own affairs, TO defeat the
union, no matter how beneficial II would be 70
both districts. There was an effort made in
Kittery TO unite two districts, where the aver
age attendance in one district is thirty-fve, in
the other fifteen, where both houses are dilapi-
dated and unfit for school rooms, and although
the selectmen and committee unanimously APP
proved Il, the opposition Of parents to sending
their children little farther TO school defeated
il. The most strenuous opposition came from
the smaller district. where they have but four
months poor schooling each year, and have yet
to learn the advantage Of having more.
If the district system Is to continue, let the
law be changed so that the committee alone may
have power to change district limits. What
can the seectmen, what can the voters in town
meeting know of the condition and wants Of our
schools. when on an average they have not de-
voted fifteen minutes thought to school matters
in the yearl Should the carefully considered
and well formed plans Of the committee be
thrown aside by the votes Of men not posted on
what they are yotingI
The district system, as now managed. is very
expensive and causes an enormous waste OF
money. Assuming that fifty scholars are sufii-
cicnt for one teacher and certainly fifty Is rather
too many than not enough, l will look ut Kit
terry, and see how much money is wasted, and
how il happens that we get 10 little return for
Dur money. If We are TO have districts they
should be large enough to have whole attend
,nce Of fifty or one hundred, that is, each dis
Irict should maintain one or ttoo schools. The
money would be expended 10 better advantage II
zach district maintained two schools, n primary
md grammar school, as thus We should obtain
The great advantages Of graded schools, and
hat too, at less expense than we could maintain
two ungradci schools. Teachers for two un-
graded schools will cost in Kittcry $50 per
month. Teachers for two graded will cost only
S47 per month. We will divide kittery with
It's whole attendance OF 100 scholars into eight
districts the cost OF teachers Tor inc egnt us,
tricts would be S809 pei. month"; ana We should
get, with the S2ioo now paid teacners' lew
lays less than seren months schooling, while
now we get not quite sir months. l make my
calculation on S2loo. the amount now pald
teachers, but we should have more money 10
hire teachers, for other expenses would not be
70 high. These hgures are Tor grammar anu
primary schools Any one can see that II inc
own was dNided as II shouiu, anu rs u "ouia
'c' u the committee controller inc nauer. eacn
choiar would nave one moh,i moro scnooiine
nan nc now mas. Inc scnoohIg "ouia pe lar
hyperion TO what II now 49, LOT seven OF our
chools have larger attendance than htty' ana
line OF our schools are ungradcd. ny our pres
mt system each scholar loses one month se,ool-
ng per year, ana u we can esunha'c III uo', 40
he loss OF months schooling eaeh yvsr 70 70
'hiren, wouu no. 20 , 49,, snVs ~ NO 80 s,r
''n "T,I T; vaes - ,o ~ WV ''''
0T T 49,, H. -, !, os,,.., o,, .,d r,,ooos
,,ry "" on T for scSoo, houses and Is the main
,hst,clc IN bn;Ilnc new ones We have 10
,.hoaI Son.o. IN K;s,.rv while q oro nj, wo nosj
rh"n oa.;n our o,ncn:cs Enr bu;ld;ng and far
,nn sI ro v s,rnishinc and varming would No
,rpa,ly rSdus.J We have many moor school
,onse: nm, N b,;,d now ones or rensir old ones
!. -, a.. -, AZ, ,,.o,,.-, ~ ,,,o >, r,;o,Ior
I.,r;o, vharo ,ho hp pH .ro " IT, tho scS"o,
,voro hu;,, ,rJ Ion, T., ror.;r hv tho town
,h", = Ill s,r Ia, = ,ax ~, ,ho ,.ho nro,,o,,,,
% A.. -, ;n.,..J ~ H., a;s,.;., a. NJ
:. ho 80 lib, th,t ,h .h;as $500 =, WY wa
~ ~ .aIrai hnn..s I'LL y. r," W "
M Tt P,V .,;c, .vs,s couscs aruoranco snd m
s..,;m. h...n.o ;n arorv d;.,r;., ;hsro arn
ve.s U w" L.: snI,;nn aa.,, ,,o. w"
new .. mo,b;nr more di.gracef,, or which shows
AnV Nv y, nos Ma Sc 80 y, 80, ~" .S snv"o
Nm ~" r.,,v ,s,rct "uapreIs obout mi. ~ tho,