Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-17

legislature To that end.
Auyusta and IIalIoweli pctition for il. The CON-
rnittee of Gardiner favor it, Auburn ia unanimous
for IL. The committee of Lewiston arc divided in
cpiniou. a majority favoriug uniformity A meet
ing of S. S. committees Of Androscorgin County
was held in Grammar School Buil,linys Lewiston.
Dec. Q. 1869. Nelson Dnvlev. Jr. chairman. J
a. Coburn. I 8 Rsrrell I, n Stetson. I. q.
Curtis. of Lewiston. Col K T. Luce. q. c. Emery,
of Auburn and o.hsrs from adjoining towns Nerc
present. Various resolutions were passed. among
which was the following. unanimously adoptcd
amor some discussion
R,xoyrc1 ..Tbat II /, the sense of the 8. S Com.
mittees Of hi. countv that there should be a uni.
for,ritv ue text.hooks throughout the public
schools az The State. and that there should be
Law 10 tho, ofr,ct
In tho blank issucd To town. a year ago last
summer the following question was asked as
.n;fo,m;,v IF h,oks In the State desirabie7 ?"
The answer. c;vcn were thus-doubtful Is, no II,
vcs l74-more than ten to one favorable to uni
formity. York county, yes Q, no /. Apdroscoggin
c,unty vcs 10 NO l. and the other counties in
like nronor,ion. n. there are sixteen counties and
~. ,,,.a.t;va ,,otc smountcd to only seventeen,
rh;, - a.,;h.ra,s exnressjon given before ayi.
t,,;o, ar excitement could have influenced candid
consideration In the school report Of 1868 and
lscg will be fpupd numerous REQUESTS from s. s
Committees for State uniformity. have visited
every county the past year, and the expressed de-
sire Of teachers has been in favor of the came mea-
sure The general editorial EXPRESSION has been
s,nnbatic in tho same direction. The Portland
Press Portland Advertiser Oxford Democrat,
Farnipcton Chronicle. Bath Times. Kenucbec
Journal. Maine Standard, Gospel Banner, Somerset
Rcporter. Bangor Wing and Courier aud others have
ina;c.tcd their views in favor Of uniformity in
terms no, 10 be misunderstood Fifteen Of the six
teen county superyisors have likewise emphatically
endorsed the Milan of uniformity and have thus
cYnrcssca their views bef,re the Legislative Edu.
ID hat
ak Of the Supervisors wero recommended to the
9,,vernor and Executive Council BY me, knowing
that their views a wear ago were opposed TO my
own in this matter of uniformity. To-day every
one of these ceptiencn agree With me. Why is
.his? The opponents of this measure simply re-
ulv. ..tbe superyisors have nil been Johnsonired,
thew are h,x Supervisors" This may be creditable
to nv in,nencc lint moi verv complipeutar either
To the conscience. intelligence or manhood Of
thea, gentlemen 7 II. Webb. Supervisor for
cu,tetI md cou,tv vho apueared before the Edu-
cafion.i Committee a wear ago with A. r. Stone,
Pr;ucipaI of the High School. Portland, in oppose
t;on IN state un;fornitv makes the following off,
ciai communication:
1.-The great variety Of books now in use many
of which are not level To the comprehension Of the
pup;,s for whom thew are prcpared. the large NUN.
her Of books in a series unnecessarily multiplying
the number of classes. and thereby diminishing the
tencbers' usefulness the freaucpt changes and
martial changes. rendering even torn uniformity
quite impossible are serious obstacles to healthy
condition Of our Schools Recently, visited the
scbo,ts of a town having only nine districts and
found four different readers, three kinds of gram.
mar and four different Biographies. am able to
name five adjoining towns ia this county, each
using different textbooks A change Of residence
from one Of these towns 10 another must necessarily
be attended with no small pecuniary burden to the
parcnts. and serious embarrassment to the pro-
rre.s of the pupils. 1t is hoped that these evils
NAV soon find n remedy in the adoption Of n uni.
form sy,te,u of text. books. In presenting These
views fayoring State uniformity judiciousiy in
anrurated. | wish 10 here saw that have been led
70 adopt them from a careful observance Of the
MANY prominent obstacles that the present system
laws in the way of good Classification. and pro.
pres,iye and Thorough. course of instruction in our
public schools
/ respectfully submit to a candid community
which epiniou is entitled u the preference that Of
Mr.. Webb who has personally examined the
schools of his county, or that Of MIR. Stone, who
has not visited or the common schools
and who declares that 1.-The Portland High School
is his first love-" and therefore the Daily Public
School, the peoples college, must hold a secondary
position in his personal esard.
Who oppose this measure? Certainly not the
common school teachers. the people, the press the
Supt School Committees, the County super isors
nor all Of the principal educators, y to the con-
trary We will consider first the demonstrates who
appeared before the Legislative committee Feb 8.
Consider them il Won pease as educators, have no
feeling AGAINST these gentlemen. they are ali nv
personal friends shall anaiyze the list after the
manner Of a most courteous and kindly difference
of opinion The FIRST gentleman. Mir. Pullcn, is a
LAWYER by profession. and he informed me that he
,pas empioved TO appear before the committee shy
no one outside Of the State" This is perfectly
honorable. We only desire to know all the motiv e.
influencing to this or any particular direction of
action. Mr. Symonds is also a lawyer by profession
in Portland, a thorough scholar aud a member Of
the school committee, l think. Mr. Stone of
Biddefvrd, is lawyer and a member Of the
S. S. Committee. lie errs when he says that
York comfy Is not favorable to uniformity.
The expression by towns in that county stands nine
10 one Mr. Boothby is a Grammar School teacher
in Bath. and am Informed that his expenses TO
Augusta were paid by the acting agent for New
York and Boston publishing houses Why did not
Mr.. Dixie or the School Committee of Oath appear
MIR. Dixie. am informed. was requested by this
same acting agent to sign The rcmonstrsnce and to
appear before the Committee, but declined to do
either Mir. Coburn. Lewiston, was present in the
meeting of Supern,snding School Committees of
Androscoggin county, Dec. 8, when q resolution
was passed unanimously in favor Of uniformity and
. law to effect this If in his own home MIR. |
Coburn made no opposition TO this measure SC
recently as December last, how happens il that his