Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-08-27
Aoral anD State Nems.
Dedication OF the New School House.

was yesterday afternoon dedicated to the pur-
poses of education by appropriate exercises.
A broad stairway leads to the neat aSd beauti-
full room designed the future educational
home of the scholars in the high school, where
the exercises were held At the time appoint
ed the room was filled, and the new school
house, its ample and convenient rooms, well
arranged and desirable in every particular,
formed the subject of remark and congratula-
ton.
The exercises were conducted according to
the order in the published programme, the
singing by the scholars forming an interesting
feature of the occasion. Hon. j. W. North
presided. The throne Of divine grace was
tervcntly addressed by DR.. Kicker.
MIR. North, chairman of the building COM
mittee, officially presented the new structure
into the care of the directors and made de-
tailed statement in regard to the initiatory
steps that were taken to secure the erection of
the house. The obstacles which were in the
way have all disappeared. The building
stands before us in symmetrical proportions,
adapted throughout to the uses of the schools.
The building of this ! ousc marks new dawn
in the educational affairs of the city-w hat
was slow and tardy is now progressive. Our
facilities of education are to keep pace with
the increase of population and accumulation
of wealth. There will be those who will COM
plain of the heavier burden of taxation, but
this is common cry. Posteri'y is to be ben
efted by these Improvements, and it is but
fair that it should bear some of the burdens
Nextto the teachers in our churches he re-
gardcd the teachers in our schools. The Puri-
tans came here with the church and school
house, and were able to lay the foundations
of an empire. When that empire was threat
ened to be rent asundcr by intestine strife,
the men of the free schools of the North
and the Northwest rushed to its rescue,
and saved it. Mr. North delivered the keys
of the building 10 Rev. C.. X. Moor, chairman
of the beard of Directors
Mr.. Moor said, that in receiving the keys it
was with great satisfaction, and gratitude to
Ged, particiI atod in / y the people of the dis
uict, that the work 10 which they had lool ed
forward with So much interest and solciiude
had been accomplished. He had no doubt
that while these walls have been going mp,
new thoughts have been growing up in the
minds of the people. The building itself is
but the expression of years OF thought and
labor another illustration of the fact that the
ideal always precedes the real. Things get
into brick and mortar, only after much think
ing and much acting. He would testify to tie
skill of the architect ond faithfulness of the
contractor. The building is ornament to
the city and will be the direct means of in
creasing its population, ly inducing people to
come here TO educate their children. Chill
dren of our own citizens who have remained
at home will he drawn to these attractive
rooms. With the exception Of the State
House and our church spires. no structure in
the city rises to view sooner than this-none
meets The eye more boldly. May its noble OBJ
jccts continually rise in the minds of the peo-
pie. In the rebuilding, some of the shade
trees had been removed, to let in the sunlight.
He believed the teachers and scholars would
improve all such hints. He then presented the
key to the principal af the high school, Mr..
w. II. Lambert, who represented also the
teacher of the grammar school, as most wor-
thy to receive them, and as holding the conf
and esteem of the district
Mr.. Lambert in well chosen words, and
with excellent dictiOn, thanked the directors
for the kind expire sion ofconfid,nce, and deem
cd himself happy in receiving the keys and
holding snch position at a time SO auspi-
cious for the interest of the school, and so
fraught with hope for the future. The rear
ing of the beautiful house is an indication of
liberal sentiment in the community, that
the people of Augusta regard the cultivation
of the immortal spirit of more consequence
than the improvement of the water power,
building Of factories or the accumulation of
any merely material wealth. That town
city is not the richest whose wealth consists
in material prosperity alone. True wealth
consists in the right education of all our cit
izens. 1t is true as it is old that the diffusion
of knowledge goes hand in hand with materi-
al prosperity. Shut up the school houses
bring up the boys and girls in the street
and then go to the treasurer's books and see
how the account stands, or TO the census re-
ports and see how the population increases.
He then spoke of the hi CHER considerations
involved in the education of the mind, and
contrasted in very vivid manner the differ
cnce in our late war between educated SOL
diers and those who relied solely upon brute
force and animal passion. He thought that
in the present European war the graduates Of
the free schools of Prussia would show their
superiority over the uneducated soldiers of
France. He was reminded that this was an
occasion of joy, and it was indeed a glad
hour to teachers and scholars. He felt that
the teaching force would be strengthened,
aud that the new school house would prove
an abiding influence for good in the commu-
nifty. He closed by offering noble and
beautiful sentiment expressive Of his interest
in the schools of Augusta.