Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-07

centions. and incompetent men are some
times selected Now. sir, what Is the sim
ple prorosition contained in this Billa 1t
Is not, as some have urged. to divest the
people of any power. / will yield TO no
member on this foor in his high regard
for the peoples power; but it is a simple
transfer of authority from ones officer to
others. all alike eligible to Office by The
suffrages Of the people. The voice of the
interested hundreds and thousands Of the
sons of Maine, is i'll to speak through this
channel rs well as by the power you now
profess to love SO well, If district agents
arc as well qualified for their work, and
Aeuce act as intelligcntly, rs the superln-
tending school committee, why do your
laws divest him of the power of examlna-
ton of the teacher? Why not place al ms
command the whole machinery by wh'cn
he can emriovand examine teachers ana
run tho institution At present your laws
only empower him 10 hire the teacher, so
Tar as the teacher is authorized or required
TO act After the simple act making the
BARGAIN and giving the required notice is
done. the work of the agent ceases. ex-
cent his financial business in behalf of
the district. The teacher is then turned
over to the committee for authority to go
to work, and the agent has no power over
him. He Is s,lbjert to the committee and
to them alone, This bill does not propose
to take from the agent or district any power
now vested IN them to determine the time of
commencing school, or TO provide for their
financial matters. If districts desire to
prolong their school by boarding the teach
or around, as is sometimes done in our ru-
raj districts, but which, believe, is fast
being abandoned, that desire may be indi-
Gated to the committee, rs well as to the
agent under the present system. and teach
crs NAV be employed accordingly. No
Inconvenience or obstacles, therefore,
arise here.
Now, sir, desire to call the attention of
the House to the consideration of teachers.
have. myself, served on experimenting
school committees, and, therefore, am
prepared to speak from personal knowl-
edge as the result of nv own experience
and observation Under our own present
system of employing and examining
teachers, very strong inducements are
presented to override and resist consclen-
tious scruplcs. This argument has already,
in some degree, been presented on this
floor, but only those who have served, as
| and many others have, on committees.
can be prepared to appreciate the force OF
those circumstances, which under our
present system, have strong tendency to
improperly influence such committees. l
believe / am safe in assuming that hive
sixths of the failures among common
school teachers is the result of incapacity
to govern, or a lack of tact for teaching,
independently of their literary qnalitlca-
tions. As the law now is, experimenting
school committees are prevented 6y NE
force of circumstances from doing as they
desire in granting certificates TO teachers,
and the design of the law is INSTRUCTED.
What are those circumstances which thus
block the way and defeat the purpose OF
the law2 An applicant for your school,
who has made all proper arrangements
with the district agent to teach in town.
presents himself before the committee for
examination and certificate. The cXami-
nation is passed the teacher is found
amply qualified in the various branches
required to be taught in such district; he
answers every question correctly, and the
committee cannot refuse to grant the GER
tificate of qualification ON the ground of
literary incompetency. And yet, Sir,
during that examination, the committee
have observed an awkwardness, want
of activity and promptness, an inability to
EXPRESS clearly and concisely his own
ideas, which clearly convince them of his
inability to make teaching successful
and profitable vocation. What are the
evident duties of the committee under
these circumstances? You will refer me
to the law. ION satisfactory evidence
that q candidate possesses good moral
character, and temper and disposition
suitable to be an instructor of youth, they
shall examine him in reading, spelling.
writing, English grammar. geography.
history, arithmetic, and other branches
usually taught in public schools. and par
.5csalagly In the school for which he L. ex-
znzlnoa. and also a. to caparsry for she
rnrnema thereof. On satisfactory
sss54nae OF good moral character end
:esaSsrr Am1 dssssas9tsoE suitable 10 ce an
instructor oi yesEzE- ssse erscgrszhEee sEaAlI
yrueeezi 10 iE4e exsE@E -azbD0- W A%1 have
vOa erer kz0En stae instance AZ Wasca a
Iser7ifs=zss LAS BERN gss4&sss,a 70 4 ea@eN1ste
fsr these ges1s0zs. A2a .e-.aE@g Oh stAese
yy,gu1&.t >aesa esases u2&E 1&Te &EAte2
and nxv be known 10 gsnaasE1sz On s&Ss
floor. bat they are unknown - f-le, and
we do know very well that they are rare
indeed. When have certificates been
refused TO applicants on the ground OF
incapacity TO govern or because thSS nave
not the tact for teaching? apprehend.
sir, these cases are rare as those have
lust cited. Am now confronted with the
argument that the law is our only guide,
and that the duties of experimenting
-,ehsSaI committees are specifically pointed
cssg IA talf law am not quite certain OF
Eae esispic,lity 81 SAe law bearing upon
siais oa,nt E5ow are the committee to
dasarlnlne die ablr,S ea.ar2cSeT or the teD,-
per esaGG Gasposs9@1't IN question: Bslt adj
ragzfEzg sine elssae GassY 81 staT ackfooi OIL
GERS here. and that rissy are AegatgY bound
to refuse tfse rsqGSsse eevsI6ease "a aay
and all grounds Of Ine0E1peseEny, yea ~ al
tell me the committees have aa< aat dO
not come up to the full demand oi the
law that they alone are responsible, and
it is not our business. | am ready 10 COR
cede this in part, but we are to take facts
as they exist. and not as they ought 10 be
or as we desire to have them. The fact
Is clear that certificates of qualification are
seldom refused to applicants for any other
reason than literary incompetency, and
vet in most cases where teachers should
10 axoludad from entering the school