The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-01-07
Terms $500 per an,suna, Sn adrooce

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| with that which is calm and free and natural
and saae. think that the laying out Of the
| grounds on some artistic plan would afford
| sautary employment and recreation TO many
| of the inmates, and thus without much out
| lay by the State the place may be made at
| tractiye and the gloom which pervades the
atmosphere of such an Institution be mitigat-
| ed if not dispelled by the beauty and salubri-
" 11 its surroundings.
FOR some reason which does not now clear
| ~ appear, the Insane Hospital is largely eX-
empt rom that Responsibility to the Execu-
i've council which affects other institutions
| OF the state. The practical effects of this
| appear in many ways, and have not contrib
uted to relieve the doubts which have some
| times arisen in regard to the management of
the establishment. l would therefore recon-
mend that the Hospital be placed under the
| same supervision as other institutions sustain
! ing similar relation to the State
| The Trustees of the Maine General Hos
| pital will ask your aid. 1t is understood that
| generous private beneiactions are ready to
| follow an appropriate endowment by the
State. This petition is emnently proper, and
| should be received with the most favorable
| disposition.
| EDUCATIONAL.
There is probably no branch of our public
interest where such improvement la. been
uiduc dS Ill tuaI Vi our common ScHOOIS, uOL
that any striking changes or brilliant results
have as yet appeared; but what l mean to
say is, that we are set upon right ways; that
the faults, the wastes, and the wants of our
former practices have been brought out, and
appropriate means have been set in motion
which can scarcely fail to work salutary and
permanent effects. We are seeking, not SO
much to change the system as to mfuse life
into it; so that the best appliances, the best
melhods n llih and the experience Of the ,P besl
bic places; so that in an educational sense,
we can secure through every nook and corner
of the State the equal rights of all.
1t is moreover no exaggeratlon to say that
| the present is a new era in teaching. 1t is
not little singular to find novelty in an art
| so old. But the spirit of our institutions,
| the demands of the times have necessitated
| aims, objects, and methods which render ed
ucation altogether a different business from
what it was a generation ago. 1t no longer
seeks to cram tue the mind with strange forms
and aggregated facts, without harmony, rela-
ton, life, or permaIence; it now teaches the
mind from the very start to observe, compare
analyze, assimiate; to master and make its
| own-ln fact 1t is education-the training un-
| folding, leading and iashioning forth of the
mind. Teachers must now have something
| more than good moral character-that and
| something besides-they must demonstrate
| that they have character at all. They can't
| teach merely what they have borrowed over
| night; but only that which they have wrought
] out and made their own. This tells on the
| young mind, gives it edge and point, and in
many ways tends to fit all, both teacher and
| taught, to enter undismayed the arena of
| these stirring and eventful times.
l think the highest good is flowing from
| our Normal Schools, and Institutes and
| County Supervisorships. They have caught
| the right spirit and transfuse it. They are the
means mainly by which the State is to he
| reached and brought within the better modes.
That the people are awake in this matter, it
| is easy to see They have raised over $780,
600, this past year, by direct taxation, and ex-
| pended the total sum of S1,100000 Tor the
support of schools. 1t remains for us to take
care, by all means in our power, that such
means are not wasted and such intentions
foiled. We want, among other things, to see
that all have fair chance; that, for instance,
the cost and changes and variety Of books do
not put poor parents to distress to keep the
means of education within their childrens
reach.
feel that these are important matters, and
have thus spoken that we may understand
the spirit in which we shall be called to act.
We have wasted a good deal of time and
money hitherto; but | believe we have now
begun better things, and that with the intelli-
gence, good sense and vigor now brought to
bear on these interests, our people will before
long be satisfied with the results of their gen.
erosity and care.
As to Our College of Agriculture and Me-
chanical arts, although generous devotion to
| duty has been manifest on the part of all who
| are charged with its immediate concerns, it yet
fails to attain to quite the prosperity which we
hoped and which believe is still possible Tor
it. 1t is my duty to say that, so far as appears,
1 ..oIa 1f a.
| feeble and uncertain condition. First, The
! neglect of mechanics and manufacturers and
rights in the college. Second, fhie deep-set-
tied feeling on the part of many, that the To-
cation is unfavorable. The existence of these
two disadvantages it is worse than folly to de-
| ny or, pass over with soft words. The truth
is, we must come to an understanding in the
matter. 1t is pity to waste money an d
| mind, even for the best of motives, without q
successful end. The s2S,000 voted last win
ter in condition of a perfect deed of the
property to the State, has fallen dead through
| failure TO the town to make the full convey
ance. Ii we are all in earnest to have the col
| ieSe go on where it is, neither the State nor
| lne town need insist much upon conditions.
but II lt Is the Intention to remove the college,
| then it would be best not to expend more
| mouey there. l am unable to give you the
| least information or advice on this point. But
| | am ready to assure you that unless we keep
| in mind the scope and generous intent of this
| institution, it will never greatly thrive. A
farmers college is good and worthy idea, but
| that alone will not live and move. There are
| not boys enough who mean to 90 back to a
| farm after they have got through the college.
Farming is not at present business of that
| inviting sort in Name. But a school en-
bracing all the material industries, teaching
| our young men skill in the handicraits which
| N VII fn tc1,l
ment, training and nerving them 10 strike
a sure and good blow in the manly ri
| valrles OF peace or war-such a school in
| fact as hundreds OF our young men go out of
| the State to seek, would not only live and
| flourish, but would be q powerful and pre-em-
| inent good Whether we can make such
school ofours do not know; but such an one
we must have or our money and our efforts
will have been spent in vain.
STATE HISTORY.
| The splendid volume published by the His
| torical Society forming the first in the series
of the Documentary History of Maine author
lied by the Legislature of 1867, which traces
the discovery of this coast from the Mortimer
| in 800 to the Charter of Gilbert in 1878, has
| doubtless been laid before you.
A volume quite as remarkable, containing
| the first publication of an original manuscript
| of the celebrated Hakluyt in which he urges
upon Queen Elizabeth the vigorous prosecu-
tion of colonization ON this coast, is in course
ofpreparation. 1t is proposed to go on with
the History OF the actual occupation of this
territory under the influence and efforts of
| Sir Ferdinando Gorges. These works are
credit to the liberality of the State and the
learning of the Society, and are attracting
much attention as valuable contributions to
American History
MILITARY.
The question of an efficient and economi-
| cal militia system has been long agitated but
| still unsettled. For the last three years
I hovo Siven tho matter much -theueht-Xou
will bear me witness that 1 have not shown
| disposition to eXalt unduly the military ele-
| ment, to incur the expenses or abuse the
powers which the law places in the control of
| the Executive. 1t is unsafe, however, to be
without some military force at call in case of
need. The moderate suggestion was made
| and adopted at the last session, Of authorizing
ten companies OF infantry to be fully equipped
by the State The orders OF the Department
| will show with what care and caution the in
| tent OF the Legislature has been carried out.
Applications have been thoroughly consider
ed, companies have been accepted only where
| the several localities appeared iully in earnest
to maintain them, and only those men mus
tered, who upon rigorous examination were
found able to do full du.y. The result indi-
Gates the wisdom of the statrte. We have
now an iscentive to military duty, and pre-
MUM on good sodiership. 1t will be work
and no: play, school OF discipline for manli-