Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-01-13


0l your constituents by continuing slch
aid to our disabled soldiers and the wild
ows aud orphans of those who lost their
lives in the service, rs will. with the ma
tiona pensions, and what they can do
themselves prevent their becoming pau
pers. or otherwise subjects OF charity
The Adjutant General is Of the opinion
that the app, opriation for This purpose
may be reduced from $4,000 to S35, 900.
EDUCATIONAL.
If there is one thing above another
that commends our Institutions to the APP
proyal of the civilized world, il is our
common school system by winch the
means oil education are brought within
tho reach OF the people. lis creation was
| the crowning act OF the wise men who
| laid its foundations. Ii is our suresl guar
antcc OF naiiounl prosperity and progress,
and pledge ot the increasing grandeur
OF our republican torn OF government.
/ We are paying about tilrec-tour,hs OF a
million dollars annually To support our
common schools, which is about eight dol
lars per scholar, counting the average
attendance This sum is generously and
willingly paid by the taxpayers OF the
Stale, who only demand, rs they have a
right 10 expect, that this large sum be
honestly and wisely appropriated.
/ Our Normal Schools, Teachers lnsll-
tutes, c,lieieut supervision, and other i'm
proved imslrumcutalites, cannot fail to
p,oduce good results. We arc already
/ beginning to realize the benefits ot our
/ Normal Schools in the general efficiency
of. the teachers who have enjoyed the adj
yuntagcS ul these institutions. Not that
the graduates of the No NAL Schools are
always the best teachers, Tor 10 system oi
education or training can make good
teacher of unfit material only asset.
what all experience proves. that olher
things being equal. the teacher who has
! had special training Ior the duties oil his
profession. will more bc likely TO succeed
! than one who has had no sue. advan.
tagcS.
Some of the measures recently adopted
to promote the efficiency OF Our public
schools may bc regarded rs experiments.
| To bc continued or modified rs the results
! of feXperieucc may dictate. Inc friends
of these measures are confident that they
will be OF great practical bcncht; others
doubt il. Since they have buen put III
practice, it is best To allow the question
of their utility 20 be settled by actual
demonstration. No very serious cotsc
qucnceS can result from giving them Il
/ iIir trial. 1t, after such trial. they are
not satisfactory, they will, oi course, be
repealed,
| commend this important interest with
! the report OF the State Superintendent to
| your careful consideration.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
The advantages OF combining intellect
ual training with physical exercise in
some productive industry in institutions
| Tor the education OF yOnug men, have
! uOl, IL my estimation, been fully apprecl
ated. Such ilSuIuions are especially
! desirable Tor the large class -! young men
VINO propose to engage in industrial pur-
suits. and who cannol AFFORD the time and
expense necessary to complete cours
OF study beyond what is required To pre-
/ pare them tor The intelligent performance
of the practical business and duties ol life.
! They nced Il knowledge and practice Ol
what pertains 10 the living activities
of the present, rather than The dead
! languages OF The past.
The tuition being free, and the oppoI.
tunity 10 pay part OF the expense OF board,
are. TO many OF our most promising
Young men, important advantages. 10
meet this general want. lIc national
| legislature made the appropriation which
enabled each Stale IN The Union To cstaO-
! liSh 4 College OF Agriculture and Me
| chanc Arts Maine has, believe, done
wisely in accepting the grant, and pledg
! ing herself 10 CONFORM 10 The terms pre-
scriOed.
la this institution the students are cx.
pectcd to apply in practice, to some ex.
! tent nj least, the principles taught IN the
| books The combination ot actual pric
! tico with theoretical instruction, secures
Il more valuable knowledgc OF ANY science
| than any mere .ildy of theories, however
thorough it may DC.
Many young men, after dcvoing their
! time aad means Tor several years to
! preparation ior some chosen profession,
| prove, OH actual trial. uttcll, unfit icr
such Profession, and without business,
lacking physical strength as well rs dis.
: position necessary iOr success III aay
business requiring manual labor, they be-
come thoroughly discouraged, aud less
aulc TO obtain livelihood Dy their own
cXcrlions than their most iIlileIate neigh.
| bor, who has learned to Use his hands In
some rcmuneratvc employment. Flu
cate such young men III i well managed
ind l,trial college, and tho additional
phy sical force and mental activity ac-
quilcd would greatly improve their
chances Tor professional success, and,
failing in that, they have, i'll their ability
to labor, sure means oil support and
usefulness.
This College will. trust, perform
another important mission. The diapo-
silion lo shun manual labor under the
false impression that it is in ompa,ibIc
With re ,peclability and good o'ial po
si;ion, is becoming alarmingly prevalent,
and requires correction. That labor, IN
telligcntly directed. is not Inconsistent
with the highest intellectual culture and
the most honorable attainmcnlS, l. one OF
The most important facts to be learned br
young persons OF both SEXES. This
College, if properly conducted, will do
much towards the creation OF 4 more
desirable public sentiment on this subject.
Young men educated here and becoming
familiar with agricultural and mechanical
cmployments, will be more likely to en-
gage In such pursuits. This iSa result
greatly to bo desired when wc remember
l
ols, while many of the professions are
crowded almost To starN alton.
In these suggestions, | would detract
nothing from the acknowledged mcritA
OF our other colleges, or their invaluable