The Portland daily press., 1871-05-06
somerset count, matters.

q Maine has made more rapid advancement in
ong been one of the briskest business villages
nd substantial ard wealthiest towns in the
state; and new having given literally Of money
md the best men given much attention to the
natter of education it bids fair to rival some of
'ur cities in that important direction. The
house is located on theIsland andhas been built
within year. The plans were furnished py
Mr.. Fassett of your city. The building is OH
long, 60 It. wide, measuring the WINGS anu
40 #. besides these. Besides the basement
there are three floors. The first ana seconu
ora school rooms 40 #. square, with recitation
rooms 81 x 16 #. and dressing rooms l6x It
Water will be brought into the buiiding' ana IL
ia also supplied with earth closets. The furnl-
tn re il from the mandatory of Messrs. Swazey |
of Limerick. The finish is of brown ash and |
the stair ratings of walnut. The third floor is |
given to hall and two rooms for apparatus and |
laboratory. The brick work was done by
Messrs. Hoxie & Moses Of Skowhegan, and the
balance of the work by Messrs j. G.. BODICE 8
Brother Of Portland. TIE work has been done
in the most thorough manner. The Building
Committee speak in very high terms Of the
services Of Mr.. Fassett and the skill and faith
fulness Of the Dodge Brothers as builders One
of the committee says that these gentlemen
have done everything to their satisfaction and
could not have asked for more satisfactory par
ties to make contract with.
The exercises were held in the building at
o'clock. Gen. r. B. Shepherd, chairman OF
the committee, called the meeting to order. Rev
Mr.. Jones read appropriate selections OF Scrip
ture, Rev. Mr.. Nutting followed with prayer.
A select choir sung an appropriate piece.
Int tha chief attraction of tho occasion was
the address of Mr.. A. P. Stone, gentleman SO
Justly appreciated in your city that any re-
mark of mine beyond its announcement would
appear superfuous. However, without at
tempting TO give any adequate idea of the ex-
cellence of Mr.. Stone address, you will doubt
less publish even in this issue, considerable
matter less valuable than the merest Frame
work of what he styled his hours talk.
Mr. Stone began by Remaining that General
JACKSON, when President, visited Boston and
from thence went by stage to Low ell to exam-
inc cotton factory Compared with the fer
tile soil of Tennessee, New England was bar
rem; and the hero of New Orleans was puzzled
liz
had kever witnessed in his own more favored
State. and inquired the cause. gentleman
at his side pointed to its often unsighLly school
houses and its churches. To-day New Eng
land brain is in demand the world over where
tact and energy are required. This is mainly
to be attributed to her system OF public educa-
ton which was founded in her infancy. Pub
lie schools and fine school buildings cost large
sums of money, it is true, but vastly less than
prisons and criminals. From the natural re-.
1ofion haf aYisfs haf uA na nd oh;
is the natural duty of the parent to educate the
child while education is the natural right of
every child. It is as much crime to DENY 1t
as to deny him food. II the parent is too poor
to afford education, upon whom does this duty
devolve? Clearly upon the State. Self-preser-
walton demands this of the government, partic.
ularly upon government of and for the peo.
pie. In this sense it is at once the right and
duty OF the government to educate every child
indeed to see that every child attends school,.
means of education for all children in the COM
munity. He objected to private instruction or
schools alone on the ground that only the rich
could avail themselves oft 1t would be par
tial and not general. Ifthe postal lines were
only opened along such roads as would remun,
crate private enterprise it would be compare
lively worthless. 1t would not extend its bless
ings to the remOtest hamlet in the nation
Mr.. Stone was not hostile to private schools,
there is field tor them, In many cases where
tuO CHitu Is ny dsSOClaLlUg with others
from some peculiar Temperament, but public
schools are indispensable. Public schools are
more likely to be more thorough in instruction.
more exacting and can command better teach
ers. Public schools are more economical Mr.,
Stone objected to denominat0 nal schools as an
agency for the propagation of general intelli-
eence, an toto. He objects principally on the
ground that these schools make children clam
ish, narrow and sectarian. They have, like the
old stage-coaches, served their time, and as
these have given place to the more expeditions
and economic railroad, UNCONVENTIONAL schools
must give place to a system suited to meet pres.
ent demands and more economic The COM
mon school, for the education OF all the chill
dren OF the State, rich and poor, without dis
fiction, is the demand Of the country. As it is
democratic, and serves to break down artificial
distinctions in society, it is system in harmo.
ny with the genius OF our government.
The speaker then proceeded to answer a
Of the requisites for good high school9 he
answered:
FIRST. A good building. Its attractiveness
and neatness will begin the work of education
Second. Thorough grading is of Just import
ance-just as necessary as division of labor in
manufacturing establishment. Grading
gives double advantage with q saving of time
and labor. In noticing the systems of grading
Mr.. Stone remarked that proper course Of
study for high school should be so difficult
that very few pupils should undertake it until
IA years OF age. Fourth. Efficient inspeetio
by committees and people. The best of teach
ers will do better when committeeman or cit
izen is accustomed to walk in without knock
ing. Fifth Sympathy and appreciation of the
public. When there is an active interest in
the community there is quite certain to be good
schools. Six. A good course of study is re-
quired. 1t is enough against q teacher that he
objects to such a course. This should be plexi-
BILE to certain extent while certain branches
should be pursued by all. Mr.. Stone takes q
middle prOun6 roanppfiuO ety,d Of
languages, but urges that all studies should be
practical. There were two extremes-one max
ing education mass of facts and the other
tending to dIscir line the mind with little or no
regard to the means. Practical education must
depend upon theory. Seventh. Good teachers
are most essential The idea that anybody can
teach school has worked mischief enough. The
teachers mnst be greater than text books and
the true teacher will be Independent of them.
He must have aptuess and tact to be success
full. He must be man of varied information
and of thorough calture.
Mr.. Stone next proceeded to notice the adj
vantages of good high school to town. First.
1t reaches all the schools in town by providing
trained teachers It gives the Intelligent,
earnest, but INDECENT boy and girl in the town
the advantage of an education. To-day our
most influential men come from this class. 1t
enables the child TO have the blessings of home
influence which are lost when he is sent away
to school. Second. 1t elevates the character OF
the town. Mechanics with families will seek
1t as desirable residence and thus it obtains
the most intelligent of population, A generous
policy in this respect has built up towns in
many instances. Third. 1t enhances the value
OF every mans property. Fourth. 1t promotes
general culture and refinement, making the
tow desirable place of residence. Fifth.
The discipline is of great value, teaching
pr0mptness, attention and self Chance
Mr.. Stone closed by saying that the great
object OF an education should be to make what
the good of society and the permanence of the
republic demand, men and women, in the
broadcast and highest sense OF the term.
Such is mere outline. With no ATTEMPT at
display, and announced as talk, it was rich
in illustration and emnently timely and prac.
teal It's needless to add that it commanded
the most marked attention.
Gen. Shepherd at this point made a brief
statement of the cost of the building, which is
$4,000. This includes all the furniture. The
lot cost $500 additional. In a neighboring
town, house that the committee would not
exchange for quite sum, cost $22 200, house
and furniture, including $1,000 for additional
lot. fFJI
The people are very Justly proud of their
building and render due credit to the building
Messrs Shepherd, L. W. Weston
md H. s.. Steward, who have gratuitously
given time and money to secure success to SO
important an enterprise.
OTHER MATTERS.
no;v