Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-08
4 COHP.4PiSON.
While we are Justly proud in Maine of the

4 COMPARISON.
While we are justly proud in Maine of the
educational advantages provided for our
children, of the excellent and numcrou'
schools, and Of the general diffusion of the
elements of education, we are by no means
in a position to remain satisfied with the pres
ent situation. When we look abroad to the
other States of the Union and compare our
selves with them, we are forced to confess
that we are far behind many of them in one OF
the most essential departments of good gov
eminent. The report of the commissioner
of education gives some very instructive fig
ures, which ought to attract the attention Of
our legislators, in order that some radical i'm
provements may be made. In too many OF
our towns it is the effort Of the local polti-
clans to contriye means for keeping school
expenditures down, and how successfully they
do this will appear from the figures witch We
shall shortly present. The requirement of
the law, as to the amount that each town shall
raise for schools, is atsurdly inadequate, and
considering the prices paid to teachers in
Maine, our success in obtaining and keeping
any educators at all is wonderful. These
facts are not agreeable, but they are facts, and
they should be studied by all who take an in
terest in education, with 4 view to applying
the remedy. We now present some figures
which are official, and which are made by the
national commissioner of education, on the
authority of State officers, or taken from the
returns of the ninth census.
The average attendance of scholars between
the ages Of four and twentyone in Maine is
about forty-two per cent. of the whole school
populations in Connecticut it is fifty Per
cent. in Massachusetts, it is seventy-iwo per
cent. in New hampshire, sixty-seven per
| cent; in Rhode Island, fifty eight per cent.
| in Vermont, fifty seven per cent. In this re-
spect. therefore, We stand the lowest OF the
| New England States.
Twenty-six States give returns of the aver
age length of schools. Our own average is
stated at twenty weeks, or five months at the
most. Seventeen of the States return high
er average than this. The other New Eng
land States give returns as follows: New
Hampshire, three and one-half months
Vermont, five months, six and one-fourt
days; Massachusetts, eight months and nine
days; Rhode Island, eight months and ter
days: Connecticut, eight months and eigh
and one-half days. New Hampshire alone o.
the six States stands below US.
In the matter of teachers wages, the OK
hibit is most discrcditable. The highes, ay-
erage monthly wages paid to male teacher:
in the States west OF the Rocky mountains
are paid BY Massachusetts, SIC A. the
lowest by Virginia, S32 %. In Maine VT
pay S32.44, standing next to the foot o.
the twenty one States reported. The figures
for the other New England States are: New
Hampshire 1926; Vermont not reported
Massachusetts, S7G.44; Rhode Island S36 81
Connecticut 500 10. But the figures OF wa
ges to female teachers show that we stand
absolutely at the foot OF all the States report
ed The average monthly wages of female
teachers in Maine are Sl3.72; New Hamp-
shire S22 90; Massachusetts S5l.G7; Rhode
Island S36.Sl; Connecticut S3l.2o. There
are but six States reported which pay less
than $50 a month to female teachers, and we
are not only from thirty to sixty-five per cent.
below the other New England States, but ever
Nebraska, Georgia, South Carolina and Ma
ryland average nearly three times as much as
we.
Our position in the table showing the
amount per capital raised for school purposes
is not more flattering to US. Massachusetts:
stands at the head of this list, raising $40 sc
for each inhabitant, Connecticut is third. rails
ing Sl292; Rhode Island fourth, Sll.S9
Vermont fifteenth, 5000 New Hampshire
twentieth, S4.46; Maine twenty first, S40G
The only northern State that stands below us
is Oregon. If it be said that other States are
richer than Maine. it must be replied that
Massachusetts, devotes two and one eight
per cent. of her valuation, (Which is very
high to education; Nebraska nearly two pei
cent, Illinois four per cent. ,Ka asas nearly
three per cent, Vermont two per cent, ant
Minnesota two and a half per cent, while
Maine devotes barely one and one eighth PEI
cent. to education.
Still it will be said our people are well ed
ucated and compare fav orably with the PEG
pie of other States. 1t must be remembered
that the western States have been largely
filed up by persons who were ignorant, anC
who in the early scattered condition of ths
population could make no provision for edu
cation. We therefore institute a comparison
of natives only, and only in New England
The ninth census shows us that in 1870 there
were 1886 persons in Maine over ten year
old, born in the United States, who coulC
neither read nor write, about one and one thirt
per cent. of the whole population. In New
Hampshire there were 1902, or only TIVE
thirds of one per cent, about half our ratio
In Vermont, 1902, just about our own ratio
in Massachusetts, 1912, less than our own
remember though, that the population il
more than twice as great; in Rhode Island
4444, or about two per cent, which is more
than our ratio, and in Connecticut, 567S, or {