The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-01-09

Young, and for carrying each successive eener-
alton forward 10 higher plane OF moral and in
teIlectual Development. Every question, then,
bearing upon this subject is Of vital Importance.
The wages of teachers are less In this than in
any other State in the country. Hence many
OF our best teachers leave the State or engage in
other pursuits. We cannot expect good schools
without good teachers, and but few good
teachers can be had without good pay.
/ am glad to notice that the proportion of
female to male teachers is gradually increasing
this is as it should be. There are some occupa-
tions open to men that are not accessible to wo-
men, but for this they are peculiarly adapted.
Many of our best and most successful teachers
are females. | am here reminded OF what ap-
pears to me to be a great injustice to female
teachers The wages of male teachers in This
State average thrty-three dollars and seventeen
cents per month, exclusive of board. The
average wages for females teachers. exclusive
of board, is fourteen dollars ana forty cents per
month"; This is wrong. a given amount of
labor, equally well performed, is worth the
same, whether done by male or female. A
woman can live no cheaper than man ; it costs
as much for her education Us for his; she has
no advantage in the cost of board, clothing
railroad stage and hack fare, hotel bills, books,
magazines or papers. Indeed, present custom
in some of the most important of these items of
expenditures demand more Of her than Of hir,
Why, then. must she be compelled to accept
one dollar for service of equal value with tneSe
for which you pay him two dollars and thirty
cents? | earnestly hope the next report of the
Superintendent of Public Schools will show Il
large increase in the wages of female teachers.
suggest that our present public school SyS.
TEN is defective i'll that it does not, except in
rare instances, furnish facilities for instruction
beyond those offered in he district school. This
has created necessity for a large number of
academies and private high schools; ami these
hrve in some respect, dCtracted from the inter-
est so desirable III the public school. Many Of
our wealhieSt and most intelligent citizens rely
chiefly upon private Institutions for the educa-
tion of their children. They do this because, in
their opinion the instruction in public schools is
not what it should be, ~ because higher
grade of studies is desired. The result is that
the interest which all citizens should have in
our common schools, is, to some extent, ut
least, withdrawn, and the artiVe efforts Of many
whose cooperation and advice are greatly need
ed. are turned into other educational channels.
And this will continue until our schools are
raised to the standard required by the pro greS-
sive demands of the times.
Our public schools should be the best schools
in the State and should furnish opportunities,
not only for primary and intermediate studies.
but 10 prepare for college, or the practical duties
of life. These advantages should he as free TO
the children as the water they drink or the air
they breathe. In most of our cities, and in
some OF the larger towns public schools of the
grade indicated I've in successful operation. In
the smaller towns il Will, of course, be more
difficult, but it appears 10 me not impractlcAble
in every town OF 900 or more inhabitants to
have public high school. equal in grade 10 our
best academies. Two vi more aniaCr t9Wms
could unite for TINS purpose. This would secure
equal opportunities for HE children of the rich
Many Of our academies now having feeble and
precarDuS support, or No support at all would
furnish excellent accommodations. and in some
instances good teachers tDr pohli'' high schools.