Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-01-16
THURSDAY, JANUARY l6. 1873.
Educational Schemes.

dnoliltl lof inc ESTABLISHMENTS ol nigh
Schools; third for a new and improv-
ed system of County Supervisors a
fourth providing for uniformity of text
books-and still another, for Il repeal of
the law requiring towns to raise school
money, and in its stead, State tax of
five mills on the State valuation.
1t is matter of regret, that the lcgis-
lation of the past in this regard, has not
been more stable and enduring. Dur
ing the last twenty-five wears, we have
had Boards of Education, with their
Secretary : County Superintcndants,
with no special duties-Teachers lnsti-
tutes OF ten, six and three days duration
County Supervisors with no author
itativc power and State Supcrimten-
dant of Nchool>-School Agents with
full power to employ teachers and
school Agents shern of this power
These, and other frequent changes.
have rendered it almost impossible for
any. except lawyers, to determine from
year To wear, what our school laws were.
and the people have consequently be-
come Wcaried and veXed. At the pres
eat session of the Legislature it i
certainly desirable that all necessary
changes and amendments shall be made
IN our school laws, and afterwards, that
they be allowed to stand on our Statute
books unmodified and unrepealed, until
experience anS the test of time. show
them impolitic and imperfect
Among the schemes above mentioned.
we conceive the last. the repeal OF the
law obliging towns to raise school
money, To nc unwise and dangerous to
the best interests of Common Schools.
True, the argument that it will cqualize
throu4hou, the State taxation, has some
weight, but thi, is countcr-balancei in
a len-ioid proportion. by the loss of
interest now and always felt by tax
PAYERS OF the different towns. in the sue
cess of their schools.
To make our schools productive OF
The greatest good, something more !,
needed than oliic lent supervision or
even qualified teachers. Il j. parental
influence and announcement conioincd
with the more remote nstrumentalitieS.
Every school needs this, and thanks 10
the Intelligence and wisdom of every
good parent in our State. every success
III school in 4 greater or les degree
has il. Bat ii will be asked. how will
lii- interest be diminished. by ievving
The school tax on the State instead of
'"r Town: We answer. that the Stale
Tax i - remote from the people. that
they do not consider the burden. A.
when they themselves vote their school
money in their respective towns, and
all experience shows that the people are
little interested in that, for which they
ho not pay. We are not without ex-
ainpics in other States. to'this very
point.
The School fund of the State of Con-
hecticut j. 20 ample. that the school
money raised by district taxation is
merely nominal. The result is. that
generally throughout that State, with
the exception Of the larger towns and
cities. her Common Schools have lam
guished and the State in Educational
progress, the most backward of anv
New England State.
Although not one OF those who stand
greatly in Gear of the terrible crv of
Capitalization. we vet are strongly of
the opinion that 80 far a. money j, con-
oerned, the people will manage this
matter for themselves. where the well
fare of their own children are concern
ed, better than the State II the people
OF Maine were less intellge at. or if they
had TO any great extent, failed in the
past, to do their duty in educating their
children, there would be some reason
Tor the change, but as it is. the very fact
oi meeting once each year IN their cor |
porate capacity and discussing the edu- |
cational wants OF the Young, keeps alive |
their interest and awakens a zeal for the /
welfare of their schools. In the great
work OF Education. home culture and
school culture are both required. and let
nothing lie done which shall ever le-
motely sever the bonds of interest and
co-working.
With regard to other projects. little |
can now be said. If a parent or guar. |
dian Is so unmindlul OF the welfare of a
child as to deprive him of his greatest
need, an education, then the State NAV
properly interfere 10 protect that child. /
whose ward he is, and compel his atten-
dance at chool.
Ii High Schools are needed, let the
Legislature authorize towns to support
them Gf i. is not already done) and
even encourage their establishment.
If uniformity of books is desirable,
the School Committee of each County
can be authorized, at the expense of the
State, TO meet and decide. A County /
Convention of School Committees held /
each year would do much TO awaken an |
interest and elevate the character of our
Common Schools.
a state Board of Supervisors, with
suitable salary to enable them to devote
their whole time to the work, elected by
the Scnool Committee, with specific du-
ties to perform and authority to decide
and execute, would complete system,
satisfactory to the people, and if contin-
ued, OF permanent good.
We notice IN the discussion in the Lepis-
lature, upon the passage of the order d.
rectng the Secretary of State To turnisb