The Republican journal., 1873-02-27
The Schools Of Maine.

The report of Superintendent johnson
Is out, making a volume of 300 pages,
from the press Of the state printer. Mr..
johnson estimates the whole sum ex-
pended by the people Of Maine for educa-
tional purposes at 1867 ,592, and this in
cludes the sums expended by parents who
send their children to other states. The
public school system of the state has had
increased aid in 1872 to the extent of $685.
075 over the previous year, owing to the
Savings Bank tax and the mill tax. The
Portland Advertiser gives the following
synopsis of the document
The total expended for public schools,
81, 1873, gives
Qs72) us7l.)
For each inhabitant .... SLIT S1.67
6 " Census scholar . :. .4.97 1852
I" Registered scholar :. $40 S.S9
" For average attendance IL 99 11.07
In round numbers the annual tuition OF
the pupil at the public school amounts to
$1,000. The length of summer and schools
together is nearly twenty weeks. The
weekly tuition is therefore sixty cents,
which is about the usual price for tuition
in private schools. Based on the registered
number of pupils in the public school the
tuition would be forty-four cents, one
third less than private tuition. Based on
census number of youth in the State the
rate would be twenty-three cents, less
than one-half the cost of private tuition
Were parents, educators, or the state more
ofI11 fn ho TO, nf oh 10
the rate of tuition would be much less than
the maximum, sixty cents, the expense
not being materially increased, as we are
obliged to pay the same sum, whether the
full registered number are in attendance
or not. 1t will be seen, therefore, that in
the matter ofNexpense the public school
system of education is measure of
economy, without taking into considera-
ton the opportunities which the system
affords to every child of acquiring the
rudiments OF a good English education.
Again, the average school period now
ranges from the age of six years to six
teen,-ten years. The tuitional cost,
therefore, for each youth in the State is,
OH the present expenditure, $130,-cer-
family a very small sum for the property
of the state to invest in securing that in
telligence which alone guarantees rational
citizenship. skilled labor, deliberate popu-
lar suffrage, and the growth and perpe-
tuity OF the state.
There are six sources of school revenue
in the state: Interest on permanent
school fund, savings bank tax school
mill tax, per-capta tax, proceeds from
local funds and voluntary town or dis
trict tax. The permanent school fund,
realized from the sale of public lands,
now amount to over 100000, yielding
some $4,000 per annum The amounts
realized from the savings bank and mill
tax are given above. The per capita tax
is eighty cents for each inhabitant Over
$14, 900 is reported to have been raised
from land funds, such as endowments by
the state and private donations. The
voluntary tax, over and above the amount
required by law, is 9232 ,406.
During the year 1874, 17S was expend
ed in constructing new school houses
The whole number of school houses in the
state is reported to be 1868, OF which
number 2,279 or less than two-thrds are
represented to be in good condition. Not
a very good showing for Name. Still,
Mr.. johnson thinks our people are dong
more than heretofore in improving their
buildings.
The Superintendent argues strongly in
favor OF his ideas of more efficient and
systematic supervision. higher wages for
teachers in order to keep better class in
the state, the abolition of the district sys-
tenn, compulsory education, free high
schools and uniformity Of text books.
The state normal schools at Farming
ton and Castine are reported to be in
fiourishing condition, and they are doing
good work in fitting young people to
become intelligent and capable teachers
During the year eighteen institutes
have been held, in different sections of the
state, but the attendance was much smaller
than in previous years, and therefore less
fruitful in good results. This was due in
a great measure to the demoralizing legis-
lation OF 1872, which discouraged the
hopes and expectation of the teachers in
the further progress of our educational
system; and we are sorry to say that the
present Legislature does not manifest
strong desire to take forward steps in this
matter. Other states are leaving US far
behind.