Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-23

the act. Inc numDef Is not SSSeDtlal 10 the
design of the bill In presenting seven COM
missioners, the committee came to the con- |
clusion that that was the lowest number that
could be taken in order to accomplish the end
desired. More might be desirable, and they |
left the bill so that it can be done if thought |
necessary, by appropriate amendments.
But the only question the committee de-
sired to bring before the House this morning,
was that of "intermediate supervision lie
was aware that in undertaking to secure def
mite legislation in the cause OF education, that
they should have, necessarily, to work against
the inertia which prevails in almost all com
munitiss. SO far as his constituents were |
concerned, their schools were efficient in the
highest degree, but the large proportion OF
the schools in the State, especially in the ru-
raj districts are not so situated, and unless
something is done to increase the supervision,
we shall fail to secure the results Of our
school system. Among the objections which
naturally arise to this and all other legisla-
ton respecting education, is that our schools
are well enough off as they are, and as well
as the average Of schools in other States. As
matter of fact, this is not true. Look at the
statistics upon this point. The schools in
large proportion of the States in the Union
are longer, have a higher efficiency, and Sc
cure much larger results than the schools in
Maine In the matter of wages we can draw
some conclusion as 10 the efficiency OF our
schso OILS and the methods Of instruction. The
State OF Maine pays its male teachers on an
average the sum OF IS per week, and its fe-
male teachers $3.50; Mass. pays its male
teachers Sl9 per week. and It's female teach
crs s. per week Connecticut. males SIG,
females s.; Illinois. males Sl2, females 50;
Ohio. males Sl+, females 50; Penn, males
SIG females SIS. Oar teachers, on that av-
h.iu lose hal IF
wha. they are paying in other States, and we
can but come 10 the conclusion that. as a
| whole we must necessarily have less efficient
| instruction and less results secured. Maine
expends per scholar. S4G2, Mass. S20,GG
| Conn. Sl2,92, Ill. S7,93, Ohio, seas, Penn.
| $3.50. This shows that Maine does not pay
| more than half as much for education, or
| have half the length of schools tina. they have
| in large proportion of the States of the
| Union But it is well to make the best Of the
| circumstances, and to devise some efficient
| remedy in connection with them. Ii seemed
| to him that the best and the most thorough
| efficiency, and the best and most thorough
supervision which our schools could have,
would result in securing the largest results.
| Is not this true in every department of bust
| ness?
No manufacturing scheme is commenced
| without efficient superintendent. And
| when we come to this matter Of public schools
this supervision is of the utmost Importance
in securing good results. The quality Of the
| instruction, and methods pursued. have much
to do with tie results that may be obtained,
| bat without entering into any argument upon
| this point lie would mention that We are ex-
| pending in this state over one million of dol
| lars for public schools, and the State pays
| more than quarter of a million of that ex-
penditure; yet the State is not assisting at all
| in increasing the efficiency of the use of this
| money. bat it is suffered TO 60 into the sew
| eral towns, and there to be employed as may
| be thought best, without any guards as to the
| methods in which it is to be appropriated.
| Can the State afford this without doing some
| thing to make the expenditure Of this money
more efficient in the results that may be Sc
| cured? 1t seemed to him not, and the legis-
| lature should adopt some system of State su
| peryision that shall elevate the standard of
| our schools, and increase the results that are
to be secured from them.
But it is objected that, however useful some
form of legislation in this direction may be,
experience has demonstrated in the case of
! county supervisors that it is not efficient. He
| admitted that there were serious defects in
| that plan, which could have been remedied
without the abolition of the whole system.
| He commended that good results did come from
| that system. When the right man was Sc
| cured, and the labor not beyond the compen-
| sation paid him, results were secured which
| show for themselves. One difficulty there was,
| the unequal distribution Of the work. Then
| the compensation was inadequate, which
| necessitated the devotion of good deal of
their time and energies to some business to
obtain livelihood. Such salary should be
paid as TO secure competent men, and have
them devote their whole time and energies to
A., and ., ,kar sc
increased as the legislature thinks proper.
The committee on education would have been
glad TO have presented more commissioners
than the bill now provides, but they submit
ted this to the consideration of the House.
He maintained that even seven could accom-
plish great results, and they would furnish a
nucleus around which might be put others by
future legislation.
In reference to the work 10 be done by
these commissioners, it was not proposed by
the committee to have them visit every school,
but that they shall visit a sufficient number
in each town or city to obtain some idea of
the workings of the system. They are to do
their work mainly with the teachers and
county institutes and town meetings; with
the school committees and leading citizens of
each town, pointing out defects and suggest
ing remedies.
In regard to the work that seven men might
do Off the number is not increased), he stated
that the largest number of towns in any one
of the districts is sixtyfive. If they had but
two hundred days, outside of holding teach
ers' institutes, to apply to visiting towns, it
would be seen that on an average some four
days might be given to each town. 1t seemed
to him that there was no practical difficulty
in having these men visit each town and ac-
complish all the work laid out for them.
He referred to the matter of the expense,
and thought the State could afford it Tor the
purpose of increasing the efficiency of our
schools. Gentlemen, he hoped, would not
consider the bill with prejudice or precon-
ceiyed conclusions, but bearing in mind that
in this question of education they were APP
preaching the most fundamental interest of
this State. When our public schools prosper
when education is brought up to the highest
standard, then we shall find not only moral
prosperity, but material prosperity. Our
whole State and government must rest upon
the education of the masses, and it is the duty
Of the State TO see that everything is done
that it can do for the purpose of elevating the
standard and increasing the influence of our
public schools. Our material interests are
\