The Portland daily press., 1874-12-24
Annual Reports.


| The students represent every county in the
state, showing that the institution is not one OF
| merely local influence, but that the people OF
| the whole state feel an interest in its success
| During the past year Hon. T. S. Lang and 5.
| f. Perley have resigned their places? upon the
| board of trustees and the vacancies have been
filled by the appointment of Hon. S. I. Hincks
of Bucksport, and Hon. Caleb A. Chaplin OF
Harrison. Some changes also have been made
in the faculty, Lieut. W. S.Chaplin,a graduate
of West Point, having been appointed Pro-
fessor of Modern Languages and Literature IN
place of Prof. Whittier resigned. There have
been no mark ed changes in the course OF study
during the past year, but efforts have been
made for more thorough instruction in agricul-
ture, and to contribute to this end the chemical
course has been somewhat changed
The trustees have expended 81, 153 for the
purchase of thoroughbred stock The college
now has valuable representatives of Shorthorn,
AYRSHIRE and Jersey families. During the
wear large barn has been built, and in
connection with this work the trustees refer in
the most complimentary terms to the services of
the Hon. S. F. Perley. A new farm house near
the barn, the trustees think is needed. Larger
rooms than the college can now command are
needed for class rect atoms. The rooms hith-
erto used for this purpose were designed for
students looms. A building of brick should
be built to meet these requirements. AS
measure of economy the trustees recommend
on appropriation sufficient for the manufacture
of bricks required on the college farm during
next summer so that the construction OF such
building may be commenced early in the fall.
The trustees think an appropriation OF VIZ ,5OO
will be necessary for the college the coming
year.
President Allen reports year of prosperity
not marked by any essential changes in the
method of teaching previously adopted win
regard to the terms of admission the PRESIDENT
saws that while the faculty naturally desire to
elevate the standard of attachments necessary
for admission, they are fully aware that the
great majority seeking admission, and for
whose benefit the institution was especially de-
signed, would be excluded by any considerable
increase in the conditions OF admission OF IN
the severity of examination The deficiencies
in common English studies shown by candl-
dates onItheir examination for admission are
such as to convince the faculty, however, that
great Improvements are needed IN our common
school instruction.
The President takes occasion to correct the
too prevalent impression that this college is
simply farm school. The real object OF the
institution, on the other hand, is to give lib,
eral and practical education, especially adapted
TO prepare IQc SLuu6uG lUT eo
and for success in business empoyments. The
studies usually taught.in the bestcolleges except
Greek and Latin languages, are taught at the
Maine State College.
Since the opening of the college there has
been every wear a constant increase OF students,
and there are now in the institution one hun
dred and twenty, representing every county IN
the state. New buildings are required to ac-
commodate increasing members. The admIs-
sion of ladies has been attended by none OF the
= ,..t. nTldnd
FERROUS influence on their health has been ex-
erted on account of their successful pursuit OF
course of study principally designed for the
other sex. They have conducted themselves
with the strctest prOpriety and have exercised
healthful on the other sex. The lady student
who graduated at the last commencement sus-
tanned rank in scholarship equal to any in
her class. During the whole course she never
missed a recitation or any exercise, ON account
of i'll health The five ladies who are now pur-
suing these studies have suffered no injury by
their college life. Should the number OF fe'
male students increase, some more definite ar
rangement for the female department will he
needed The President reports perfect
unanimity of opinion and accord among the
members of the faculty.
The reports of the Professors shows crafty
ing progress made in their several depart
ments.
Thee librarian, Mr.. G. H. Hamlen, reports
2 O52 volumes in the library, an increase of 219
volumes Of these, GA volumes were purchas-
ed with the remainder of the $1,000 given to the
library by ex Governor Coburn. By the will of
the late Hon. G. B. Abbot, 100 volumes have
come into the possession of the library. Twelve
volumes have been sent to the library by Sena.
tor Hamln and thirteen volumes by ME- 3 L.
Boardman. The room now occupied by the Ii
brary is entirely unfit for such purpose, and a
new one should be provided.
The Farm Superintendent makes an elabo-
r ate report of experiments, which cannot be
summarized so as to be of any practical value.
Report of Officers of the Reform School.
The trustees of the State Reform School in
their twenty.first annual report refer to the
wise liberalty of tue last Legislature in appro-
priating sufficient money to raise the school
out of its low state in which for many years it
was suffered to exist, on account of scanty ap-
propriations The trustees now point with
pride to the improved condition of both the
school buildings and inmates. But one boy
has died during the year. The buildings have
been thoroughly renovated, and the boys plac'
ed in light, wen ventilated rooms instead OF the
dismal cells which they formerly inhabited at
night The classification Of boys according to
grades, the trustees say, is working finely. Very
few fall back, and fully one-third of the boys
eau be trusted upon their honor. Locks and
bolts cannot yet be dispensed with, but there is
gain every week by the good faith shown to
the boys.
The old method of keeping boys cramped up
in confined room, knitting and sewing, has
been abolished, as being work unsuted to boys,
and chair making substituted instead. The
trustees propose to introduce the method OF
maxim chair frames, which have heretofore
heen bought ready made +
The rule of discharge only from the first
grade is being adhered to strictly by the trus-
tees, and the result is that the boys earnestly
strive for the department which makes them
eligible to that grade.
The trustees propose further Improvement on
the building the coming year. They speak in
the highest terms of Superintendent Went
worth and the other officers of the institution.
The trustees think that $4,000 will be suffi-
Gent appropriation for the next year.
Superintendent Wentworth reports that the
whole number of boys received into the $nsti-
tuition since it opening is 1920; present number
146 The farm products of the past year amount
to Sc, S42.79 During the past year AZ boys
have been committed to the school, II discharg-
ed, Is allowed to go on trial, escaped, ! died,
pardoned and 1 violated trust. The Munich
pal Court of this city has sent ID boys to the
school during the year. Nearly all commttas
have been for the crime of larceny. The COM
initials by counties are as follows: Androscog
gin, 5; ArOOStOOK, U, CuInperiduu, Il, EIanh-
lin, o; Hancock, 1; Kennebec, 3; Knox. 3; Lin
coln 3; Oxford, 0; Penobscot, 8; Pscataquis,. 2;
Sagadahoc 8; Somerset, o; Waldo, l; Wash
ington, 3; York, 6; out of state, 2. Of all COM
mitted to the school since its foundation 159
have been foreigners. The ages of those com.
mitted the past year range from to Is years.
OF those received the past year II had intern.
perate parents, II had lost father, lost
mother, had relatives in prison. 2 had step
parents, II were existing in idleness, had
been much neglected. 10 were truants, 20 Sab
bath breakers, AZ untruthful and 80 profane.
The Superintendent says the farm has not
received SO much attention this year as usual,
because the teams have been employed in haul
ing building materials AT the brick yard
400, 900 bricks and tile have been made, from
which about $1,000 will be realized for the labor
of the boys. In the chair department, IL 500
chair frames have been seated.
The schools are in charge of Mr.. A. e. Briggs
assisted by Miss A. E Eastman and Miss Ben
rietta Cobb, and have made commendabIe prog
ress. The Sabbath school has been carried on
| by Rev. H. A. Hart and Mr.. A. Little The
| Superintendent explains the the working of the
grade system of discipline, which has already
been fully described in these columns.
From the report of the treasurer, Mr.. VIM.
E. Gould, it appears that the total expenditures