The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-04-10
Our Common Schools.
REPORT OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

| Ilo heQDeDeC COMfs"
! C.ou;....ndent .Jobssen, how in the hands of
the State nrinter and binders will be ready for
circulation =, a few days.
The superintendent says that the statistics
for 1873 indicate healthful condition. There
is considerable concentration; small districts
are uniting; in several instances the district
system has been abandoned and the town plan
giving the towns charge of the schools) adopt
ed with most satisfactory results. The number
of school houses erected has been as large as
any previous year, and the average cost of the
same larger than usual, the people having found
out that good houses pay. The school moneys
distributed from the State treasury to the sew
eral towns have increased within the past three
years from less than twenty thousand dollars to
almost four hundred thousand dollars.
The following statistics are presented:
Whole number of scholars between four and
twenty one. 225.179
Number registered in Summer Schools. 49,. I1s,75o
Average attendance ....................... 92526
Number registered iu Winter Schools $50. 12s12x
Average attendance .................... lO3,54s
BUMPER OF Schooi houses ...;.....;:... 4,083
Number Of Of sehool Houses in good condition 2,s
Cost of the same. s152 1896
ESTIMATED value Of al School PROPERTY: 2,939236
Number Of Male Teachers employed in is0
Number Of Female Teachers employed in S0f
Female Teachers employed in s0's
Average wages Of MALI; teachers per month, ''
Average wages Of Female Teachers per S'''2'
Average cost of eaeaers board per week
Amount paid for tuition in private schools,
paid q o Sas Sf he Same st Of the
Aggregate amount expended for Schools. S1,l47 21S
The number of scholars reported in the State
in 1863 was 239, 329, against 225 ,179 in 1873;
the return for 1873 appears to be the smallest
for the last decade. That there has been de-
crease in the school population of Maine for
the past ten years is undoubtedly true, but the
above figures cannot be relied upon as correct,
discrepancies having been found in many of
been chiefly in the rural portions and the viii
lagos, while the increase has been only in the
manufacturing centres and in Aroostook
county 1t is recommended that the law be so
amended as to require an enumeration of all
persons between and 16 years, inclusive, in
addition to the present census, and that the
school moneys paid from the State treasury be
apportioned to the several towns according to
the actual number of scholars enrolled, and
not, as now, according to the census popula-
tion s
The whole number of towns making re turns
of free high schools in ITO, number of districts
"a, total returns 134. In several towns two or
more schools have been held, making the num-
Der of different schools $50; students in at
tendance, IL, 1856; amount of money expended,
$50, 524 awarded by the State, 1929, 1876. A large
majority of the towns accepting the free high
school act, are towns of medium population
and wealth. Nearly three-quarteis of the i
awards by the State to free high school were
distributed to the country towns. The figures
give the best and most convincing argument
that the free high school act should be contin-
ued sa.eU -4I a..sf-
The Normal schools are reported to have in
creased their field of usefulness and assured the
public of their importance in our educational
system.
Twenty-four teachers institutes of five days
each have been held the past year, in as many
different places. While the attendance has
been fair, the great mass of teachers in the ru-
raj sections failed to be present-and this is the
very class that needs the special instruction of
the institutes. The institutes were conducted
by three experienced and successful teachers
Prof. f. A. Allen of Pennsylvania, Prof. w. j.
Corthell of Calais, and Mr.. N. A. Luce of Free
dom. 81.
There has been great lack of general inter-
est among teachers, educators and school Off |
GERS In the educational conventions and assoc- |
atoms. This is especially apparent among the |
experimenting school committees. The inter- |
est awakened among these committees was lost |
with the abolition of county supervision. Bet |
Ter scnoOl supervision and inspection did not |
seem to be delnarded by the legislature, and so |
the supply has accorded with the demand 1t
is not at all surprising that but little profession
al enthusiasm is felt by thatIclass of our educa-
tional workmen (school committees and SUPER
vlsors) who receive SO little remuneration Tor
their services
The primary, mixed and grammar schools are
rapidly being placed in the charge of female
teachers. This is as it should be- Every true
man VIII sl caneerfqiy yield the palm of superori
W In TINS held OF school work to women Sew
eral towns have very wisely chosen ladies on
the board of school committees and supervise
ors. From personal observation and theoretic-
ally lis advised by the Superintendent that the |
employment of women as School Supervisors |
be further extended than at present,
The plan of t. WINS furnishing free text books |
is discussed, and course of study presented for
the common schools
One of the noticeable defects in the course of |
study in our schools is the limited instruction |
allowed in the elements of the natural sciences,
applied mechanics and drawing, free-band and |
The chief business of the State |
in the future is to be manufacturing and we |
must come in competition with other States;
the schools should in measure fit our chill |
dren for this honorable competition. A modi- |
fication in our school work IS demanded by az
by manufactures, by mechanical.
trades, ny general intelligence by the mentaI |
discipline oil the youth themselves. aud by the |