Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-17

he would have voted against it If the proposition
had been TO establish one In his own town.
Mr.. LITTLE moved to indefinitely postpone the
bill.
Mr.. STONE opposed the motion to indefinitely
postpone. There had been . msapprehenson, he
found, - to what normal schools are for. A great
many have an idea that it is an academic ipstitu-
ton. Such II not the fact. They are devoted to
the work OF training teachers for their profession
al labors. They are for the benefit Of common
schools, to train teachers, that they may fmpart
the information they gain to the scholars in our
common schools 1t would not be necessary 10
argue in regard to the benefits of education. All
would understand that it is the foundation Of civil
government; that the wealth and prosperity Of
our State depends in very large degree upon the
education ofits citizens We have possesseda COM
pulsory education bill. We aye going to have
more scholars in our common schools. There is
lack of teachers. In regard to whether such q
school was needed in Bridgton and vicinity, he
said it is asked by petition signed by nearly six
hundred representative men Of three counties,
Cumberland, York and Oxford. He understood,
and he thought he had not been mi,informed, that
the whole of the Cumberland and Oxford delega-
tons, and large proportion Of York, were
strongly in favor Of the school. Cumberland pays
the largest tax Of any county in the State. Cum
berland, Oxford, and York counties pay q thous-
and dollars more than third of the whole State
tax.
Those counties which would be especially ac-
commodated by the normal school at Brighton,
derived but little benefit from the two existing
normal schools Somerset, Franklin and Andres
coggin, with population of IS, "a and valuation
of 900 furnished nearly all the students for
the western school; and Hancock. Washington
and Waldo, with q population of 1880 and q
valuation of $l7 100000 furnished those for the
eastern. Cumberland, York and Oxford, with q
valuation of $Sl,279,0oO, and population
of 1886 had good grounds upon which
to base a claim, inasmrch as these coun-
ties exceeded in valuation by more than $4,000
a third of the valuation Of the State and conse-
quenty paid large proportion OF the expense OF
maintaining the normal schools now existing,
when in reality this whole section has not more
than 80 students at either Of the existing normal
schools He contended that the want Of that
section was urgent and thst members should not
set up their prejudces and their opinions against
the opinions Of so large proportion of the State,
in wealth and population.
The point had been made that the establishment
of another normal school would be detrimental to
the others. He had learned from officers of these
schools that they did not so regard it. 1t s going
TO stimulate them by the establishment Of another.
He acknowledged that the schools at Pennington
and Castine are not full. They never will be full,
for the reason that they simply supply the wants
of section they do not supply the wants of the
State. He next spoke Of the accessibility OF
Bridgton and pointed out the advantages which q
town; gave brief history Of what Bridgton
academy proposed to do and said that by turning
over the property of that institution it would cost
the State nothing to establish the school. Instead
of taking money from the State it would put
money into the treasury.
Mr. STOWE said the gentleman from Brdgton
(Stone) was mistaken in his statement that the
Oxford county delegation were all IN favor OF the
bill. He was opposed to it.
Mr. FERGUSON said the majority Of the York
Il al 70 ha md
he knew that some of the Cumberland county
delegation were. He reptile to some of the ar.
guments advanced by Mr.. Stone and hoped the
bill would be indefinitely postponed
Mr.. PILLsBuRY opposed the bill. The officers
and teachers of the institution at Pennington
were opposed to another school at this time. Be-
lieving as he did in liberal policy towards insti
tutions of learning, and believing as he did in
the benefits of State normal schools, yet he could
not seen the necessity of establishing another one
in the State. Until those that are already iusti-
tuted are filed, it seemed to him to be wholly
unnecessary to burden the tax payers with an ad
dtional tax of $4,000 or $4,000 year. Wher
the time comes that the existing institutions are
time enough to establish another. We have an
institution in sight Of this building that is filled
and OVERLOOKING with poor unfortunate inmates
and they are before US now for very large ap
preparation; and they require it, that they should
be properly and humaney cared for. In view o.
these facts, it seemed to him that gentlemen
should not ask for the establishment Of another
normal school until it is actually needed.
Mr.. LITTLE said it had been represented tina
the Cumberland county delegation were unani
mously in favor Of the bill. He was opposed to it
The discussion was further continued by Mes.rs
STONE, TEfFT and PHLsBURY.
Mr.. GRINDLE said:
Mr.. SPEAKER-As live in the eastern part o
the State, and voted for this school in the com
mittee it is proper that should give my reason.
for SO doing. When the subject was first intro
duced to me was opposed to it. 1opposed !
simply on the ground Of economy. But when i
was represented to that this large section, pay
ing more than onethird of the whole state tax, wa
almost unit in its desire for such school, ant
when considered that our Eastern Normal Scheo
had increased the rank Of our common schools
so or a 100 per cent? then decided that what thu
| Eastern School has done for US, similar schoo
would do for them. And the only question is cal
we afford it do not believe that what we pay
for schools is thrown away or lost 1t all stays il
the State and circulates among the people of thu
State. And the effects Of education on the thrift
and prosperity is plainly shown by the last U. s
census. Roll out the map Of your county and taxi
the statistics of the schools and compare one sec
| ton with another. and you will find that whereve
there is wealth, thrift and prosperity, and law ant
order that section is blessed with an abundance o
free schools and with all the facilities for the gen
eral diffusion Of knowledge; and wherever there
poverty vice and crime and insecurity for life ant
property, that section is overshadowed with blacl
cloud Of Ignorance. And what is true ofthe countr,
at large is equally true of Maine, as we compar'
one section with another. And it is equally true
of the world. Prussia by her intelligence ha
made herself great and mighty, and France b!
her ignorance has fallen. She spent 80 per cent
of her revenue for her army and navy, but thai
could not save her; she spent six per cent. to pa!
government expenses, and only four per cent. Il
make men and women. She ought to have falel
| and she will never rise till she educates. Tn
grand central idea Of the age is education, not TO
the rich or the select few but for the great masse
regardless of race or condition. And believe
will be for the interest of the State that this legis
lature shall establish this school, not grudgngy
| but willingly and freely,
The bill was indefinitely postponed.
On motion of Mr.. CLARK Of Wiscasset the Hous
Adjourned.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mr.. Buck presented the petition of s. D
Thurston, ct. ais, for charter for an insuranc
| company, which was referred to the Commute
on Mercantile Affairs and Insurance, under sus
| pension of the rule.
Bill an act to max valid the annual March meet
| ing of the town of Hermon in the year 1873, wa
passed to be engrossed in concurrence with tn
! Senate, under suspension of the rules.
| Bill an act concerning Judicial proceedings wa
passed to be engrossed under suspension Of tn
| rules.