Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-24

"' thr fi'" ltlgll school act.
Mr. Speaker, and gentlemen of the House OF
Representatives
W hen thI, question was introduced here
did not intend to engage in the debate. but
when cause of such vital Importance as the
cause of education. is arraigncd before the
bar of this House, am constrained To raise
my voice in it> defence. Personally | am
not indebted to the schools for any know J.
edge which possess. have never received
high school training: cannot point " it'll
pride to any Alma Mater; but, sir, am not
unnindtul Of the fact. that many a poor boy
has climbed the educational ladder from the
lowest point in the social scale to the highest
round of human distinction. ana am un-
willing that this generation shall be deprived
of privileges which were not accorded me.
For TIL, reason. - long a. my voice, in
tiucncr and vote can hr Of service. they shall
Ia, cXcrt,d in behalf OF education. When We
contemplate the rapid advance which this
nation has made in commercial. mechanical
and agricultural industries, and consider the
marvellous achievements which American
ingenuity. skill and perseverance have
wrought on land and sea. those of US who
are curious to trace the relation between
cause and effect. will naturally inquire what
has produced our wonderful development as
Il nation: The inquiry j. pertinent to the
bill under considerations For if AN analysis
of our State and national growth demon
stratc, that an educated intelligence i the
chicf element OF our greatness. then reason
dictates that we employ every means in our
power To promote and extend the blessings of
education. American civilization boasts Of
no pfuudcr monuments than our common
schools.
The free high school i, closely allied to the
,r-s4t .l..
cannot divorce the one without nhicting in
jury upon tn other. No matter what NAV
he said t. the contrary. this i, an age of i'm
rr"Vrrn"nt, and it has become settled prin-
HPir ot public policy that to discipline and
cultivate the various powers of the mind i Il
dutN which drvovc> upon the State.
The aid furnished our high schools in the
exercise of this duty is not granted ~ an in
duITcncc. i not given H. Il buGntv hut i, due
the youth of this State as a right. These
schools offer to the children of the State, ir-
respective of their condition in life an OPP
portunitv to acquire limited education at
the public expense. To deprive them
of the privilege which the organic law
of the State. expressly guaranteed. contra
Vcnes the spirit of the constitution. and
must prove suicidal in its ultimate effect up
on the manifold interests of the State.
The ad. coates of the scaling-down policy
contend that too mnch money j, expended for
school purposes. hence the per capita tax
must be reduced. the mill tax must be di-
vcrtcd from it, old channel. and the pruning
hook must be applied to the most important
part Of our educational system These econ
om>t> ignore the fact. that rctrcnchmcnt in
the school expenditures has a readv been ct-
tectrd to reasonable extent. through the
action of municipalities at their annual meet
mos. and arrOunt of the 1imipi hnu rove.
nue. derived from the tax on Savings Bank
deposits and other sources. 1t j. y irtectly
safe to allow communities where schools are
located To regulate their internal affairs ac-
cording To the altered condition of the times
To assume that towns will not reduce their
school expenses. when the cost of maintain
ng the schools is twenty per cent. less than
three years ago, is to suppose them to he in
capable Of wisely conducting their own at
fairs.
II | mistake not the town pulse beats in
unison with the demands of economy. and
towns will search out and correct cNtrava-
gancc while the Legislature is deliberating
on the proper measure to secure the same
end. No better evidence of this is wanting
than reference to the report of the Superin-
tendcnt of Common schools for the wears
lS76. - and IS.
In 1876 the total cost of our common schools
in round number, was 81 .Oj3 600. in ls71 the
amount expended for the same purpose wa,
S91l 900, an actual rctrcnchmcnt in Il single
year of -lo2.oOo In 1873, the common
school expense was S936. 600. showing Il re-
duction in two years OF Sll- .Uu0. and this
grand result was achieved without even a
suggestion from the Legislature that it was
time to economic. don't know how it hap
pcntd. | cannot conceive how it c0uid have
happened. but this saving of = 900 was ac-
tualy effected before the gentleman from
Bangor, Pickard. had awukc from his long
dreams of extravaganza,
| have had occasion before. on the floor Of
this House. to express myself a> strongly in
favor of rctrenchmcnt. and say here and
now. let the Legislature enforce economy
wherever il is proper and right. Let TINS body
exercise its prcrogativc to reduce cNorbitdnt
salaries. abolish useless offices, submit an
amendment of the constitution tothc people
providingtor biennial clcction, and sessions of
Legislature. stop every leak in the treasury. if
there be any. pass any measure in the inter
est OF real economy. hut do not commit the
mad folly of sacrificing education in the in
tcrcst of property. If You will consult the
Supcrintcndcnt's report. You will find that in
the year 1873, towns appropriated sluj, 600 in
excess OF the amount required bv law they
manfc>tlv regarded this sum as necessary
for the proper instruction of their scholars.
and if You will further explore this matter in
search of light, you will find that this excess
,Ne appropriation was chiefly made by towns
and cities that have established high schools
Now what is the inference to be dcduced from
that fact: Precisely this. if the State aid is de
MED these schools, the towns where they are
located will he compelled To enlarge thcir an
nual appropriations for the support of educa-
tion, or ii YOU take the other horn of the di-
lemma. and assert that towns will not meet
the deficiency by an increased appropriation
then the scholars are deprived of their accus-
toned schooling To a certain extent. Now |
desire to pay my respects to the gentleman
from Bangor. Pickard) who evidently believes
in the good old adagc that speech is silver
but silence is golden, and as he has rarely
favored us during the session with spcci-
mems of his eloqnence, you will pardon me
if reproduce Il few choice extracts from
his recent speech.
After quoting at length from the consti-
tuition, he says, ''thc circumstances of the
people at this time are not such As would au-
thorize appropriation for any of these high
schools during the present year but that the