The Portland daily press., 1880-01-03
MAINE STATE EDUCATIONAL Asso.
CITATION.


on Executive Ability as an Element in Sue
cessful Instruction by Mr.. G. 7. Fletcher Of
Augusta. Mr.. Fletchers long experience in
the school room has amply qualified him fol
giving information upon this subject and he
did it well. 1t is useless to attempt to give any
idea of his remarks in the brief space allowed
in the columns of a daily paper, but he de-
| fined in an able and effective manner, the nee
essary qualifications for teacher to possess, in
| order to effectually govern, control, and direct
the pupils under his charge.
The next paper was upon Compulsory Edu-
cation and the Factory Laws by l.. b. Shehan
| of Portland.
Mr.. Corthell thought the only way to make
| compulsory law of any value would be to
| distribute the state moneys to different towns,
| according to the number of days attendance
| In school. He thought that this would cause
every parent to be sure to send his children to
| school, He thought that the dollar poaCer was
the only one that would influence every town
| to place all its children in the public schools
The remainder of the afternoon was spent
in discussing various educational questions.
| AT the evening meeting the advantages of
| the New England journal of Education were
| presented by Mr.. Sheldon of Boston, and Mr..
Corthell strongly urged every teacher to in
| dorse it by subscribing for it and reading it.
| He said that now it was a paper that contained
| ideas and had a purpose.
| The lecture of the evening was delivered by
| MIR. G. G. Rounds of Pennington on "The
| Duty of the State to the Public Schools"
| Among many other things he said the eds
| trict system" ought to be abolished that edu-
| cation to be general must be state education
| To accomplish this the state must furnish
| qualified teachers and sufficient means. He
| thought the state should insist upon certain
| amount of professional education to fit one for
the duties of teacher. He thought the
| schools would never succeed without some
kind OF supervision between the state superin-
tendant and the town supervisors; that the
state should insure good school houses and
| schools in abundance. He said that Maine
could support million and half of popula-
| ton, yet she pays less for teachers than any
| other state except Florida and North Caro-
| lima. He spoke of the decrease in perjury,
pauperiSm and crime under the influence of
free institutions by the proper culture OF its
children, and said that these children should
| be so instructed that there might be an
! Intelligent ballot. He spoke of the difference
between political discussion of twenty years
ago and now. Formerly it was a great moral
question like the abolition of slavery, but now
it is frequently some of the most abstruse
principles of political economy about which
the most intelligent men differ. He spoke of
the necessity of instruction such as would fit
all citizens for the intelligent use of the ballot
He thought that industrial education deserved
most careful attention -
1t was noticeable that throughout the lecture
any allusion to the purity of the ballot and
and an honest election, where the rights of the
people were recognized, received prompt and
proper applause.
There were about two hundred teachers pres
emit, including some of the most prominent ed
Mr.. Corthell of Gorham, three of his teachers,
and thirty-fve pupils; Mr.. Rounds of Far
mington, with several of his pupils; Mr..
Woodbury. of Castine; Mr.. Hanson OF Water
vile; Mr. Fletcher of Biddeford; Mr.. Morris,
State Superintendent; Mr.. Fernald of Orono;
Mr.. Luce of Freedom; Messrs. fash, Dole and
Shebham of Portland Mr.. Harper of Farming
ton; Mr.. Burr of Hallowell, and many Others
At the hotel and at the recesses the CONVEX
saton turned at once upon the political situation
and feelings of indignation against the Gov
ernor and Council are freely expressed, and
we have failed to meet single individual who
defends the steal. One of the Oldest and most
respected educators of the State remarked to-
day that while he was no partisan politician he
regarded it as one of the most infamous con-
spiracies that ever disgraced civilized com
munity, and this seemed to be the prevailing
opinion. An appeal to arms was secuted by
all, and there seemed to be determination to
risk the result with the people-and leave them
to rectify it at the coming election next fall.
All seem to think that they will speak then in
thunder tones that even Councillor Fogg will
hear and recognize.
THIRD DAY.
At the opening of the morning session the
usual New Years greetings we-e exchanged,
after which Mr.. Corthell spoke very feelingly
OF the late Mr.. E. p. Weston formerly mem
Der. of the association of Maine.
The first paper of the morning was "Wade's
System of Graduation for District Schools"
by Mr.. Harper of Pennington, who advocated
the same methods of graduatlon-commence-
ments, diplomas and alumni meetings for
this class of schools as for higher institutions
of learning.
A discussion ensued upon this subject par
ticipated in by Messrs. Robertson and Morris
of Augusta, Sheldon of Boston, Corthell of
Gorham, Chase of Portland, and Batchelder of
Pittsfeld
The opinion seemed to prevail that the only
hope of improvement in this direction was
through the instrumentality OF the teachers
in other words Legislation inexpedient."
Tee last paper was by Mr. Batchelder, prin-
cipal of the Maine Central Institute at Pitts
field, on the subject, The place of the acade-
mics in our school system.
At the close of the discussion resolutions
were adopted favoring the examination and
certifcating of teachers by state authorities;
recommending the 'Wade" system of gradu-
ating district schools to the attention of the
fraternity the fostering of the Normal School
and other institutions by the state, also institu
lions and meetings of teachers; that the Cir
culation of educational literature should be
encouraged; an intermediate agency for
supervision between the state superintendent
and town committee; thanking the various q,
railroads for their kindness i'll reducing fares
and the citizens of Gardiner for their hospi-
tality, and commencing the New England
Journal of Education.
The committee on nominations reported the
following officers for the ensuing year:
President-W. J. Corthel, Gorham.
Vice Presidential. c. Fernald, Orono.
Secretary Treasurer and State Editor-W. o.
Fletcher Bddeford.
Executive Committee-E S. Morris, Au-
gusta; r. Woodbury., Castine; G. B. Files,
Augusta.
Delegates to the convention at Chatauqua,
n Y, the coming year were NJ. c. Fernald of
Orono, L. G. Jordan of Lewiston, Thomas
fash of Portland, Rev. A. w. Burr of Halo
we'll, G. b. Rounds of Pennington, DIR. Han
son of Waterville.
The business of the association being finished
the meeting adjourned. -
The next meeting of the association will be
held at Pittsfeld, Dec. Both, 1880, and continue
-lox-r