Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-05-15

ArAPEE READ BEFORE THE HANCOCK EDr.
CATIoNAL ASSOCIATION, At HANCOCK
NAY ., 1854.
suppose no observer would deny that
our schools are above the standard of a
quarter or half century ago. 4 glance a,
the histor, Of such is sufFicien, 10 decide
tha, in. a, least, large proportion of our
common schools. there has been step in
advance. The issue i. not the truth of this
statement, bat whether that progress has
been all II ought to be whether the ad-
vance in our common school has been slug
gish or free whether i, has been dragged
slowly through the mud, behind the sys-
tenn IN other counties, or parts Of our own
county, or whether il has been and il. so far
as our own county Is concerned, live, lead
ing factor. |, is hardly. perhaps. timely
place 10 speak in this presence Of The i'm
poriauec Of the common school here amid
tks throng Of teachers who have this suh-
ect al heart and are fu. IL it. But due
consider ,lion Of my theme demands vof4
Ipon II. There can be bat one tacior .r
'uman afairs as important as Gus scho.
other ling is 7abordina'c il shaping socic,,
aul tire nation. Tie schools are bat second
n pnSer for this; We can hardly conceive
haw ihc whole social fabric rest, upon them
we hardly pause TO think that tie major
i'y Of men and women get about all their
book instruction from the common schools.
one VINO has no, investigated the subject
can hardy imagine how lI,ilr j. gathered
i-lm hp - By the mass Of humanity outside
their lia at the di>,rc, school. Men and
women are comparative, few who read a
book from one wears end 10 another; Still
fever are they who read book of Use
Il Is really true that most men and women
get most the, get from books al tins school
Nhsn - ,h'-t - 'L- ,~,-,.... I,,,--.. r
an American citizen. the scope OF hi. privl-
leges and influence. the freedom OF voice
aud vote. the guide of family and perhaps
neighbofhood, and consider how th. term of
wears spent in this way bends up or down
his whole life how i, shapes forever his
influence. We get some conception Of its
place. Of its responsibilities, Of what il
ought % be- The temptation is 10 dwell
here and speak little in detail Of the re-
sponsibiities of It's real position, and not
rush By with these poverty stricken hints.
for the whole thing hinges here. For IL
this Common School System holds no i'm
portan, place in the affair. of men,-if it is
not almost unparalleled in It's power over the
Sta,e.-if it is a happy-go-lucky concern
sandwiched in between baby hood and man
hood. to keep the youth out Of mischief,
then am a, fault in nv statement, that the
Common School System Of our county is
far below the standard OF its responsibili-
ties. deserving or demanding the best
thought ,ha: can be brought to it to make it
better. But il. instead. it is the fountain At
which our Nations Independence and Liber-
" drink If it furnishes the instruments
with which men are TO carve good citizen
ship,-if il is the place where the business
of the country j. 10 draw the elements that
shall shape is course,-then | am right,
and il j. ripe field for work. Partly be-
cause OF limited time. ! snail strive 10 verih
tEa al. ..L III ~.
with one sioHe," by .ndea,oring to show
that they are not up TO this standard while
give the reason why they are not. at the
same time letting those IT asons in measure
at !east point the remedy. At the head Of
the list IS that strong enemy of all advance
nent.-- Indifference fathers and mothers 70
whom this matter should come home with a
/ force equal TO the moral welfare Of their
children give the matter not ten minutes
1 cf honest, real attention for the year. A part
( Of them attend school meeting and bend
7 their energies to the matter of rood and
/ cbsGp board for the teacher. with double
/ the concern manifested to procure a suitable
agent and so a teacher In many districts
/ this latter goes by sort of turn, a habit,
( that would he provoking if it were
| il to tie front 10 most Of ihe meetings, and
50 stamped into the agent, is cheapRess, not
qualiy but of this later. Indifference in and
out of the meeting, to nothing so much as TO
the leader of these little ones, is sorrow
ful mistake. Men will spend energy, time.
enthusiasm upon almost anything sooner
than this all-important matter. Politics
will call out an interest that shakes the
whole section, subject which in eompari-
son hasn't the shadow Of substance. Why
| it is that children idolixed. watched care
fully in every other way. will call from par
ents so little, or no interest, in the way
they shall be trained and taught outside the
home is to me mystery. This leads me to
the second topic as your teachers say,-the
quality of'teachers. Until some public in
terest is aroused, almost despair Of seeing
what is sadly needed, the standard Of our
teachers raised. Am striving to bring op.
probrium upon this calling? no, by no
means, no. A good teacher takes about the
highest place God has allowed any one ia
take here. and, truly, belive We have some
lofty examples among US in this county.
But there are others who bring stain up.
on the work, q shame upon the place q
high and responsible. There are but ie~
xho can we'll do this work and then only