Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-04-27

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during the year 1855 but Il was evident
that there was a good deal OF dissstlsfsc.
ton all over town with the new or town
system. Al the annual meeting OF 1850,
an article was inserted In the warrant, as
follows; "ro see n the town viii recon.
| siier the vote whereby II was voted a. the
last annual meeting 10 abolish school
districts aud establish the town system.
At that meeting IL was voted also 10 re-
store the old districts, etc. The vote mp
on the above article was carried by very
decided msjorlty-more than three 10 one.
The friends OF the district system claim
that the town IL not bound by The Act OF
lss5, Section ?, Chapter $50. X. n, Tor the
rvssou that 10 was not operative until
March &, lss5-whefess, the town voted
the town system, March ?, 1855 hence
could not Affect acts done prior 10 the
passing OF the law. The Act referred 10
above reads a. follows "whenever any
town shall have abolished its school dis
tflcts. such districts shall not be reestab.
llshed within three years next thereafter.
Al the March meeting OF this year 1850
II was voted 10 choose q Supervisor OF
Schools Instead OF the usual committee OF
three. or course the Supervisor feels that
The prsrogatlves of bis offiee are en-.
croached upon by the attitude OF the
movers In the district system-1 the
school Agents will have the business OF
employing teachers. repairing school
houses, furnishing wood, etc. etc. State
Superintendent Luce has teen Interviewed.
n L. said, and gives bis opinion that tie
action Of the town In returning To the
district system IL illegal, and advises the
Supervisor % proceed A. though the vote
returning % the district system had not
been passed. Several districts, In the
meantime, have organized under the vote
of the town last spring, aud chose their
Clerk. AMI Agents ADD hence here IL
chance for q clash. The Selectmen aud
Others, wishing 10 avoid, II possible, any
hasty action that might result In hilary .
our schools. proceeded 10. and scared
the opinion Of Er-Jadge symonds on the
questions sfecting the status OF sn,lrs as
they existed when the meeting OF last Sat
ufdsy Was called. J. w. whlttsn was
chosen Moderator. Amer dlsposlng OF the
second article. relating 10 bridges, by
raising two hundred dollars and Instruct
ing the Selecimen 10 repair or rebuild The
bridges In quesilon,-the town met the
third article, r,l,,lng 10 assessment Tor
school property, by move 10 pass over
the article. Arguments were presented by
Hon Geo. ID. Blsbee. %. II. iiersey, Esq.
Df. G. ID. bradbury aud Others 10 favor OF
continuing the town system 10 the eni OF
the three years, % avoid the grave and Sc
rlOus consequences threatening TIE carry
log out OF Toe vote of last March, espec.
ALLY q. 10 the opinion Of Judge Symonds
That the Act OF March q, ls.5, though
not Ia force when the districts were abol.
shed. trns ia force when The town under
.ook 10 restore them" + =. Bfiigham,
E.q, representing the friends OF the dis.
uict system. made q lengthy Argument
quoting In opposition % the opinion OF
Judge SymDnds. the opinion or y. Z.
Strout, Esq, OF Portland, which he had
proc ursd. Claiming that the town had
adopted the town system only In part,
taking the nrs, stsp,-ihat the appraisal
was not done under the direction Of The |
town a. required Ia X. = Ch,pter III. |
section shat the appraisal was not |
made and presented a. the following annu- |
al assessment In whole or 10 part, that a. |
matter OF fact. the Superlnierdlng School |
Committee aud the Seiectmen recognized |
In their report and Ia drawing orders, the |
old district numbers and territorial limits,
that II We had adopted the town system.
the town hai q right 20 reconsider the |
vote, a. the Act OF March g. tssj, was pro. |
.pectlye aud not retrospective. Hon. Gil |
bert barrett spoke, also, fayoring the dis.
trict system. Finally vote was obtained |
on the third article % the wsfrant-ihe |
question was % pass over the ariiclc-ani |
a Ia ST q al
than two io one.
Article foarth.-"To see n the town |
will vote % rsseiai The vote whereby u |
va. voted Al the last annual meeting 10 |
r,turn 20 the district system ~ schools. -
shared the same fate ~ As decisive ms
jority - srllcle third.
The above 1. REGARDED a. fair state.
msni OF the unfortunate condition ofschool
matters In thi. town AZ the preseni time.
Many voted % c1utluue the town system
Who natural, favor TIE district system,
foreseclng uonbe Ia the col l'lon OF Al
shorty II IL hoped. however. that dis
cr,ilon will be exercised, and that hilary
% our schools may no, result.
The opinion OF EKJaige symonds WAS
procured by the Sslecimsu. and given In
writing; while that OF \. &. Suoat, ESQ
was verbal.
The feeling throughou, all the districts
In town, sixteen In number, IL that the
town system 4. not adapted IN the spsrsely
settled or rural portions; that IL dspriyes
them OF one OF the fundamental principles
~ q republican governments voice and
vote In their school district sralr-. There
10 also q jeslousy on the part OF the people
of the eneroachments upon their early
whether Justly taken or
not, the fact OF The existence Of this senti-
ment 1. evident from the uneaslness felt.
and the unpopularity OF The town system
FOR our common schools.