The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-04-26
The "Old Monster" Again.

| To THE EDITOR OF THE Journal: The in.
tcrest manifested in discussing our school dis
| triot system has induced me to try my luck
again. and see what the result will be Of keep
| ing the ball moving.
70 those teachers who have had the ctfront-
| cry to tell me they do not believe my state
ment> about the school, in the West in com
paFiSon with ours in Maine. | suggest they
read carefully the articles by ''Another Teach
er" of Minnesota, and Geo. NJ. Cole. of Dako-
ta. in the Journal of March 29h. "Another
| Teacher is correct in his SuppoSiton that
have seen the workings of the schools of Mimi
To enable teachers here to draw further com
parisonS. will give some of my observations
For four years was employed in private
educational Institution in Southern Minnesota,
and Had good chance to study the public
school system. But one of all the school
houses Visited contained ol,l-fashoned board
seats. and that has since been replaced by a
new house with modern furniture Even on
the blizzard swept prairieS. one hundred and
fifty miles northwest of Minneapolis, where
the lonely sod house is the rule, found the
| neatly painted schoolhouse with patent seats
maps, globes and blackboards. There. too, was
the >choolma'im. daughters of Maine men
supplied with better convenences in that wild
region than are furnished to their sister teach
er> in the old Pine Tree State.
In the thriving little city where | made iny
home there Were seven school buildings, any
one of which is better than any have seen in
Waldo county. Not satisfied with this they
built the past year Il building for high school
purposes. that cost 100000. do not say we
should initiate this expense. but state it simply
to show the interest in school matters. In
that county there are four teachers associa-
tions meeting in different parts of the count Y
each month. The county superintendent gives
them lis personal attention and urges his
teachers TO attend and maintain them. Be
sides there are the State Institutes held in
each county similar to those here. but continue
ing week instead of two days, and conducted
with regular corps of instructors.
In examining 100 this spring the county SUP
crintendcnt refused certificates to %, white l3
cot only third grade. Practically Is out of 100
applicants refused as teachers in large ma jor-
ity of the schools. | know what these cXami-
nations are and am well satisfied that nearly all
of these would been granted certificates under
our system of supervision. What Il stimulus
such system would have on the teachers and
schools of Maine.
Now all persons are not expected to see this
question in the same light and from the same
side 50 | have been lookin" for something
from the oHi"r side. hut have seen nothing in
the Journal. The Prog. Age being conSpicI-
ou> for its absence in this vicinity, the article
by Mrs. +. T.. Brown in that paper of March
18th nearly escaped my notice.
From the Ideas expressed by Mrs. Brown |
fear She is not in sympathy with the plans for
Improvement suggested for schools in Maine.
Perhaps that is why her article appeared in
the Progressive (:) A-c.)
Occasionally we hear an od-timcr saving ::
The scholarship in our common schools is not
up to the standard it occupied when he was a
pupil in school. But the generally accepted
Judgment is. that there has been decided inn
provcmeHl in this direction during the last ten
or fifteen wears: brought about by the help of
a class Of teachers. disciples of the 'ncw educa-
ton introducing the advanced. progressive
ideas impaired from the Normal training
schools. Wien the advantages derived by hir-
in@ this class. began to be manifested those
>tickin" to the line of the ''old education soon
began to step down and out. Some joined the
march of Improvement and continued doing
good work. My Old teachers of this kind |
hold III grateful remembrance.
The teachers Of the "new education" see in
the district system. and method Of supervision
a> now conducted Il Great barrier to improve
meht. This class practically to unit. is >trv-
ing 10 bring public sentiment to the point that
will demand change. The other class. slow
in being convinced. always bring up the argu-
meut used by Mrs Brown: "Our district sys-
TEN gives an opportunity to the parents and
voters 10 exercise their power of franchise by
choosing local Officers
We cwond not deprive a man of the privilege
to exercise his right of franchise. In fact Il
great mission of the teacher is to form charact-
tr> capable of making anol lie use of that right.
We cannot see how a vote under our district
system leads to the elevation of man very much.
And We do contend that the vote under the
township plan will produce far better results
Yet many 50 zeaiou>ly y guard their ballot
that they are blinded to their best interests. and
at the mere mention of aboiishin@ the district
system. rush ~ with declaration of ''ri=ht>.' y
and cry that are trying to deprive them Of
their liberties.
Mrs. Brown further says: that the majority
rur tao now is the safest and that errors are
easily rcmeled 10y that rule. Very safe. but
unfortunately there is Il trouble here. attend
rd Il school meeting this spring in Il district
that contains - votcr>-and } of them elected
an agent. Not much of a majority rule in that
Not one that would correct errors at any rate
Yet is | have been able to see this is about as
school meetings usually 90.
Then about hiring teachers. Many ,rouid
he refused certificates il agVnt> would exercise
their right 10 require teachers to procure
certificates before hiring. Very few know they
have this right, and if they do knew do not
care to mah, u>r Of it. throwing the RESPONSE
hilitv upon see committee. and the committee
hay in. no y>-',r in hirin. the teacher. has but
little interest IN III matter and ccrtiiir> whom-
eyer The agent sends alou" and mo questions
asked. II the teacher happens to be a profit
NH. ON, .,U ,i,jt IL .,,, M ,n,. ,,u lo,.,t I I,n
.r.,,,,.i,",;,, - '''' NV ''' '" Wv Wv Wv
i.ain Mr-. Brown saws; "ltiueraut work i.
nCtnn H., IL, - in t.,,.i,;,., VIII s ,,rn,,.hin
h,y,,,.t .r,tIi,,., 10 ~, ,I,,nt ,i, r,r",.hin,,
irt witt nm i,l.n ,,nu, ,,.,,h;,,',i '7'
rIr wnrLinr" Of ,b. m;nJ Inv. h..n tb,
s,u,lv If ,.rn.,t nb;,.n'bnr. anil ,h;nLnr. for
,,s,.. M. way - In,J tn III. ,,rnn.r J,.v,Ion.
mrnt of thn nnr.I intaIlert,',i mi nhv.i,,l
Mn ,e.,uirs. ra,rs If n,r.fui .tnd,, n,l:nrva-
tin,, a,,d ,ync;iem., tn ,rnrira cvnn , reason.
,II. ,l,,rr,,,. nf ,,rnt;,.;nn,T SuraIv ;mn,.tnra
grl. and bows are noorl, nrenarei TO do snch
mnnrt.,,t wnr Rnt Slr. I,rnwn " ,,r, ..nf.
trn. !" We think ,nI.lnm yumld be more nearly
rorrcrt
~. ,,,mit thor, ,r., ,,,,, ,.h, ,ro ,,iI.l .x-
uo.ianrnI ,hat in not jn ;yrrl cunJ tn s,me
youn%er trnrhers Now ro,,ntv S,,ner,isio,,
,oI ,ra,,.J rcrtiti,,te. ,h,n,n. Iii. hnr,nsn If
il ). constant >t;mml,,. tn hnlI a ur,I, or al.
y,,i.,. 10 h.her nn,. Th. .,rhar thnt fai,s to
,n this i snnn thrown ar ,nI none In, those
rn,snn,iJy rn,nnntant ,rs ,lInyaJ tn unt in
As if is now inst 50 soon as n teacher reaches
thc noiut when his services are really valuable
h M ti,,i III. y " ,n1nn,. - inli ~ NY u;,,' tho
itinnrnnt \~rnts mnLn nn ,li,tinctinn1 so hr