The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-09
The Argus and the Schools.

The State of Wisconsin has, of course. as much
right 10 compel the children of her citizens to get
an education as the State of Maine has. And If
these children go TO the public schools they mnst
study the text books therein used. 1t would be
ioily indeed TO attempt to question this
estaDnsned prerogative of any state government
Our sole contention is that when the legislature
Of Wisconsin passed that law making it unlawful
70 keep private school in which the German
language is the only language used, it did an I'M
wise act.-lEastern Argus.
Our esteemed contemporary should know
that the State of Maine does something more
than compel its citizens to get an education.
IL also undertakes to control the character
OF that education. In the first place it
provides for the creation and maintenance
OF common schools, in its constitution.
Article VIII. of that instrument declares
that it shall be the duty of the legislature
ito require the several towns to make suit
able provision, at their own expense, for the
support and maintenance of public schools:'
in the second place through the superin-
tendent Of schools, an officer whom the
Governor is compelled to appoint, it under
taxes to prescribe the course of study to be
pursued in these schools, for that officer
is instructed and empowered by section 1O4
OF chapter IL Of the Revised Statutes 'sto
prescribe the studies to be taught In the
common schools, reserving to town commit
tees the right to prescribe additional
studies" Here is a distinct assumption of
power on the part of the legislature to regu-
late the lstudies to be pursued in the public
schools. 1t is delegated, to be sure, but that
fact necessarily implies its existence. In
the third place the State assumes the right
IN Inn nal. Ill n1,f
fifteen years to pursue this course or its
equivalent, as is evident from section of
chapter % of the Public Laws of 1887 which
reads as follows:
Sect. Livery person having under his control
a chile, between the ages of eight and fifteen
for at least sixteen weeks, some public school,
which time shall be divided so far as the arrange
ment OF school terms will allow, into two terms,
each Of eight consecutive weeks and for every
neglect OF such duty, the person offending shall
t =, sum not exceeding S25 to the treasurer
u Tue CITY or town for the use of the public
schools In such city or town. but if such child has
peen otherwise furnished fol like period of time
IN the se means Of education equal to that taught
90, s 1oen schools OF the state or il his physi
san or mental condition is such as to prevent at
napadt az school or application to study such
Ponai'y shall not be incurred.
Inc Argus Will see from these citations
from the constitution and statutes that the
State OF Maine undertakes not merely to
compel children to get an education. but
goes further and prescribes certain branches
In which they shall be taught. Up to the
year 1887 it went even further than this and
compelled children between eight and 6f.
teen years of age to be educated in the com.
mon schools. From the time of the mas
sage Of the compulsory education law
which is contained in the Revised Statutes
ot10S3. up to 1887, child between the ages
OF eight and sixteen years must attend for at
least sixteen weeks in each year one of the
common schools. But in this latter year the
law was modified so that attendance at a
private school was allowable. provided the
means Of education therein furnished was