Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-18

furnished me By the SsAts supefinseadsEs. |
which have already adoEte1 the town sys-
TEN, ard think yeavill recogn'x them -
progressive towns: Auburn, Durham. East
L,vsrmaye. Lssistcn., Lisbon. Poland.
Turner, Wales, Webster. Hammond Plan
tssicn. Easson. Fort FaifAeld. Haulsou.
Limestone. Presqus Isie, Washbafn,
Bridston, Brunswick. Yarmouth. Deefioe,
freepoH Harrison, New Gloucester. Port
lad, westbsock, Augusta. Gardiner.
Hall5ve.l, LirchasN. Oakland, Watervilie.
Wlrsiov, Rockland. Thomaston, Bangor.
Brewer, Cofirns, Kesduskeag, kirgman,
Milfaro-in all there are % The State
su,er:nN nieus informs me sha. of all the
to wns in the State which have expsrimeated
oy making this change. there are oaIy three
shas hare seen it to return - the old
sysfem. think that this optional matter
in Maine has been going on long enough so
that the people should be thoroughly con-
vlncsd that this Is 5st.sr syssem. that i:
gives better schools, and that is gives more
equal school privileges; and for that reason
think that it 10 iine shat the systam in fs-
gard 70 the management OF our schools be
made uniform.
Mr.. Ssesrns Of Cafibou-I do not rise TO
make . speech but some portions of the ar
suueut of the gentleman from Houlton were
cunningly pot and calculated TO misleAd.
He refers to my osn town which be says
raises $1,000 ia all and expends $500 Of il
in oue district. Now when he refers TO
$1,000. his meaning can simply be this
The per capita tax Of so per cent. which is
the minimum thst every town 10 obliged TO
raise. The mill tax and the other school
funds he does cot mention At all +; nor. on
the other hand, does he refer to the $1,000
voted annually for the high school. Now.
the truth 10, - believe, that under the
district system the different scholars Of the
town will receive Is nearly an equal advsn'
tage - will be practicable under the town
system. Now, the gentleman Gays that the
town Of Caribou has one district
where they receive only S3S as
their proportional part Of the school
funds. He forgets to tell you 10 this same
connection that that 10 only small part OF
is; and he forgets to state how much the
to xn raises to patch out that S3S. That Is
an extreme case. He would say further b.
his argument that the people in the rural
districts are opposed to this system; that
they do no. receive the advantages they are
entitled to. To illustrate to you: Ia the
town where l have lived for the psst nine
Year,, there have been many and various
prop ,sitions en- the part of the village
people to adopt the town plan, and 10 no
instance do l recall that this proposition
ever received any following or attention
whatsoever from the rural districts. They
are universally opposed to it. can't see
why. il this system 10 as good as it is
claimed to be. it 10 not generally
adopted Surely the people Of these
towns know their own minds and their
own desires. If they do then Why does i.
become necessary for this scheme to be
presented here year after year. as it has
been? The truth is tina. the people do not
want the system as believe The truth is
that the old district system giving US the
fullest local self-control 10 the system that
the people Of Maine are welded to, and
hope that in the interests Of constituents,
as believe, and in the interests of the
people, this minority report will be sub
Iii uted fer the msj ority report.
Mr.. Gushee Of Apple.on-1 would say
that ,his bill as reported by the majority is
compulsory in lis nature. Now, ask you,
gentlemen Of the House. one favor, that
you will not compel my town to do thing
that it has voted several times not to do l
believe that our Legislature has placed on
cur statute books wise law, that every
town who saw ct to adopt this town plan
might do TO by vote of the town.
We have had articles in our
warrant for town meetings several times
aud in every instance they voted it down.
balieve oar town should be left to n,ansge
its own affairs, provided 1t does not do any
thing conflicting with the statutory laws,
aud hope that you will allow this to re-
main as it is
Mr.. Cummings Of Harrison-I consider.
Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen, that this is
the NEST important question ,hst has come
before this House during this session, and
that is saying a good deal. 1t is a question
in regard to our schools and they
are the foundation Of everything. There
Vas remark made by ths gentleman from
Van Buren, which 10 not quite correc', and
that is the opinion that that the people have
in regard to the town and district systems.
1 want to relate little experience. live
in town in the northern part OF Cumoer-
land county that has adopted the town sys.
tenn. 1t has been running there for four
years. 1t was adopted by a very email woe.
Il was one of those springs when the
people could not get to town meeting
oua tbtbS Wes odAy 0DOut Hi1ItpE part VI
The people represented at the meeting, and
consequently it was forced upon the town,
and the majority Of the town didn't want
and do not want it today. My friend from
Van Buren, had not heard about hi, town.
DO. have lived the re for AZ years, sni
in conse quence Of that system being forced
on that town it was = serious itjuey to the
town, from which they have not recovered
ezIc -I -.
When you force that syetem upon town
contrary to their wishes you take that mat
ter out Of the hands Of the parents and rot
only that but out of the hands Of the pee
ple of tina. town. They do not and will
not take any interest 10 the schools sitter
they have adopted this town sys.em. In
order TO make school successful we waDt
in the frs. place a goodssupervisor. Then
we want good teacher and then we want
the parents and the people to take held
and help to support these schools
in order to hsve them successful
Isn't thst = fact? You can
employ tie best teacher that YOU can fad,
but unless the parents take hold, instead Of
carrying that school forward, it is imp)ssi.
bic TO have successful sch Dol, aud say
that WIS this town system takes the mat
ter ont Of the hands of the people and puts
it into the hands Of one man. it ia entirely
wrong and is doing a great Injury t. the
schools in this State. Our superiuter dert
Of school committees. "a you are sware, in
almost every report they have made in
slmos. every town have advised and
entrea:ed the paren.s - take hold and assist
them. Here 10 an item that want to read
from the report Of our superintendent of
the school committee made this srfi7g. He
Is fne fellow. He was in !svor Of this
to" n system, and suppose is in fsver Of it
today. but presume is no. in favor Of the
wav in which it has bee n managed since We
had il in our town.
Mr.. Cummings read extracts criiiclsing
the eulpihle neglect Of parents in allowing
tafdne.s in school attendance On the part
OF pupils. Schools are damaged very
much by il. Much of the success, of a
school depends upon the teacher bu. the
parents have certain duties 70 do npon
which coasid rable depends Just ore
word more. You can't enfcrc. thu qror
law In the Stats of Maine today unless the
people take hold and help; and you cans
run church SUCCESSFULLY, no mattel how
good and smart mioister you have, il the |
psotle don't take hold and help. Isn't tbs.
= fact? II il so, and more 80 in regard to !
the schools Of this State.
Mr.. Arohibald-I rise principally to cor
rect in the mind Of brother Stearns mis-.
apprehension, or what I suppose was a |
in regard t. one of my
previous statements where said that the |
smallest amount appropriated in his town |
was s3S He intimsted, and am sorry to |