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

v0uid be best eefved under tie soSa eyer
tenn vhefe the whole people vould reap .
benefit from ths culture and uneeiash d.
sosion Of The few. In many Of the rural
csmmunisiss there used to be fo1nd what
vas popslasly styled the ''tiftie red school
house. nov superseded quite genefally by
. nice vhits sdihse with yard and cut
buildings. Il would be needless to assert
that the people take N honest and very
pafdonahie pe;da in those school buildings
that they have taxed themselves VOLUNTARILY
and often severely 70 bald azd furnish 1t
would be difficult task to coarince these
men that any three. ave or seven men
taken from the separssed sec
tons Of their town and given
the entire charge Of their a6aifs would be
any more interested for them than they are
for themselves These people very naruR-
ally inquire vhas great good they may ey-
pees in return for the privileges they are
asked to suRrenier In the case OF those
fof,uuste towns v here he n generating prin.
ciple first named is not wanting the answer
you'd be simple and eAsy, bus in very
many rural communities no such condition
exists. Our boys and girls. many OF them
% Away and finch the education begun in
the district school, and then because it Is .
rural town, with small opportunities, they
leave the old home and seek fortune. honor
and home 10 more favored regions. This
mas been the story over and over sgair,
thus accounting in . greas measure for the
lack Of suitable men and women to carry
On the educational work a. pro.
posed by ills measure. Somsone will
cay, There are the ministers and the
doctors; surely they have the necessary
q Publications for examining teachers and
doing all the other business usually devolv-
ing on the agent and the committee" for it
is proposed to unite these tTo ofh ,ss in one.
The doctor, IL he is good for anything in
his own profession, cannot possibly take
the time necessary for the proper discharge
of the duties that the supervision of the
schools in . whole town would demand
believe that no other clats OF
men have the education and elevation Of the
masses 30 much st heart as the pastors OF
our churches. believe teachers gene rally
welcome them cordially when they come in
to visit their schools. feeling - they do
that i. il entirely an unseifish act on their
Ia,t. . genuine feeliag Of interest in the
STAIRS Of the school being the only motive.
But official supervision would charge the
whole aspect Of such visits from the pas
tor. He would come loaded down with re-
probabilities. He is then 10 duty bour d
10 administer reproof where called
for snd punish by expulsion where
such punishment is deemed for the
good OF the school, and thus open the way
for bitterness and resentment even in his
ozn church, it may be, while only doing
what seems to be his duty, 1t SCENE to me
that this phase Of the suit ject would practi-
caily come to this q board Of committee
men will BE- chosen, one of whom will be
entrusted with the examination and epgag-
iug Of Hil teachers subject 10 the approval
of the other me m oeYs The other me mbers,
knowing very little OF such matters 10 many
cases, will rely on the Judgment Of the act.
ing member, which practically places the
entire interests in the hands of one mar,
whose honest intentions will not avail ia
correct the nistak es he may make, aud the
Interests of the whole town may suffer in
consequence. Gentlemen, | have brie d =
touched upon few points only in this
mater. and nov viii. leave The whole
confederation Of the matter t. ADLER hands
than mine.
Mr. Keegsn Of Van Buren-I signed
his ms jorit7 report because believe it to
b. for The best interests OF education in our
state that ,he CID school di.trict system
should be abolished and the town syHem
= established. l might give you q good many
reasons for this but will Col fine my self to
these very simple facts: That whenever
the town sy.tem has been adopted il has
proved success S.cold, i. has been
adopted in nearly every State in our Union,
and wherever 1t has been adoIted we have
higher grade Of common schools, ard a
higher average attendance. If this is the
case, why should we not pass this bill and
thereby have u uniform, simple, practicable
and efficient educational o. stem within our
State?
Mr.. Trussell of St Georse--I have
always noticed that when the people Of the
State Of Maine wsnt anything they petition
forit Now do not und ,rstaud thxt the
people Of Maine have pe,itioned for
any change in the school system.
TIE town system is undoubtedly good
sy stem and works well in some towns. AT
The same time The old district system il
doing lots Of good, and the people 10 many
of the sch vol districts are satisfied with it.
l know If no reason why this Legislature
should force upon them, against their will,
any change, and hope, for one who i.
satisfied with the old system, that this bill
will not pass. As it now stands the matter
is op,ionsl with the towns, and if they want
the town syste m they can have it.
Mr.. Archibald Of Houlton-I think you
will gather from the remarks of the gentle
man from PeDobscot thst one. at least. Of
the members of the minority 10 rot 80 very
in favor Of the district syste m
as against the town system as to say that
he will believe that it Is better system,
and he is the only gentleman in
the minority who has been heard
from 60 far. take il for granite
tina. the superintendent and supervisors Of
schools in our various towns are do
log their duty as csnscien,iously ard as
well a. the average officer in any of the
Of the State aud would re-
fer you to the reports Of the State super
intenten. for the last 20 years and ask if
there has beeen one single report from the
time Of the appointment Of Warren johnson
down 10 the present tine that has rot argue d
for this town plan Of education. 1 think
you will And that in seven. eighths Of all
the towns Of the State it has been urged on
the voters with more or les, force By the
supervisors; that At nearly all meetings of
the State Pedagogical Association, at the
equity meeting Of teachers, supervisors
and Others interested in schools, this ssue
thing has been advanced and. recomnen,-
cd. recognize the force Of the PROPOSE
:ion that while it may be benefcislin some
tovrs that may net he reason why it
should be forced upon all towns
There are two questions to be con-
sidered: First, has the State the
right, morally, to force upon all!
the towns of the State the town system of
schools? Second, is it expedien,? There
c. n be 70 question, think in the minds of
q Of You that the State has the moral
right to do ~bstev er, Considering all the
people of the State, will do the greatest
good to the greatest number. There can
tie m que stion about the moral right, ard
il comes back to the matter Of exp diency.
Is it fact that ia sll OF those smaller
towns nobedy hss any in,eres. except the
towns themselves? Isn'ti i. fact thst our
cities ard lager towns. those that sre pay.
ing heavily towards supporiing the
schools 10 the rural districts have
some morai and legal rights in this master2
Teen the question arise, whether there be
any injustice done under the present sys-
ten, and will say tina. according to the
returns furnished to ne by the State De-
par,ment there are in the State of Maine
today 1909 school districts whose total
school Resources for the year are not over
$40 Those districts could not have bred
an average teacher at average wages and
you'll not be able to have more than IA
weeks Of school 10 8 year. The average
school year thro ughout the State is 20
weeks. Il follows that there are q large