Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-21

tect Noe. whAS i tie eordskloa ci
tAiassg We hsye free high school sys-
esn- Il y doing . gfcAt work
and . good work. but ssnf,emsr. hare
- every one " ron vithia yosa
ovn Observation toms and psyts Of towns
WHARF yoa1 free high school 10 simply =
conk5nnaaios Of your discreet SCHOOL,
dsn't know that Il sppiiss % this particular
lnstituticn. bar, % far - I have Inquired,
all Of these academies which are nou as6-
Jog aid taks ,hs place Of free high school.
Wen, rcw, Gentlemen. ~ . means Of edu-
cation kow much have you improved upon
the academy system? Ho~ much better
are the meshcds and principles Of education
under our pfesent system than they used
70 be under cur old academy systsmi
The academy has been the college Of some
of the brightest men in this country. There
are men in this State who, from limited
mesns, were unable to pursue . collegiate
course. and are holding places Of trust AID
regarded ~ we'll educated and in some
instances highly educated Nov. shall this
State Withhold from thess valuable inssisu-
lions mere pittsrcs, and when say pit.
lance | believe speak understsndingly
Fcfty OF fifty Thousand dsllars sounds like q
isfEe sum 10 the ssgssgsts. but vhati 10 fsrfy
or fifty thousand dollars ~ compared With
the aavantages which are extended BY these
institutions to every pefson in the State
Ona Of these institutions l am we'll ac-
quainsed with. That 10 the one at Bridge
ton. That school has struggled sgsins,
sdversisy. The people Of that little village
have given most generously. considsripg
the condition ~ to properly. They have .
splendid school there that has been one OF
The best in the State. Thare are no free
high schools within = reasonable distance
OF Il. They have two school bulldogs and
q dormitory, they have . good corps OF
teachers, and they, for one. ask
help OF the State. There are
quite \ number Of now wealthy men
who - poor boys finished their education
at Bridgton Academy and who are only
waiting, and have promised in come in
stances. to remember that Institution when
they shall have come to making their will
Well. now, il they can be tided along a
few years they will soon have something
that will make them independent Of the
State. Exercising the influence tia, il has,
graduating the men that il has, sending out
into the world the men OF good education
that Is bal ask you. gentlemen,
is this sum which they ask at
your hands exorbitant, ard Is it .
reckless or wrong expenditure Of
money to appropriate the sum they ask for
Why, gentlemen. il we had no other foun.
ds,ion Tor all our institutions, what is the
main and the principal one but the educs.
ton of our youth. Is there gentleman
within the hearing Of my voice who does
r-nt f.a ,I..k L. l.
better advantage Of the opportunities that
were afforded him: II l cnuld live my life
over aud know ~ much - do now would
not have been the careless. indo'ent student
/ was at Bridgton academy. But mind you.
gentlemen, there are young men
attending those schools who have to
earn their tuition there and Who appreciate
it better than did. Can, the State afford
to help these people? Is 1t any argument
against that proposition that there are many
going there who are amply able to pay
their tuition? They have swelled the
number and they have swelled the revenue
Of the institution, but If there 10 . single
poor boy In one of thoas institutions canno.
the State afford TO help tim. Now ask
yourselves the question whether or not
the State eau afford to be liberal in this
matter, aad answer in your votes.
Mr.. Herriek Of BetheI--I believe that
all the members fare bad sufficient time to
form an intelligent opinion on this question
of helping the Old academies of this State.
But the question comes upon as in difer-
ent form froms~hst we anticipated. 1t comes
in the shape Of an amendment and not n
direct attack upon the merit of the main
question itself. There is an admission
tnss the cause il a just one, but they wish
to cuttail il 90 that the beneficial effect
shalt be reduced to . minimum. I
feel somewhat strongly on thi.
question gentlemen, and do not wish to
stand here in 3 false light. We have iu
our town an academy and thst renders my
feelings somewhat in defence of these
academies, because have before me con.
siantly an illustration of the necessity Of
assistance from this State and the hard
pressed condition OF the institutions Of thi,
nature throughout the state. 1 think that
when arm speaking Of Gould's academy
in Bethel am speaking for all the scade.
mics. l believe thst the efforts Of the
committee on education. consisting az i,
does OF able, fair minded men. who have
had this question under consideration. are
entitled to great weight. The ques-
ton il Of academies, and not Of
an academy, and | believe that we
cannot, a. legislators, appropriate money
for any better purpose than to assist the G
academies to forward the work which they
have ALWAYS carried on. The policy of
this State for the past few years has been
rather in ether lines. There has been
strenuous effort made to promote the cause
OF the free high schools and we have been
pretty liberal With our normal schools, /
am NOS here to oppose freq high schools OF
normal schools; but, gentlemen, consider
for moment the merits Of this other clsss
OF schools. The State has contributed
literally to the support Of the free
high schools, while our academies
have been supported largely by
the patronage and the liberality Of
the people who live in their immediate
vicinity. Our academies do q greater work
and reach greater number of young men
and young women who desire to teach than
DO our normal schools. Our academy 10
siiusted Ia the northern part Of Oxford
county, on the border line Of civilization,
with vast forests hey ond rs, . sparsely SET
tied territory for 40 miles around, and from
this section the Young men ard women
come to this academy to fit themselves for
teaching. 1t is upon them that we rely for
our teachers. We have done the best we
could to keep the patronage going for
this institution. ard the time has come
that We must have assistance asd We
have asked it here. Now. in regard to this
We want ASSURANCE that We
shall have assistance for such . term that