The Republican journal., 1892-11-17
The Hancock Co. Teachers Association.

Not in vain to the teachers of Hancock
county has been provided the instruc ton
which comes through the Teachers Asso-
citation. Nor need we make any negative
ass ertions, but declare in the most posi-
tive way that such meetings are replete
with consequences beneficial not only to
the teachers themselves, but to the many
schools and, we may say, the municipali-
ties, in the county.
L he design of these associations is to
elevate the common school, and when you
elevate the common school you elevate
the people. Wherever you find the free
school doing it's best, there you will find
| the people doing their best, for the two
are inseparably connected and must rise
OF fall together.
Neglect the discipline in our common
schools and the bad effects of that neglect
will, to some extent. be seen in our NUM-
cipal affairs and especially in the enforce
ment Of our penal code. Neglect the law
and order Of any municipality, allow law
leSsness to 90 unrecOgniZed and unpuniSh-
ed, and such state Of affairs will make
itself ielt in all our schools, and even
among those who attend our churches,
Thus are we all yoked together for the
public veal or Woe and for this reason
should we be friends and supporters of
the Teachers Association, one Of the
levers which is lifting the world little
nearer to our ideal of What it ought to be-
At the recent session Of the Association
i'll this city a hundred teachers. it is said,
were present Out of such meeting good
may come in various ways. Teachers
may help each other by an interchange of
experiences, by a recital of their failures
and successes. Besides all that the in
struction which is given by officials and
eminent instructors present is invaluable.
1t was said of old: ITO be a Roman is
greater than to be a king" But we in
this day in the good old State of Maine
may say in all sincerity: To De a Luce is
greater then to be a king,
Hon. \. A. Luce, our faithful and eff
cient State Superintendent of Schools.
comes before us in very modest and I'M
assuming way but he holds in his hands,
to some extent, the destiny of our people.
Let us learn to duly estimate and proper
ly to appreciate the excellent work this
faithful official is doing for the schools of
this State. For one we wish to thank him
for his we'll directed and unwearying eff
forts in behalf of the cause of education.
And then such instruction as Principal
Purington of the Pennington Normal
School gave, especially in his evening
address, is of incalculable worth to all
who heard it. We saw his body standing
in a church pulpit, but we realized that
his soul stood on a higher plane. and was
drawing all who listened up to him. For
all this we thank him. In opening his
lecture Mr.. Purington said that by the
advice OF his wife who was a ministers
daughter, he took his evening address
from the barrel" before he left home.
We could not help thinking if that barrel
would hold out clear down to the bottom
and we have no doubt it would-as that
lecture promised it would We should be
glad to hear one of them every SUNDAY
from the pulpit.
During the session petition was signed
asking the next Legislature to make pro
vision for holding one session year of
the Associations and that to last four days
provided the annual session of four days
instead Of two, as now, should prove
agreeable to the teachers OF any county.
We can see how an annual session would
have many advantages over a semi annual
session: but if the annual plan is adopted.
we think it should be held in summer,
something on the principle of the Metho
dist camp meeting, and all idea of free en-
tertainment should be abandoned To put
one hundred teachers on some small
whole -souled community like Prospect
Harbor, for instance. whose hospitality is
proverhial. for four consecutive days.
would be cruelty to human beings, Don t
do it. Ellsworth American.