Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-02-23
The Abolition Of the District System and
the Establishment Of State Board Of
Education.

The Abolition Of the District System and
the Establishment Of State Board o.
Education.
At its recent meeting in Lewiston,
the Maine Pedagogical Society instruct
ed its Council to petition the Legisla
ture to abolish the district system and
establish a State Board of Education.
AS these are matters of vital interest
to the people, the Council makes this
public statement of reasons for the
changes proposed.
Reason for the Abolition of the District
SIZE OF SCHOOLS.
Under the district system schools are
in many cases extremely small, Because
small they are either expensive, or in
efficient or both expensive and inetfic-
lent. The proportion of public money
spent for instruction is excessively
small Maine expends Of its school
money IS per cent, for buildings, sites.
furniture, Libraries and apparatus e.
per cent. for salaries of superintendent
and teachers and - per cent. for other
expenses. This proportion OF money
spent for other purposes is larger than
in any northern state except Penusyl-
vania. 1t is largely due to the small
ness OF schools made necessary by the
maintenance of the district system.
The abolition OF the district system
will tend to consolidate schools. to
save expense, aud to increase the pro
portion of money that can be devoted
directly to instruction.
LENGTH or SCHooL YEAR
The average length OF the school
wear in Maine is , weeks. In this re
spect there is great inequality of school
privileges.
The abolition OF the district system
will render school privileges in the ru-
raj districts more nearly equal to those
offered in the villages and, with no
increase Of expense. will raise the aver
age of the school year from = to &c
weeks.
EMPLOYMENT ot TEACHERS.
| nder the district system teachers are
employed by agents who are frequently
incompetent to Judge Of the quaihca-
,ion, OF teachers to whom the teachers
have no proper responsibility aid on
whom nieces, cousins, neighbors and
friends are supposed to have a claim for
appointment,
The abolition of the district system
will place tue appointment Of teachers
and responsibility for the conduct Of
The school in the hands OF the town
committee, or Of the supervisor appoint
ed by them; and will tend to substitute
merit for favoritism as the basis OF the
appointment.
SALARIES Oh TEACHERS.
Under the district system salaries are
absurdly inadequate. The period of ser
vice is brief. The proportion Of mex
perienccd teachers is excessive. OF
1918 different teachers employed il
Maine last year, l046 were without
previous experience. aud only 23i3
continued in the same school for one
year.
The average wages If men engaged
in teaching IS $500 per month OF
women Sl7.5G per month The aver
age time for which the teacher, in
Maine are engaged in teaching is li.ll
weeks.
The average salary per mouth Of male
teachers is lower than in any State
forth Of Mason and Dlxou's line and
the average salary per month Of female
teachers l. lower than in any State or
territory III the United States
The abolition of the district system
viii tend 10 raise the average salary per
month; aud by increasing the length
OF terms and encouraging continuity in
teaching, will still more increase the
yearly pay Of teachers.
SCHOOL BUILDING. AND APPARATUS.
Inferior buildings, inadequate appar-
atus, improper ventilation, demoraliz-
ing out buildings are Accompaniment
OF many district schools which no hing
less than the abolition Of the district
system will remove.
SUPERVISION.
IL the doubleheade district system,
where the teacher is hired by the agent
and approved by the committee com
petert supervision is out of the ques-
lion. The abolition of the district svs-
TEN is the first step toward the compe-
tent supervision of rural schools.
COURSE OF STUDY.
nder the district system no svste-
matte and progressive course of study
is l1teligently planned and persistenty
executed. In lIany schools the schol-
airs begin at the same place and 90 over
the same ground with each new teacher,
term after term.
EDUCATORS UNANIMOUS IN FAVOR or
THE CHANGE.
In reply to inquiries sent to persons
interested in education in Maine PA
were in favor Of the abolition of the
district system - were opposed and
10 were doubtful. Outside of the State
the opinion of superintendent and
teachers is unanimous in favor of the
abolition of the system. Did space
permit, the Council could present state
ments in favor of the change from the
leaders of educational opinion in every
state in which the matter has been
discussed, or the change has been
adopted.
There are favored districts which
maintain good schools under the district
system. They are few however: and
in these exceptional cases equally good
schools can be maintained under the
town system.
To the great majority of schools IN
der the district system the abolition Of
the system would be decided gain.
DIRECTIONS.
The objections TO the change are
two: one theoretical, and one practi-
cal. The theoretical objection is that
the district system is democratic. 1t
keeps power at home. And men can
manage their immediate affairs better
than others can do it for them.
This idea Of the sufficiency of
each petty locality is INTERCHANGEABLE.
II has been abandoned with reference
to everything except roads and schools.