Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-01-04

lnrOugn the Influence of this board, IL
le4l, law was passed establishing trach.
ers' institutes. These institutes took he
place OF model schools for the hundreds Of
inexperienced teachers who had received
merely rudimentsry education and nc
special training for their work New
ideas were advanced and discussed. new
ambitions were awakened and the whole
body Of teachers and the schools through
out the STATE felt the yitalizing and unity
ng influence uf these gatherings
The board, notwithstanding It's grand
uplifting influence upon the cause Of pub
lie education throughout the State, was CON
unued but six years, and was superseded by
board Of county commissioners appointed
BY the governor. This was system OF
county supervision and lasted but two
years.
In 1854 law was passed providing for
the appointment of State superintendent
and for county conventions. Under this
law, Charles Ii. Lord Of Portland, was ap-
pointed the first State superintendent of
common. schools On the 18th of June, 1854
The oflice has been continued up to the
present day, having been filed by some of
the ablest scholars aad most practical ed
ucators in the State.
Mr.. Lords first report was presented to
the legislature of 1855, and contained a
synopsis of his observations of the work
ings Of the public school system through
out the State. but no valuable statistical
In March. 1855, Mark II. Dunneli of Nor
way, was appointed State superintendent.
His report shows the whole number of
scholars in the State at that time, 1856,
23S. PA; average number of scholars In the
%, 225, or less than forty per cent
The aggregate amount expended fJr
school purposes was S49l 060
Twenty years later, in 1876, the number
Of scholars had fallen off nearly twenty
thousand, or to 2ls. 400, while the average
number attending the public schools had
Increased nearly 4 900 or to 80, l66, and the
amount expended for public schools had
more than doubled.
FIRST TEACHERS CONVENTION
On the 10th of November the first State
eachers' convention ever held in the State
net at Waterville; it continued in session
hree days. Able and scholarly lectures
lpon abstract scientific subjects were
,iyen and discussed by prominent educa-
ors and scholars. but they had little or no
PRACTICAL bearing upon the work of the
In 1868. bill was passed for the estab-
lshment Of two normal schools.
On March 8. 1868, one of the most i'm
'ortsnt school laws ever enacted in the |
tate was passed. Under it every town, city |
nd plantation was called upon to raise |
nnuslly thereafter one dollar for each in
abitant for the support of schools. ex-
lusive of all moneys derived from other
ources.
Warren johnson was appointed
tate superintendent March 80, 1868 and
uring his long period in office was most
ndefstigsble worker, and stamped his Wig
rous genius upon our scholars and
cbools as none of his predecessors
yer had
1t was period of volcanic eruptions all
long the line of educational work, a per-
etual war upon the palpable defects in
ur common system, most desperate and
mite successful attempt to bring about
evolution in our public school system.
Many minor laws were passed, several
ggressive ones repeatedly attempted.
ounty supervisorship of schools was es-
lblished, teachers institutes revived,
better schoolhouses, higher wages,