The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-19

To the Editor of the Press:

acres of land were gifts of the town ana
people to the state. The citizens of this
village gave by subscription more than
81 900. The citizens of the town taxed
themselves heavily, the trustees Of the Sem
mary gave building and land; the sum total
of their united gifts, according to Supt-
Luce in his report for 1856, was "a donation
of over $4,000 This generosity is without
parallel in the Normal School history of
the state.S Pennington gave Sl2,5OO. Cas-
tine $4,000, to secure their schools, while
Gorham gave $40,G00.
There has always been difference in the
building equipment of these schools. Cor
ham alone had boarding hall. Why this
difference? some who are hostile may say
it was due to the fact that an available
building existed in the town, which might
be utilized in this manner. But what are
the facts on the side of the state? The
state sent its officials to this village before
the school opened. to report its advantages
and G1saG vanIages TOT TsoTnaI SCHOOL pur-
poses. That official repoI ted the price of
hoard and the conditions of boarding were
unfavoraple TO the growth Of the school.
Thereupon, the state demanded boarding
hall. as one OF the conditions of locating
the school in this place. What was in
volved in this demand on the part of the
state? An expenditure for repairs. Is ii
not apparent to all that the state would
never hav assumed this financial burden,
unless first convinced that the GoIham
Normal School needed a boarding hall: 10
demontIate TO all readers that this is not
theory or argument alone, we refer you to
the statute law Of 1878, Chap. "A. sec. 2.
"Said Normal School shall be located at
Gorham, in the County of Cumberland, pro-
yided, and upon condition that there be
conveyed to the state by the proper au-
thorities, for the use and purpose of such
school, land and buildings thereon situat-
ed in said town. such as shall be. in the
judgments of the trustees of the Normal
Schools, of sufficient capacity. and In such
condition. as to meet fully the demand of
the school, Therefore. the law of the state
declares that the school was located at Cor
Ill upon condition that the town give
land and buildings necessary for the same.
The sta tie demanded an extra building for
boarding hall at Gorham. nut did not
make this demand of Pennington or Cas-
tine. Why2 Because convinced of the need
at Gorham.
The states legal contract with the town
is based upon this need. This contract be-
tween state and town has been faithfully
observed by both parties, up to date. Fire
destroys the boarding hall. Are the obliga-
tions of the two parties thus destroyed?
Did not the towns obligation. end with tie
giving of these buildings? Did not the
states obligations begin with the accep-
lance of the same? What are these obliga-
lions? The repairs of said buildings, and
their restoration if destroyed. The trustees
of that date testify by letter to the COM
mittee that this was their understanding
of.the staie'sduty in receiving the buildings
The first has been performed. Will the state
fulfill the second? Suppose fire had de-
stroyed the recitation hall. would it have
been rebuilt2 Most certainly. Why rebuild
one, and not the other? The boarding hall.
it is said, is not as needful as the recita-
tion hall. Where is the proof? Did not
the state demand them both at the begin
ningt But, it is said, the students may be
boarded il the families of the village,
therefore the state need not rebuild it. If
the recitation hall should burn we could ac-
commodate the classes in our churches.
Shall we therefore say that the state would
not rebuild the recitation halla IL the
state is morally bound to rebuild the reci-
tation hall. it is und er the same obligation
to rebuild the boarding hall. Ii the state
refuses to rebuild, then it must assume that
its action during fifteen years was a mis-
take. But who are the. parties to sproye
this mistaken The TRUSTEES? No, ;for' their
action during the history, Of the school
phasizes the wisdom of demanding the
boop 6ipo boli ba c1oip hot
it was a mistake? No, their testimony is
unit in it's favor. Do the pupils? No. Do
the parents? No. the testimony of these
parties has been presented to the commit
tee. Has the state learned from fifteen
years experience that this boarding hall
was a mistake in its service to the state?
During these years. this state has expend-
ed, OIL an average, annually, on this build
ing less than $500. What return has been
received for this expendituIe1 The first
circular sent out by Gorham Normal School
contains these words. Board may be OBJ
tanned in private families at $3.5 per week
ladies may obtain good board at the Semi
nary boarding house at $2.75 per week.
These few words declare TO every parent
that the boarding hall has saved you rs
cents per week, for each pupil sent to this
school. Every student has thus been saved
in the school year of forty sweeks.-S3 AL
lowing 70 pupils to represent the average
attendance, this is the lowest possible est-
mate, there has Gee n an annual saving of
So. LOG. Multiply this amount by Is the
number of years this school has existed, and
we have SOL 800 saved 10 the state or the
people. rs or 50 cents saved to each stu
dent, the possible conditions of today,
would amount to Sl0.0U0 or GOO, during
the same period. Speaking of this as an in
vestment, where can the state place its
funds that returns may be received more
quickly or universally by the people?
There is nc mistake. therefore, in the de-
mand which the state originally made for
a boarding hall at Gorham.
There is one more plea which the state
may make in defence of refusal to re-
build, and that is, that theaconditions have
changed and that there is not the need of
a bdiding to-day which existed at the be-
o,iar bn