Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-07

by putting An addition onto this main
building which will cost less than $4,000;
because that fine building there with its
associations should not under any circum-
stances be pulled down even If you au-
thorize the building of this new building
which they ask for; because it is an in
opportune time to make these large ap-
propriations for normal schools and such
purposes, appropriations which will not
add to the real facilities which any pupil
may receive. Asa friend of normal schools
and of education stand squarely on these
propositions and appeal to you not to
vote this unwarranted, extravagant ap-
preparation which we can get along with
out especially as we not only lose the
money appropriated but this expenditure
also involves the destruction of a large
piece of valuable and useful property of
the State. (Applause)
Mr. Merrill of Portland said that the
State Normal school at Pennington took
the place of the old Pennington academy.
The assembly room of the main building
has in it $50 square feet While this
room accommodates 151, that room has
had to accommodate for the past 10 years
an average of 1871; for the years 1894 IT.
accommodated ON the average 1877, and
for the past term it has had in attendance
there 175 pupils. They have there eight
teachers and five recitation rooms. Those
rooms have to be used constantly and the
school hours have to be made exceptionally
long in order to accommodate all the
classes and there is no place at all dur
ing cold weather for exercise or for any
thing of that character. ] have letter
I'M +ir,,n u hnn
conditions of that school were substanti-
ally the same as now, and l wish to read
it to this House. 1t is from member
of the State board of health.
"When 1 visited the normal school at
Pennington year ago and examined III
to it's ventilation and heating, l reported
to the State board of health that it was
4 shame to subject scholars to such condl-
lions. l tried to make the tests as fair as
possible and SO had some windows open
in the main room for some little time be-
fore testing. In spite of this l found
that in the main room the pupils were
breathing air containing from 10 to IA
parts Of carbonic acid in 10000 Pure
air. as you know, contains about four, and
all authorities aggree that more than six
parts are injurious.
Il tested several recitation rooms with
like results. l ought to say, that these re-
suits were chiefly due to overcrowding;
everything seemed to be done that could
be as far as cleanliness and care were con-
cerned. The matter seemed to me doubly
unfortunate considering the fact thai
these were future teachers, who were to
instruct children in physiology and
hygiene. From that standpoint alone
they ought to be so situated that the most
approved conditions are constantly before
them as an example AS you probably
know, under the present law in Massa-
chusettts such school would be closed
by the state police as menace to public
health. Is it any less menace to public
health because it occurs in q State where
no such law exists?'
= wish to call particular attention to
the fact Such school would be closed
by the state police as a MANAGE to public
health" That is the sanitary condition
Of the oldest normal school of this State
Now what is proposed to be done is not
to take down the entire building but
simply the front When the ell was built
it was the intention and expectation that
a new front would be put on. The state
ment which has been laid on each desk is
little misleading. 1t looks there as il
the entire building was to be taken down
This is not the case. What is desired, is
to take down the main building and ex-
tend it further to the front, that is, fur
ther to the west and further to the south.
In the basement would be the janitor's
room, dressing rooms, and small room
for a young mems gymnasium. On the
Grcf hp
second floor an assembly room, and I'M
der the roof they would have a hall that
could be used for general exercise
Here Mr.. Merrill read letters from
Messrs. Coombs. architect; Stewart, con-
tractor and builder; and Stevens, archi
tect, showing that it was impossible to do
anything toward the repair or enlarge
ment of the building so as to accommo
date the pupils who are there at present.
Besides the recommendation of the
superintendent of common schools, have
a recommendation from one other source,
and will read from the address of Gov
ernor Cleaves to the present Legislature.
Governor Cleaves has been in Farming
ton and is familiar with the conditions of
that building. He says:
sin this connection it is my duty to
call your attention to the demands for
an additional school building at the State
Normal school at Pennington, and ]
recommend an appropriation therefor.
The attendance is constantly increasing
and the existing structure does not afford
sufficient accommodations; unless rem
edied the efficiency of this State institu-
ton, in it's educational work, will be
impaired.
l also wish to call the attention of this
House to what other states are doing for
their normal schools and what this State in
80 years has done for it's normal schools.
Massachusetts, has expended in the last
10 years about SIS, 900 for normal school
buildings, is now erecting one at Salem
at a cost of 1928, 000 has established four
new schools and will put $500, 600 into the
buildings.
New Hampshire has one Normal school
with about 100 pupils, but built new
building five years ago at cost of $40,
900.
Connecticut has put over 5000, 900 into
her three normal school buildings.
The State of Maine has put into her
three normal schools less than $50, 900 for
buildings, and not over SIS, 900 includ