The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-11-05
The Normal School Problem.

The committee consisting OF Hon. E. F.
Webb of Waterville, President Hyde of
Bowdoin college, and Gen. S. D. Leavitt
Eastport. appointed by Gov. Cleaves to
consider the ACCESSIBILITY of the establish
ment of another Stare Normal school in
central or northern Maine, will hold a
public hearing at the State House on
Wednesday, Nov II, for general discus
sion of the matter by those interested.
If another Normal school is to be estab-
lished we should say that Aroostook'
claims deserve serious consideration, es-
pecially as we are told that buildings suit
able for the purpose may be had at Presque
Isle on very reasonable terms. But is anoth-
er Normal school needed9 That is first to
be considered. 1t would seem that the three
we now have-at Castine, Pennington and
Gorham--should meet all the require
ments; or rather that three properly equip
ped schools of this class is all that the State
can afford to sustain. The tendency to
multiply institutions which are tax upon
the State as well as upon individuals is
seen in other directions, and is obviously
wrong. Every city and many of the towns
some kind, or hospital, or both. These
are not needed nor is it right that the State
or the people should be called upon to
support so many such institutions. AS
to the condition of the existing Normal
schools the Pennington Chronicle says:
1t is fact-and our information comes
from the board of trustees - that the
three schools now in existence can to day
accommodate three hundred pupils more
each term than they ever have had in
attendance; and yet it has has been up
hill work to secure funds with which to
run these schools. The appropriations
are even now expended and necessary
work must be left undone for lack of
funds. 1t is a fact that the salaries now
paid teachers in our Normal Schools are
insufficient, SO that when first class teach
ers are obtained it is impossible to keep
them, for they are soon snapped up by
neighborng State whose salary list is
more generous. Let the trustees apply
to the legislature tor sum absolutely
necessary for the schools and fight is at
once on and the work of cutting down is
usually sure to follow it. We know that
certain repairs absolutely necessary to the
welfare of the schools and their pupils
have been made, but the bills are as vet
unpaid, owing to the fact there is no
money to pay with.
In advocating the location of Normal
School in Aroostook the Houlton Pioneer
spoke of the distance pupils are obliged
to travel from Northern Maine to the
present schools. 1t said: "Farmington
is more than 800 miles distant from Houl-
ton and more than $50 miles from the
large towns of North Aroostook. 1t is
just as far away from Calais, PASSPORT
and Machias in Washington county 1t is
not quite fair that students in Eastern
Maine who desire to take Normal course
should be subjected to the expense of a
journey of two or three hundred miles. -
But why Pennington, when Castne is so
much nearer, with direct railroad COM
munication to within IS miles of the
school? We admit however, that the
question of location deserves attention :;
but whether it is of sufficient importance to
| warrant the transfer of one of the schools
in the western part of the State to North
ern Maine remains to be seen. We do not
think more Normal schools needed. Bet
ter improve those we have.