The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-03-19
also the transporting of scholars, which is not

also the transporting of scholars, which is not
in the town report.
Now know that the general fund shows
a favorable balance of some $50 (nearly), all
that remains of the 1924 balance left by last
committee, but this is more than counter
balanced by the excess for school books, and
my points were these: First, that as the COM
mittet found the text book appropriation was
to be much more than doubled by the expend-
iture, they should have economical in the
other departments. They gave an extra five
weeks school, the report says. Why not
have made it one, or two, and 80 have kept
the total payments within the total appro-
priations? Second that question the wis
dom, indeed, of giving the full extra five
weeks at the expense OF using up nearly all
the available fund, anyway. The last COM
mittee gave good school year and in the
present state of finances it might have been
good thing to spare week or two OF this
extra schooling. say this though everyone
knows that | am jealous of every week of
school denied to the pupils-if funds are
plenty.
That the town is obliged to buy text books
any child may know who can read. 1t has
nothing to do with the question, for no one
disputes it. What l ask is, was it not pos
sible to counterbalance the excess on text
books, by giving say one instead OF five ex-
ira weeks of schooling, even if it was wise
to give that extra schooling in the eXlgency
OF these hard times. This would have saved
the town the necessity of paying an excess
over the total appropriations, "when money
comes hard"
The question of economy in regard to the
High school, [ may as well refer to while on
the subject. l MAINTAIN that we can have
as efficient teaching in our High school by
employing lady as principal, seeing that,
deplorabie as the fact is, the services OF a
lady qualified to do as good work as any
I.,tt tl,,, lal,
can be secured at very much under the
figure generally paid to the young men en-
gagged. Probably sayS6 per week less than
We have usually paid. If this be true, it
seems to me it will be, as | have said to the
committee, something very like culpable
tritiing with hard earned money if we do
not economic in this way when we can get
equally efficient work done. And our late
| respected lady principal has assured me
personally that a woman in good health can
quite as well discharge the duties as man.
| do not believe myself that either man or
woman can teach our school as at present
graded, alone, to do it well, ard as we have
voted the usual appropriation and it must
be spent, we have the opportunity to EN-
ploy competent lady principal with an as
slstant for the same money we now pay one
man, and the work will then be better done
and cost not a cent more. My idea is that
the principal could teach the school alone
during the spring term and then be given an
assistant during the fall and winter terms
when there are more scholars in attendance.
1t seems to me that the question of econo-
my in this can not be gainsaid. 1t is only
matter for the committee to seek diligently
in the right quarters for good lady teacher.
One other point is, that if man can teach
the school the year round without an assistant
(and really it is questionable whether he can
salts tactorily with the present requirements)
lady can do it as we'll and for IS or Sc a
n.,1yI yl-r, how lob, H.,
thought critic of the committee, save per-
haps in a mild and friendly way, nor OF some,
at least, of the young men who have served
us as teachers, who have, as rule, like our
last one, been very excellent young men, in
deed, but l speak in the interest of the adj
ministratlon of the schools economically in
the present hard times so far as it is consis-
tent with their best efficiency.
Yours truly,
RoBT. G. HARBUTT.
March II, 1896
NORTH SEARSPoRT ITEMS.
All are making the most of the shedding.
Mrs. Abbie Hartman is in quite poor
health.
Our millman, A. Boyd, is having good
run of saving
Willis P. Harvey is at home from Bangor
for few days.
Cassius Cunningham of Prospect was in
town last Saturday.
Mr.. Wyman of Stockton Springs was in
town last week buying poultry.
There Will be religious meeting at the
Porter schoolhouse next Sunday.
j. S. Nickerson, who has been quite i'll for
the past two months, is gaining
Mrs, Lillian Moore of Belfast is visiting
her mother, Mrs. Geo. A. Flowers.
Mr., and Mrs. Geo, c. Seavey visited
Charles Wentworth in Waldo last week.
Mrs Georgia Brown visited her sister,
Miss Mae Clements, in Frankfort recently.
Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. Parln of Searsport
visited at Hollis and Fred Blacks last week
Miss Hattie May Ellis Of Searsport village
is here visiting her grandm other, Mrs Mary
Smart.
Mr.. and Mrs. f. NJ Eastman of Prospect
were in town recently, the guests of her
mother, Mrs. Sarah Smart
There VIII be an old folks dance at the
Grange Hall Thursday evening, March 18th
We never miss having good time.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stillman Flood of Belfast
visited at Geo. c. Seavey's last week We
were glad to see them at the Grange
Mrs. j. W. Hartman received news last
week from Lowell, Mass, that her mother,
Mrs. b. F. Haskell, was dangerously ill.
Quite a delegation from this place went to
Waldo last Friday night to attend the tenth
ami versary of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs.
c. E. Wentw orth. After enjoying an enter
tainment, dancing was INDUCED in until a
late hour, when all returned to their several
homes having enjoyed one of the best times
of the season.
COUNTY CORRESPONDENT
BURNHAM. There is to be an iron bridge
built across the Sebasticook on the Belfast
branch of the Maine Cent? al railroad, in