The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-21
STATES PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Annual Report By Superintendent
StetSOn.
INTERESTING STATISTICS AND
ANALYSIS OF SAME.

A General Improvement All Along the
Line Noted-Equa1ization of Appropri-
ations by Different Localities Proposed
The Free High School Growing in
Favor-Normal School Statistics.
Augusta, Me-, April aO.-Hon. ". ".
Stetson, State Superintendent of Schools,
has completed his first annual report.
The report is for the year ending June J.,
1895. The following statistics arp given
Whole number of persons between the
ages of four and twenty -one in the state
1894, 2o6, 5o4; 1895, 2os. .o42.
Different scholars attending school
during the years 1894, 1856, s15; 1895,
1856, sos.
Average length of schools, "a weeks
and one day in 1894, and 26 weeks and
three days in 1895.
Average wages of male teachers per
month, excluding board. 1894, $685. 80; !;
1895, $35.11.
| Average wages female teachers per
month, excluding board, 1894. 1924;
1895, 5000
Number of different schools, 1894, 4, 706,
| lS9O 4, $50.
school houses in the state, 1884, 1890;
1895, 4, 242.
Total expenditures, 1894, s1.557, ses
1885, 81, 535, ,73l.
Amounts of school money voted by
towns. 1894, $761, 621; 1895, $40, 110.
Percentage of valua tion assessed by
towns for support of common schools,
2-10 mills.
The superintendent accounts for the
foo hat tto Jh,l, hon. nf r.
tending school in 1895 was a17 less than
in 1894 by the rising of the school age
from four to five years.
The amount expended for free text
books has increased about six cents per
capita.
The amount will vary from year to
year but the average for term of years
will be found to be not more than one
third the oost-under the old system.
Special mention Is made Of the marked
| reduction in the number OF different
schools. The numb ber of ungraded schools
is 34S less than the preceding year while
there are 28 more graded schools, a net
decrease of 320 in the number Of schools.
The decrease of rs school houses is
caused by the consolidation of schools
and the abandonment of old and worth
less houses. The estimated value of all
the school property of the state is $58, SOC
more than in 1894,
The effect of the change in the law
placing the active management of the
schools in each town in the hands OF
| % superintendent. elected by committee
cannot be fairly judged without further
trial. says the superintendent The result
thus far has been to increase the cost OF
superintendent S12, lat, and decrease the
number of schools not visited as the Law
requires, 374.
An examination of the tabulation IL
detail shows that there is a wide varia
tion in the percentage raised by tht
| different towns, which would seem to b.
hardly in acsord with the theory of ou
republican from of government anl
would furnish an argument in favor O
some change in the manner of assessing
! the fund for the support OF common
schools which will make it bear more
, equally on all sections of tbs state in al
GLASSES of property.
The general effect of the new law upoI
the character and condition of our com
mon schools cannot be fairly judged unit
after 1t has been in operation for tern
of years. 1t would seem that on th,
whole, despite the friction and dissntis
faction caused by certain features of the
new law that under It's operation we ar
. getting more and better schools at les!
coast.
, A chapter is devoted to free Hiai
, schools. That the system Is general.
appreciated is proved by the increased
number of these schools throughout tn
state and by the fact that very few town
have abandoned them after once having
availed themselves of their privileges.
Following are some of the comparative
statements given:
NUMBER AND LENGTH.