The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-16
The New City Charter.
TO the Editor Of the Press:

TO the Editor of the Press:
One might conclude from reading the
new charter that the school commlttee
consists of seven memb ers. As mapter
CT fact it consists of eight, the Mayor ne
ing ex offioio chair man. The schooi
committee of Portland exists by VHuue
of special act passed in 1873. In thls
act the new charter makes but one
change and the is in providing ehae Jus
mem bers shall be elected at large Insseao
of by wards. The present charteR MAKES
no mention Whatever OF the school poafo.
If Ii is desirable to mention II, 1t wouio
be more scientific to incorporate IN the
charter the whole act of 1870 ut is not
very loug). with the amendment as to
hhe method of election, OF else leave 1t
out entirely. and amend the original act.
If is provided in the new charter that
the peopl, shall elect three different
boards, board of aldermen consisting
of fourteen members, board OF overseers
of the poor coEsising Of seven. and
board of school committee consisting Of
seven besides the Mayor. Two of the
boards are to be chosen by wards, and
one is to be chosen on general ticket.
Now the same reasons which exist for
electing one board on general ticket
apply with equal force to all. and the
same reasons which exist for electing
two of them by wards are equally appiic-
able to the third. In previous commu-
nication in this series the subject OF
minority representation has been dis
cussed with reference to the Board or
Aldermen, and the principle which the
commissioners have recognized with re-
gard to that board should for the same
reasons have like recognition in regard
to the board of school committee. 1t Is,
perhaps even more Important that the
minority should be- represented In the
school committee than in the Council,
fos 1T is evident that otherwise c0nSfd-
era BILE number of our citizens might be
thereby deprived Of having any voice
whatever in the manage meDt OF our
schools. Moreover there are certain eth
er special reasons for electing the School
Board by Wards which do not apply to
the Boards of Aldermen or Overseers OF
the Poor. Under our practice OF super.
vision each mem Der of the school COM
mittse is made supervisor of ore or more
schools, and these schools are almost in
vartably situated in the immediate vi
cinity of his residence. 1t is On advan-
tage to the supervisor and also to the
schools, that those under his more imme-
date charge should be those with which
he ia naturally most familiar, and in
which he is naturally most interested;
it is an advantage to the teachers to have
their supervisor living near the school
building; and it is an advantage to the
parents and pupils to have as supervisor
are more likely to be acquainted, and
whom they can more easily reach.
Furthermore, the change that is sug-
gested is one that has already been tried,
and proved unsatisfactory. The act of
1876 was amended in 1881 SO that the
members should be elected on q general
ticket as Is now proposed, but in 1885,
after an experience of four years, the law
WAS again restored to its original form.
In preparing these articles the purpose
has been to touch only upon those points
of most prominence, and upon which
public interest is most likely to centre.
Of course there are many other matters
that would call for special consideration,
were one to sttempt an analysis and
discussion that should be exhaustive. AL
though it il believed that in some par
ticulars improvements may be made. the
new charter in it's main features is ex
cellent. In some matters of detail
changes of phraseoloRy might be sug
gested, and perhaps one or more new
clauses might be added to advantage;
but these matters are more properly
within the province of legislative COM
mittee to which in due course the char
ter will be referred. should it be pro-
posed to the legislature in the form of q
bill.
There are certain other ma tiers not
touched upon at all in the charter which
ought, perhaps, to have place there, or
ought, at least, to be carefully considered
before it is decided to wholly omit tn EN-.
For example, provision might be made
relative to granting franchises to corpor-
attons desiring to uss the public streets
FOR street railways, for c0nduits for cleo
trio wires, or for water, gas or steam
pipes; and provision might also be made
with references to the future relations
with the city of corporations which have
already received such franchises
In inclusion 1t may be said that the
new CHARTER as whole is great i'm
provement upon the DID, The commits
sioners have performed their work with
given the subject careful study and have
made paiustakiag research. 1t is to be
hoped that their services will be properly
appreciated, and that the final fruit of
their lahors may be seen in the adoption
of improved methods of managing our
city affairs. RICHARD WEBB.
St. Alban Commander