Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-30

indicated associations or learned men
men who We're proficients. not beginners
in the sciences and arts. In England the.
word was early applied to the schools
under control of the Dissenters and the
hrst mention of the word is in Il tract on
Education by John Milton. In this
plan of the academy Milton says that sit
should be big enough to lodge $50 persons.
all under the government of one head
master who, shall be thought desert
Sufncient and ability either to do all or
wisely to direct and see it DONE This
place should be both school and uni,
versity."
During the adoption of the system of
middle schools or academies at the time
of the American Revolution, the plan of
Milton of combining the school and col
lege was abolished. The academy was
made strictly subordinate to the college
and preparatory for the same. as wen as
TO supplement- the means of popular edu-
cation. In 1889, in Massachusetts. the
school laws, were. revised in order to ex-
tend the usefulness of the common
schools, and with this extension the
academies. were ready to cooperate. Thus
within the next few years we find new
academies founded, and so beneficial were
the results that in many cases grants of
lands We're given in addition to the
charter
The early plan of the academy was that
IL SnouIu nave Il constituency OF from
5000 to 10000 in order that 1t might re-
ceive State aid. This at once indicates
that the academies were intended to be
more than mere local Institutions. and as
a result we find a somewhat similar plan
followed by them in selecting their boards
of trustees as that followed by the col
leges. viz, that they represent more than
Il local constituency and be composed of
both business and professional men.
The first founders of the academy We're
| man nf nd
who saw at glance the great benefit to
accrue from having schools of all grades
mutually interdependent and all having
for the great end the accomplishment of
liberal education And if the academy
was fortunate in its founders, it was
equally so in many of It's early in
structors. Men like Master Moody and
others whose works were such as to win
special distinction and respect from all
their contemporaries and many a student
has in after years had great cause to
bless their names for the help and in
spiration given them toward the attain
ment of later success.
As wealth and population have in
creased. there has been naturally Il desire
II establish purely local schools which
may very properly supplement the COM
mon school system, and as a result the
high school system has been developed.
With the advent of the free high school
the academy for many years suffered.
and in numerous eases was converted into
such Il high school and became simply Il
local institution. while in other cases the
doors Were closed. some permanently. 9TH
erS only for time. resting mo her-lihe"
as has been said. for the recupcration OF
their forces before re-entering upon life'S
responsibilities after the birth of the pub
, lie school idea.
AS important as is the high school to
our educational system, | believe that ii
is not substitute and never can be for
the New England academy. This has
definite mission to perform. today, and in
,Ihe future as well as in the past. The
high school must necessarily ill IL large
place in the world. because of its uni
versatility, but because of this very uni
versatility it must be subjected to the in
fiuenceS and moulded by the thought and
shape its course to comply with the local
demands made upon il. The academy, on
the other hand. through the control of
corporations not wholly local and its par
tal financial independence. may be less
exposed to the popular demands. The
high schools. if they fulfill their proper
design. must be controlled and their
standard determined by the people of the
locality in which it is located, and q high
school education may and does mean far
different attachments if obtained in "A
small country town. with the low stand
ards and poor equipments there. COM
pared with the advantages offered by
those schools in our cities under skilled
supervision and with far better equip
ments.
In the academies of Maine, while the
work accomplished is not exactly the
same. yet there is much less difference
between them than between courses in
diffrent high schools throughout our
State. The academies are here then
needed to supply that culture in small
: communities which a small local high
school could not supply. For nearly a
century the academy which | represent
has existed and year after year men and
women have gone forth from its doors
who have there received the preparation
for life which has in many cases brought
success. And rarely will you find in the
twin villages of Newcastle and Damaris-
Gotta a person who has not at some time
attended Lincoln Academy. while the
towns are far above the average towns in
the State. without an academy in its
midst in general culture. No high school
could possibly Unsupported in those towns
that would give facilities to be compared
with those now offered by this old in
stitution.
Again. the academy is needed as Il col
lege preparatory school The attempt is
made wrongly. I believe by the common
country high school to accomplish too
much. Is it wise for them to endeavor to
lit students for college with the one or
two teachers at their command? The
policy of the high schools i'm our country
towns should be not to spread the work
over too much surface but to sec that
they undertake only what they evidently
have the power to do passably well. and
devote their energies to that end In the
academies Il rule the number of schol-
ars per teacher is less than in the high
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