The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-15


OF learning. This matter was fought
over two years ago and 1nally referred to
the next legislature, commission to be
upuointsd In the meantime to consider
hbs adyisabfIity of establishing such
sohooJ. AS this commission Gov. Cleaves
apnointed President William Dewitt
HYDE of Bowdoin college, Gen. S. ID.
Jeavitt of PASSPORT and Hon. e. E. Webb
OF Wateryille. They gave hearings on the
subject and among Bothers who were
heard were. representatives Of Pressure
Isle. Houlton, Lee, Calais, Bangor, Dex-
far and Newport, all OF which places
were pointed to as ideal sites for such
schools. The report of the commission,
however. comes down hard on the hopes
nf the towns and cities named. Dex-
ter Houltou and Pre- sque Isle were early
in the competition. and if a school had
been decided upon, one of them would
very likely lave been chosen. In their
report the commissioners say:
The STATE has three normal schools;
each equipped at an expense of about
$40, 600; each maintained at an ahnual
ex1ense of about $4,000. BY the expendi-
,rnre of $4,000 for the enlargement of the
assam bly hall at Castine, and the annual
exnenCiture Of $1,000 for an additional in
structor at Pennington, and $1,000 for an
additional instructor at Gorham, these
three schools could ACCOMMODATE 2Oo aa-
tIitional students without crowding, and
without impairment of their present
efficiency.
Fnrther1nore, many of the students
now in these schools are not properly
nrenared to take up the work of normal
school They belong IN the high school
or the academy. The standard of ad-
mission to the normal schools ought to
he raissd. gradually and steadily, until
the eauivalent of high school or aca-
danny course shall be required for admis-
sion to the Durmal schools. The normal
schucl should be supplement to the
high schools and academies; not sub
stituts for them.
On the other hand, these schools are re-
,nota and not easily accessible from Cen
tral and Eastern Maine. The time and
eyuease required TO reach these schools is
"A burden ana Inconvenience to students
in Central Maine; and to students in
naytions of Washington and Aroostook
1ounties amounts to positive hardship
and nrjvatiop. Eastern and Central
Maine have just claim to more avail
able normal school privileges than they
now enjoy.
tions of the state. Neither, in view OF
tina fact that the existing schools are not
filed by properly qualified students, can
we recommend ut present the esiabllsh-
ment of new normal schools. III 1T seems
best to attempt to equalize the avalla Dill :
fy OF normal school privileges at present,
we recommend that, until the existing
schools are filed and n new school shall
he established, mileage for one round
TRIP each term be allowed to normal
school students residing in the state, to
BIS paid out of the state treasury, his
would bring norma. schooI inseruct ~ !
within the reach of all sections OF the
state. at very much less expense than
would bs involved in the erection and
maintenance of one or more new normal
schools.
Inasmuch as the commission does not
recommend the Immediate estapllshment
of new normal schools, 1t seems Dest TO
make no speoific recomme ndat1ons OF
suitable locations. There are, however,
two general principles, which the COM
mission commends to the consideration
of those who may hereafter be called up
On to determine the Iocatlon VI new
normal school.
First. The location should be central to
the entire section of the state not other
wise provided with normal schools. line
extremely unfortunate location OF the OK
lsting schools ought to stand as perpe5-
Cal warning against INC duoc'iPp w SoA
Bider merely local claims IN tne location
Of state institutions.
Second The next normal school should
be established in city OF Sufhclent size
TO afford three hundred students abund.
ant opportunity for practice work In all
the grades Of an efficient and progressive
public school system.
Whether in the face of this report, any
of thu towns and cities will attempt to
prevail upon the legislature to start q
new normal school is not known, but
the impression is that the report kills the
scheme for this session at least. The
existing normal schools, both that al
Gorhnm and that at Pennington need
money to finish needed additions, author
ICED By the last legislature. The dormi-
tory at Gorham Is only half done, and
tna state will be ASKED to provide funds
to complete 1t. 1t would certainly seeln
the part of wisdom tn put the existing
Bnhools in good shape and then determine
whether new one is needed, II the re-
port of the commission is not regarded af
definitely settling that question.
HIS FIRST CASE.
Attorney General Haines has already
been called upon to appear in murder
case. County Attorney Emmons of York
county has been here today in conference
with Mr. Haines in relation to the tria-
of the two young men now in Alfred jail
pn charge of having murdered Mrs
Retsey Hobbs of Parsonsfeld. The case
will probably be tried at Alfred next
weak.
FOR STATE AID.
The various institutions which receive
state aid are generally early in the field
Resolves already introduced make these
appropriations:
Bishop Healey petitions for the usual
appropriation III aid of st. Elizabeth