Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-03
AUGUSTA. MAINE. WEDNESDAY MORNING MARCH 8. 1897.

this school are concerned those. expenses
have been borne in the past by the state;
impose any further burden upon the
State, except as the school may grow.
The Portland School for the Deaf was
Rev Dr. TSoma s Fiji and 1on
Hudson, In 1876. both of those gentlemen
at that time being residents OF Portland.
1t started with three pupils and one
teacher. ard through the generosity OF
another citizen of Portland. rooms were
procured for 1t In n business block. and
the school was there. carried on for some
years. Ii gradually Increased, the pupils
coming from all sections OF the State,
until 1t outgrew its quarters at that time
In the neantime. in 1S79,a few years after
this school had been established. the
Legislature passed an act providing sub
stantially that. the governor could direct
children OF this character to be sent to
the school at the expense OF the State,
the State not only paying their tuition.
board and expenses OF schooling, but even
their travelling expenses back and forth,
and believe, as l remember 1t now.
limiting that expense to Sis for each
scholar. In 1885 1t was found that this
amount was small, and 1t was then in
creased to 500 and that has been the
amount that has been expended by the
scholar.
The school has been under the manage
ment of the school committee Of Port
lard almost from its inception. and after
its quarters In the business block that
have spoken Of. the city school committee
provided quarters for it in one of the
public schools, and that school was de-
voted entirely to that purpose. Now at
the present time there are 81 scholars.
and the Governor and Council under the
law, have been paying TO the city treas
urer of Portland at the rate of 500 apiece.
about $4,000 a year. for the maintenance
OF this school, there being some six or
seven scholars whore parents have been
stb1 a maid t1,air fttfftnn
Two years ago. those peculiarly inter-
ested in the school there In Portland
came TO the Legislature and asked the
Legislature to provide adorinitory for the
school, the children up to that time hav-
ing been boarded around in one place and
another In the city. 3S they best could.
and the Legislature appropriated $4,000.
which amount was expended under the
direction of the member of the Cover
nor's Council In buying and lifting up and
preparing dormitory adjoining the school
building. wherein these deaf and dumb
children We're receiving their education.
Since that dormitory was prepared. those
in charge of the school have succeeded in
maintaining the school and caring for the
children on this 500 a piece that they
have received.
Now today the only purpose of ..lis act
Is simply TO put the institution where II
really belongs as State institution. and
the city of Portland. recognizing the bene-
fit that 1t is doing to the unfortunate
children of this character all throughout
to give to the State the school building
and the land upon which 1t stands. pro-
Vided the State assumes the management
and support of the school in the future.
Now this is the fu.i purpose of the bill.
which has been drafted upon the lines of
the acts establishing the normal schools.
further expense to the State except SO
far as possibly the school may increase in
numbers.
MIR. Savage: If understand the sena-
this has, SO far as the financial part of
it is concerned. is that the State is now
appropriatinS 500 a year for each of
these pupils. which has been found suf-
iicient to carry on the school without any
other assistance and that instead of APP
propriating $500 pupil hereafter, we
should. simply maintain them and take
care OF them ut whatever the cost may
be. | think myself that a school of this
kind for teaching the deaf and .luna5
should be n State institution and 1 am
senator from Cumberland, and hope the
bill will pass.
The bill was then read the second time
and passed to be engrossed.
The president of the Senate resumed the
chair and presided during the remainder
of the session.
GORHAM STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
Resolve in favor of the Gorham State
Normal school, came up by special as
signn1ent.
Upon motion by Mr.. Pike of York, the
resolve was taken from the table. Mr..
Pike offered the following amendment.
Senate amendment A. Amend by stril1-
ing out in the first line the words twenty
the words twelve thousand:'' also by
striking out in the third line the words
thirteen thousand and inserting in
place thereof the words eight thousand
Mr.. Pike: Mr.. President. in this matter
do not feel that have the responsibility
Of this Legislature upon my shoulders,
but ! do feel that we should exercise, in
some sense. economy. We have heard a
great deal of it: in fact, l recognize 1t as
the parent of liberty and ease, of pros
perity and happiness. We hear much of
it. but wee see little. From some combi-
nation. or for some reason. all these large
appropriations however apparently exor-
bitant. seem to have passage. l have a
constituency at home who are honest and
industrious. l have just been home to
those people and find that they feel that
We are extravagant mere. They asked me
to put myself on record against these ex-
this resolve, coming at this time. is ex-
travagant. inasmuch as it calls for $33.-
coo to complete a boarding house. where
no guarantee that it will be completed.
l know it is a delicate matter to oppose
educational interests. / do not consider
this, an, educational matter, nothing of
The school is prosperous. Ely their last
report they tell us that they are in as
prosperous condition as they have ever
been before. For two and a half years
they have been without a dormitory and
in my own mind 1t is quite clear that
that Is one of the reasons of their present
prosperity. 1t is very true that this
school has hardly met the expectations
of its friends. although 1t is favorably To-
Gated near SO many people of our larger
cities. with nice railroad accommodations
and facilities. There is some reason why
it has not succeeded better than it has.
and take the Ground that one reason Is
because it has been subject to dormitory
rules and regulations. ! believe 1t sin
ccrely. This is not really 4 question in
my mind as TO whether this dormitory,
that is now a boarding house. under way
OF completion. shall be completed. OF
course. at some time 1t must be COM
pfeted. but 1t does not seem to me that
IT IS a case of burning necessity, or that
II is anything In the interests of suffering
humanity. We have matters that cannot
be delayed. but this school is prosperous.
and every pupil can be accommodated in
good shape, without paying an exorbitant
price for board. | find that the ruling
price there is $40. and that quite a num-
Der OF the pupils are accommodated at
the hotel. And, by the way. up TO the
know that II was impossible to support |
a hotel In. the village of Gorham. Now
they have good. respectable house !
there. a first-class village hotel. There |
are also families without number who are |
dependent upon what little revenue they |
get from keeping bGarders In that village. |
Now ! intend always to do what is hest |
for the greatest number. and since this !
school IS in a prosperous condition and |