The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-01-14

ceeding Legislature generally asking for
increased appropriations.
To comply with all these requests, how
ever plausible may be the reasons as
signed for SO doing by their advocates.
would soon bankrupt the treasury.
You in your Judgment will doubtless be
able to decide correctly when and where
to cut down and curtail or refuse alto
gether
have felt it my duty to call your atten-
ton to the actual financial condition. and
to suggest generally what rules should
guide YOU il dealing with this subject.
rather than to specify or enumerate any
particular institution or object where re-
trenchment should be made.
What | have said. however, I do not in
tend shall apply to any sums necessary
to educate the common people to sup
port our school system, which we do and
should foster with no grudSing hand, or
to provide or care for the unfortunate.
insane. or dependent pensioners of the
war of 1861.
1t is the imperative duty of this State
to see to it that no old soldier. or per-
son Immediately dependent upon him, suf
fers from want in his declining years.
To do this is not to bestow aims: but
rather to recognize and discharge a
sacred obliga ton which we owe to those
whose valor saved the republic, and
which, from our wealth and resources,
we can willingly and cheerfuliy pay.
You will It therefore make such an appro,
its necessities shall call for
SCHOOLS.
The educational interests of our State
are of paramount Importance, and should
be properly and literally provided for.
The perpetuity and stability of our re-
publican form of government are insep
arably connected with and dependent
upon the general intelligence and en-
lightened PATRIOTISM of our citizens.
Every consideration of duty and safety
imperatively demand that all shall have
a easonable opportunity. free of charge,
to acquire at least common school edu-
Though the facilities for obtaining in
our common schools an elementary and
practical education are indeed very good,
and doubtless improving each year, they
do not fully satisfy or respond to the
wants of IA large number of students
who have the time. the desire, and the
tended course of study.
In response to this demand. the State
has wisely created d free high school sys-
TEN. and also established three normal
schools. one in Pennington. one in Cor
ham and one in Castine. l am confident
that very excellent results have been OBJ
tanned from these high and normal
We have also changed from what was
known as The district TO the town system.
In many larger towns and cities the
change was VOlur tarY. In others the act
oS>Ihe Legislature i'll 1883 compelled the
change, There have been frequent
changes in the method Of teaching, text
books and manner of supervising our
common schools. some of which, ii seems
to me. have been largely experimental,
but on the whole they may have produced
some beneficial results Yet the State SD
perintcndent and many other gentlemen,
who are deeply Interested in education
and who have carefully examined into
the present condition and workings of our
common school system believe that some
radical changes are now necessary in or
der to he. in our school management and
instructions equal to the demands of the
time and the oest standards of other
States Certainly the educational system
Of Maine should ne Of the very best The
State is eApending each wear over $500 -
600 for the purposes Of education. and the
several towns and cities over 81 200 GOO
more.
This large sum of money should be used
upon business principles and with a view
of obtaining the greatest possible good.
The purpose and object however praise
WORTHY It may lie. viii Hot excuse tie IN
oronrl' uSt or needless waste of one dol
lar and evidently ii is worse than wasted
when schools are under the control of
incompetent and unsuitable supervisors
and teachers for i'm such cases il mn
doubtedlv dissipates not only the money.
but the time and opportunities of the pu-
pills are lost never TO he recalled
In most instances | am confident that
the teachers and supervisors take a com
mendahe interest in looking after The
schools. In some cases. esI ecially in our
small towns, I am led to believe it may
not be So 1t is not possible in the re-
mote and sparselv Settled towns and
plantations. TO have schools of the same
high grade or to keep up to the stand
ards of cities and larger and more wealthy
towns Ii is claimed by the friends Of
education. that the employment of in
comnetent teachers throngh favoritisn, Or
for some other reason can only he ohvi
atad NV having ali teachers MISS an az
ANIMATION before some State board
For further and more extensive infor-
NATION in referenre 10 the man.,ge ,r,aU
condition and wants of our scbonis
would refer Won To the rrnorts of tt,a
present state s1lperin1endent in which
the whole subject is exnaustivAlv treated
The evils thar heset oI1r nresen+ sS,sten,
opd tbe ,d,isabi1itv of .4ttamntite. ~ ~,
a an ' 5 nav o n oi 10 cor
cbaneas at the nresent lime win mpGa, M
LII, he bereaftar nrasantad 10 ,o,,r 49,
49, 80 on sdlica ZION Nv o.antia,5,e,, I,ah
nar farni1iar VIII the s79hier NV ~ ~,
THE INSANE.
Every humane consderat ton demands
that the insane shall receive the greatest
ment. These unfortunate people are pc
culiarly the wards of the State.
l am confident that in the Insane Hos
pital at Augusta everything is done that
the crowded condition permits. that all
patients cared for there have humane and
competent, ARD we may We'll congratulate
ourselves that under the wise ana careful
supervision ~ its excellent board of trlls-
tees there lias been no whisper of any
practices. such as have been discovered in
some kindred institutions in other states
The number of patients has so largely
increased of late. and the necessity Of
another hospital in the near future was
so apparent, mat several years ago
tract OF ianu was purchased IN the city
Of Bangor for that purpose Before doing
TINS, addiuons nave pc n mace to the hos