Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-01-17
MAINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
State Superintendent, W. W. Stetson,
Submits His Annual Report.
Interesting Facts Concerning Last Years Pro
gress and Suggestions.

1ug the past year. The work in the
Madawaska district among the French
is cNhaustively treated. with a very ex-
ceilent sketch of the district from the
time the Acadians settled there until the
present. cuts of the poorest best and
average Schoolhouscs in the district and
samples of work done by the scholars
are given A glowing tribute is paid to
the late Nctal Cyr of the Training
schooi. his life work among these people
and the immense amount of good accom-
pli$h"d by him in encouraging these
younger people to train themselves for
the work of teachers.
Supt, Stetson has To say on the needs
of the Maine schools
Amy careful study of the condition of
the schools Of Maine makes clear the
following needs: Better physical sur
roundmgs for the school children; more
complete and competent supervision:
better equipped teachers, more intelli-
gent arrangement ana thorough mastery
of the subjects studied; better instruc-
ton in manners, morals. economy ana
citizenship; higher literary and art
ideals"
The grouping OF towns for better SUI
pervision has beell the key note of Supt.
Stetson's elfdeaVurs during the past year,
and among other things about this sub
iect he says in the report:
The Legislature at its last session
passed a law authorizing towns to unite
for the purpose Of employing Il superin-
tendcnt of schools who shall devote his
trt;re time To the work OF superintend-
cncc. The distinguishing feature Of all
Industrial enterprises of the present
time. that involve large interests and
are in charge nf skllful and successful
managers. is that the work is under the
direction of trained suporintendents.
business men have learned that it is for
their financial interest To have their
workmen perform their labors under the
direction Of experts. 1t has been aemon-
strated that money devoted to this ser
vice is the most remuneratiVe that Is in
vested in the business. What has thus
been found true OF Industrial and bust
ness enterprises is equally if not i'll
larger measure true OF school systems.
The law referred to above provides
that one-half the amount spent for SUI
perintendcnts' salaries snail be paid by
the State. 1t also provides that the per
son elected to serve as superintendent
shall he a person Of such education and
training as will lit him to direct the
teaching in the schools under his charge.
This is especially important because for
some wears many of The teachers in the
public schools must he persons who have
had but little experience as instructors,
and who are deficient in professional
training. These two facts account for
the large number of failures which the
local Suncriuten,lents report from year
10 year. Many OF the persons who serve
as teachers have not attended Il second
airy school more than one or two terms.
and have never attended Il training or
normal school. They enter upon their
lahors SO poorly equipped that failure
FOR one ar more terms is tn" rule
rather than the exception. They
experiment at the expense of the state
and The local communities. and in Il still
more serious way with the time and lives
of the children. Some of them continue
to be failures and some of them learn by
s1ructor4. Much of this waste along these
two important lines might he saved if the
suporintendents visited the schools OF
these unframed persons. indicated IN
them definitely wherein they We're max
ing mistakes and what changes they need
to institute in their methods, and suG-
srsted 10 them ways and means, plans
and devices by which they could improve
thciA work Under such supervision they
would be able To shorten the expert
mental stage OF their careers. and would
soon develop into acceptable teachers. or
in an equal length of time demonstrate
their uulitness 10 remain in the school
room In either case a great saving would
he made in money. and in that which is
worth infinitely more than any sum that
could be named. i. e. the early years OF
the children This question is not one
which has any experimental phase about
it, 1t has been worked out in other
states and in other departments so fullN
that it simply resolves itself into the
question of whether we have sufficient in
tnlligencc. and sufficient desire to make
progress. to render us willing to accept
the dlantages offered by the law.
\ canvass of the situation makes it
clear that il would not be necessary TO go
ont of the State for superintendent even
if all the towns decided to take advantage
of this law at once. There are large
number of persons who are acting as SUI
perintendents at the present time VINO
would be exceptionally efficient officials
if they had an opportunity to devote theif
entire time to the work. There are also
| n considerable number Of persons VINO are
acting as principals of High or Grammar
| schools. or who are teaching who would
/ make equally desirable superintendehtS.
/ From these three sources could be Sc
| lected thoroughly competent persons TO
| fill all the vacancies that would exist IN
/ the State.
| Several pages are devoted to circular
/ latter TO the teachers of northern ArooS-
took giving faults found in the schools
/ through that section during his numerous
| tours of inspection made during the past
| year.
Another thing upon which ffoI- Stet-
SON is bent is the better qualification OF
! teachers and thus securing better schools
~