Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-04
ton in the town Of Perry, washington

kinds OF nuisances.
An act to repeal chapter 46l, OF the
Private and Special Laws of 1885, and
chapter 327. OF the Private and Special
Laws Of 1897. and acts additional there
to and amendatory thereof. relating to
school district No. 5 IN the town OF
Kennebunk.
An act amendatory Of and additional
to chapter 5l1. of the Private and Spe-
ial Laws Of 1889, entitled AN act to
incorporate the Mechanic Falls Water
and Electric Light and Power Com
pany. as amended by chapter 4S4 Of the
Private and Special Laws of 1888" y
An act relating to the Young Mems
Christian Association Of Portland,
Maine. s,..
An act giving lien for snoring and
running logs.
An act authorizing the city of Ban
gor to construct bridge over Kendus-
keag stream, near the European and
North American Railroad bridge.
An act authorizing the Manufactur-
ing Investment Company to locate.
erect and maintain piers and bOoms In
Kennebec river. :.
An act to incorporate the SepasticooK
Manufacturing Company
FINALLY PASSED.
Resolve in favor of Hospital OF the
Society of the Sisters of Charity OF
Lewiston.
Resolve in favor of the Central Maine
General Hospital.
ORDERS OF THE DAY.
Senate report of the committee on
railroads, reporting ought not to pass
on bill an act to incorporate the Blue
hill and Rucksport Railroad Company.
came back from the House, that branch
non-concurring and re-committing the
bill to the committee on railroads.
The vote accepting the report of the
committee was reconsidered. and the
same recommitted in concurrence to
the committee on railroads.
CENTRAL. MAINE STATE NOR nal
SCHOOL.
The majority and minority reports OF
the committee on education on resolve
in favor Of the Central Maine State
Normal school, came up by special as
sicnment The majority of said COM
mittee reported that the resolve be re-
ferred to the next Legislature; the min
ority reported ought to pass.
Mr.. Plummer of Penobscot. moved
that the minority report be substituted
FOR the majority report.
Mr. PLUMBER: Mr.. President and
gentlemen, | have not trespassed upon
the time of the Senate very much. and |
ask your indulgence while l submit a
New observations upon a, subject which is
very near my heart.
~ The traditional notion of education was
that it consists in the possession of
knowledge and that to possess 1t was all
that was required to impart it. This idea
did not recognize the necessity for spec
ial training of teachers in the philosophy
of education and the art of teaching. and
not until the year 1919 did the idea of
special professional schools for the prep
aration of teachers find concrete express
sion in the establishment of such schools,
and this was in the second or third rate
kingdom of Prussia, and who will ever
know how much this action may have
had to do with the remarkable develop
ment of that power into the leading and
controlling state of the Imperial Germany
of our day?
The Prussian idea was that the teacher
needs special professional knowledge of
the subjects he undertakes to teach.
more than the ordinary academic knowl-
edge: that is, he must know them, as Ed
ward Everett said, lin mastery way,
nicely, and in their reasons and that he
should also have a knowledge Of what
the educators call "pedagogics." or the
art of teaching.
In 1884 Charles Brooks of Massachu-
sets. became acquainted with the Prus-
sian system, and. as he himself said. fell
in love wifi it, and inspired by that love
and his love for his native state, he re-
solved to do something for state normal
schools in Massachusetts. Accordingly,
in 1885, he went up and down the state
lecturing upon the subject and holding
conferences with such friends OF school
reform as he could from time to time per-
suade TO get together. The result Of this
vigorous agitation on the part of Mr.
Brooks was that under the skillful and
| friendly hand of Horace Mann. the Mas
sachusetts Legislature of 1887 passed the
| first normal school appropriation bill in
America. which was signed by Gov. Ed
| ward Everett and became a law on Apri
49, 1887, the sixty-seco anniversary Of
| the battle Of Lexington. Under that law
| two schools were established. one
at Lexington. for female teach-
| ers only and the other at Barrie, fol
! teachers of both sexes. These schools
were launched upon an unknown sea and
\ IN their earlier years encountered man!
trials and difficulties, but thanks to the
self-sacrifice, devotion, ability and enthu,
siasm of the noble men who had them ir
| charge. they steadily vindicated the wis
dom Of their establishment. and In 1916
! when another normal school was estab
lished at Bridgewater, Horace Mann
than whom no man living was better mt
| led to Judge. said, II believe norma
| schools I'd be new instrumentality II
| the advancement of the. race. and II
1870. Dr. Samuel Howe. another great cit
| zen of Massachusetts, sad in relation tt
the normal school at Lexington. III in
stead of the 25 teachers who will go on
from this school, there could go out. ovel
the length and breadth of Massachusett:
| r0 like them, to take charge of the ris
! ing generation. that generation woutt
have more reason to bless us than II W.
shonld cover the whole State with rail