The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-23

that one academy receiving state aid Is
located within two miles Of free hign
school "Now," said Mr.. MoFadden,
IF tbs HOUSE will give mo a.week's
time. I will investigate that statement.
II 10 is true. I will come In here and give
the names Of the school and the town. II
10 is not true will say so. move that
the matter be tabled for q week and I
think that motion will take prece-
denoe."
(. Representative Jordan OF Lisbon op-
posed the appropriations and quoted
some figures about the scademies which
receive state sAid. Among them, Mr..
Jordan mentioned westhrook Seminary.
II has an endowment Of $50. 900. he said;
1t owns rrsal estate ]. worth q BOO. 600 and
its gets 5000 annually from the state II
has so much money thas IL has been
able to expend sSo0o In repairs.
Up 10 this time, the war had not been
mentioned. but Mr.. walker of Stalks re-
ferred to IL whom he said that Principal
Poor Of North Anson academy had left
his school to enlist In the army and had
been brought home TO beIiburied In the
village church yard. That was an Argu-
ment why North Anson academy should
not be denied its appropriation. The
state owed debt Of gratitude 10 North
Anson academy.
Mr.. Chick OF Clifton, who began his
speech with reference to Judge AcFnd-
den as his aged friend from Dresden. de-
scribed the sentiments Of George WASH
ington on the subject Of education and
told how sorry the Father OF His Coun-
try would be could he hear of the action
proposed BY members OF the Maine leSis-
lature. Mr.. Chick said that As the Faith
er Of His Country had hoped Its people
would fostsr education. 1t would be .
bad blundsr for the Maine legislature
to attack schools on washing gton's birth.
day.
Dr. Peaslee, Q member of the commit
tee on education, was the next defender
OF the academies and made y rattlins
speech, beginning wish a euloay of the
COMMITTEES on education all of whom,
excsps himself. he said, were men Of
Judgment and learning. Then the Wis.
oasset member told how the poor boy
goes to the academy. Said Or. Peaslee;
The poor boy carries his shoes under
his arm and when he nears the school he
goes to puddle, washes his feet, braces
up and goes to the academy. The aoade
mics are doing o work for the poor boys
which the free high schools cannot 40.
The academies sre what we want until
we can get something better"
DIR. fsaslee paid his respects to Judge
McFadden as follows: when q man
gets to be sixty or seventy years of age
and his children are grown up he declares
that these appropriations are all unneoes-
sary. Perhaps the member of the House
do not know that In the gsntleman's q
town OF Dresden there 10 an academy
literally endowed by q wealthy man 80
that 1t does not need aid. Why does he
want to knock out the Blue Hill SCHOOL,
Aren't the people down there, az worthy
of aid as the people Of Dresden? The
gentleman from Dresden, when he ap-
peared before the committee to argue his
ment making the common schools. the
high 3chools, tho normal schools and pub
lie libraries the educational system of
Maine." after speaking of many things,
finally said: "Do something, gentlemen.
Well, the committee has done something
1t has reported in favor of the academies.
1t was in one Of the Maine academies that
the man whom we honored last week,
laid the foundation of his education.
Gov. Robie, whom ses In this House.
acquired his early tsaining in the old
Gorhann academy"
judge Philbrook of Waterville brought
the attention OF the House to the fact
that the pending question was not the
whole academy question, but a propo-
sition to aid the Blue Hill academy.
NJ. Philbrook described that school and
said 1t could not be called q little school
house with cupola and q bell.
Then MIR. Bennett WAS again heard
from. People don't go barefooted to
school In Naine," said Mr.. Bennett
That's all nonsense" Mr.. Bennett de-
MED that hs had said the academies
were farce. He did not oppose them
all Some, he thought, should be nided.
but he wanted to call the attention Of the
House to some figures. He claimed that
the amount annually appropriated for
the academies was t5i 900 annually.
That remark created commotior. DIR.
Peaslee. exclaimed, "The gentleman has
got his figures wrong ::and can prove
II. He isn't confning himself to the
academies.
Mr.. Bennett began an explanation.
~ know what I'm talking about" cried
DIR. Peaslse, while Speaker Stetson pound
ed for order. MIR. Bennett got the floor
and started In to explain again, but
when he came to add up he gracefully
acknowledged his blunder. His $5i 900
included the University Of Maine and
Normal school appropriations, aggregat-
ing over ESQ. 900.
Mr. Merrill OF Skowhegan In three
minute speech asked If this was ques.