Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-30
SCHOOLS OF MAINE.
Features Of Superintendent Stetson's
Report for 1898.
School Attendance Need Of Local Interest.
State Examinations.

The interesting report OF State Su.
perlhtendent iStetson for 1898 attempts
70 answer the following questions:
TAshats are the schools doing
TOR the children between the ages of
1--WE and 13 years?
Second. Are the children who arc
leaving the public schools today as well
htted to go cut into the world or to
go on with their studies as were those
VINO left the schools 80 years ago?
Among other items considered are
the following statistics of school at
tendance:
Yhere are in the State 100000 persons
between the ages of four and 81 years.
The average attendance in the puDlil.
schools during the past year was 5000.
There are a thousand more children in
the State between five and IA years Of
age than there are pupils enrolled in
the common schools. The number of
children between five aEd II exceeds
the average attendance by $1,000.
These figures would indicate the inefIi-
cheney of our compulsory laws in secur-
ing the attendance of children who
should be in school.
There has been q rapid increase in
illiteracy in New England during the
past two decades. The same is true Of
insanity and crime. 1t is suggested
that a board of inquiry be appointed TO
collec, the facts and suggest remedies
for the evils discovered.
Under subjects of Study" it is
stated that we are trying to do too
many things. We are not doing any
thing thoroughly. We are studying tao
many subjects. We are not mastering
any of them. We have too many cer-
ters or units OF study. 1t is not pos
sible for a child to divide his attention
among a dozen different subjects each
day without being injured. Our chit
dren have become dissipated by dissi-
pating their energies over too large
field. They have been everything by
turns and nothing long. They have
had little of this. less of something
else. and they have not acquired much
that will be helpful to them in after
years. The scope and purpose of the
common schools have either been for
gotten or are not properly conceived.
Reading is ranked as one Of the mos.
important studies in the common
schools. The work done in this line is
not encouraging to the children Or
Nattering to the teacher.
Under arithmetic it is stated that the
child can recognize symbols used IN
representing numbers, but he does not
know their value and cannot USE them
skillfuly. He can recite definitions
and rules but in many cases if the Or
der Of the words was reversed, the SEN
fences would mean quite as much to
him as they do in their regular FORM
Too much time is spent on square ana
cube roots, and the children have not
mastered the four fundamental rules.
The general tenor of this discussion
Isl that the child should acquire the
ability while in the common school to
read. write and cipher. The school
which fails to give him skill in doing
these things is failure. We would do
better work if we attempted to do less,
Children need the training which will
give them the mastery of the subjects
studied. They need to develop those
qualities which will enable them to
concentrate their minds upon any sub
iect studied and work upon it until it
is mastered The teachers are doing
So much Of the work for the children
that they are losing both the desire
and the ability to work.
| The weakest spot in the school of the
present day is the want of local inter-
| est in the local school, The average
| citizen does not know much about the
| physical surroundings in the way If
| school buildings, yards, rooms and FUR
| nishings in which his children are
| placed He does not know the teacher
her fitness for her place. or the work
| she is doing. The change in the adj
| ministration of schools has made IL
| great change in the feeling existing II
| the community toward the school
There are many things which the town
| cannot do for the schools Local m
| terest must furnish the means or work
| for grading the grounds. and furnish
| ing books. casts. pictures, etc 1t IS
| better that this work be done through
! local agencies than through the town
| az. a municipality.
| The plan of conducting examinations
| for State certificates is fully outlined.
| Maine can show a record in TINS par
ticuIar not edualed by any State in the
| Union. 1t is noticeable that a, much
larger number of teachers took the eX-
| animation In 1898 than were condidates
I in 1897. 1t is also particularly crafty
| ing that a much larger number re-
| ceived life certificates or certlilcates
| for five years in 1898 than 1891
| The School Improvement Leagues OF
i the State of Maine are meeting with
| wonderful success. There must be at