Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-23

deserving and don't they want q
school Just as much as the town of
Dresden does? ! tell you, gentlemen,
that the academy is the best school
that we have got In the State at the
present time
The gentleman from Dresden, came
before our committee to advocate the
cause of his constitutional amendment
which perhaps some Of you may not
Know about. That was to amend the
constitution by striking out the words.
relating TO academies" He was to
have the educational system made up
OF common schools, free High schools
and public libraries: and IL his amend
men should pass the State would not
De obliged to help any academies. But,
gentlemen, what did he say when he
came before us? He said that while he
thought that ought to pass. still he
didn't feel quite so earnest about it as
he did at first. He advocated three or
four different things to take the place
OF the academies. as they now exist,
and finally wound up by saying, For
Heavens sake, gentlemen, do some
thing"
Well. now, we did do something. We
listened to everybody that came before
us, and by strict attention to what we
heard and from the evidence we heard.
we decided that the only way to edu-
cate the poor boys and girls of the
State of Maine was to keep these
academies Now. Mr.. Speaker and gen.
tlemen of the House, do not believe it
is right. after two-thirds, if not more
of all the prominent educated men of
Maine got their start in academies to
prevent the coming generation from
having the same privilege. and If you
will look over the list of Governors Of
the State of Maine. you will find that
the most of them got their start in
academies. If you will look back just
a bit-a week ago-when it was our sad
privilege to eulogize our late congress
man. you will find that he got his start
in an academy, and who knows but
that he owed his prominence and his
success in life to the old debating club
in that academy? When you come to
investigate. you will realize that if by
long and hard canvass the town can
succeed in apprOpriating $500 for it's
High school-the most of them appro-
pirate s250-then they will get from the
State $3.50 Now just imagine hiring a
man who is graduated from college, to
teach that school, with an assistant,
repairs. heat and Insurance. and have
not you got pretty large salaries for
your teachers? Just figure it up for a
minute. What have you left for ap-
paratus? What can YOU do for that
school in the way of teaching except
by mere text books? You have nothing
you can do nothing, and if you ask the
school officers of the town to provide
few dollars for apparatus. they laugh
at you. The average men in the coun-
try town do not realize that it is neces-
sary to have apparatus, and maps and
globes to teach school, and | tell you
gentlemen, that it is this money that
we desire to appropriate for academies
that put the boys and girls on a foot
ing with the city schools. In the city
schools they have these privileges. The
country High schools as a rule do not
amount to that (snapping his fingers).
why, because a majority of them have
a session of 10 weeks in one part of the
town this year, and next year session
in another part of the town. and the
boys in that part of the town do not
oNe "a NAiohNC " 81 tiiS litAl tcIfil. anu
so it is. l tell you. if we stop the ap-
preparations for these academies. we
make the greatest mistake we ever
made. ! learn from the State superin-
tendent OF schools that the enormous
sum that we appropriate for academies,
costing the average tax payer cent
or two perhaps, is $4,000 for about 40
schools. Just stop and think of it.
Could this State possibly invest $780,
600 to any better advantage than they
can by dividing it up among 40 schools,
and just run over in your minds how
many boys it will fit for good citizens.
for property owners, for taxpayers. IL
you do not educate them they may
come into that condition which my
friend from Presque Isle, the other day
remarked would become of the friend
less bOy-without education he is liable
to become pauper and criminal.
Educate him and he becomes good
citizen and in time he pays back to the
State all that he has ever cost the
State-doubly and threefold
Now. Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen,
among the Governors of the State of
Maine, that have served the State with
credit to themselves, with honor and
to the utmost satisfaction of all the
citizens. l see one before me and that
gentleman, Ex-Governor Robbie. got his
start In life at the old GOrham
academy. tApplause)
Mr.. PHILBROOK of Watervillc: Mr..
Speaker and Gentlemen-I appreciate the
RELATIVELY of the discussion which has
gone on thus far to the main question.
but l beg leave to suggest to the House
that to IA certain extent the discussion has
drifted from the main issue. 1t was the
misfortune of someone, I do not know
who, that the Bluehill Academy should
be placed first upon the calendar. this
morning, and it naturally happens there
FORE that when the resolve Is called from
the table, the guns are trained upon the
Biuehll Academy which were designed to
be trained upon all the academies. or the
system Of appropriating money for acad-
emics | beg leave. therefore, to call the
attention of the House to the fact that
the question under discussion is the acad-
envy at Bluehil. At this moment, par
ticularly because the subject has been
ably covered by others and particularly
because | think it may be covered still
more by those who follow me. do not
care to go into Lac general subject of APP
money for academies ! de-
sire rather to speak to the main question.
This, gentlemen, Is the question: VIII you
or will you not appropriate to an acad
envy down in Bluehill. Hancock county.
the sum of $500 annually for two years ?
L.. Ian a Sxr.1-