The Portland daily press., 1899-03-11

Appropriation BY Legislature
Trustees Want Matter To Go Over
Two Years-Lewiston water Bill
Passes.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREsAI
Augusta, March TO- The proposition
that the Maine Industrial School for
Girls should be placed under state control
was made in the House this morning and
no one opposed it. although MIR. Chase of
Portland and Dir. Beal Of Bangor pleaded
that the change shoald not he made until
after two years during which the Govern
or and Council could take the matter
under advisement and report to the next
legislature This suggestion received no
other support and the motions giving the
resolves in relation to the school, their
nrst reading passed without opposition.
These are the resolves providing $40, 500
annually for tho running expenses OF the
school and further sums for repairs, the
whole asgregatiug about S27. 000 TO he ex
PENDED in the next two years. In the de-
bate. il WAS pointed out that the In
dustrial School for Girls corresponds to
the State Reform School for Boys. Girls
are sent there by order of the courts. yet
the stafe has no voice in the management
of the school. except that the Governor,
Superintendent OF Schools and Secretary
of state are OK -officio members of the
board of Trustees, an office which has
Teen so long forg item by the holders of
those oil ces, that they never attend meet
ings CT take part in the management of
the school.
When the matter came before the
House, MIR. Chase said the two resolves
were matters of very great interest to the
people of the state. 81 have been asked"
said Mr.. Chase, ITO present the views OF
be management of the institution to the
House. The school was founded In 1873
as private institution to receive Stats
aid. The commission which inaugursted
the institution recommended voluntary
association. receiving state aid, as the
best method of managing the school.
Twelve thousand, i've bundled dollars
were given by the state on condition that
ike sum be raised by the association.
This was done. Since then the state has
put 81 .OO0 into the buildings. The ssso-
citation has expended on the buildings be-
tween $50, 600 and S35, 600. The running
expenses have been borne almost entirely
by the state. This year, in reporting the
usual appropriation, the committee makes
it conditional upon the transfer of the
property to the state. Now. gentlemen, l
am not going to argue the proposition
that the state should manage this and
0 her state institutions, but 1t seems to
ne that this is "A summary way of bring
ing about the change l understand that
tho trustees while they might not object
to the proposed change, do object to being
asked to stand and deliver In this way.
The proviso comes at this time as an en-
tire surprise to them. If the state is to
acquire this property it seems to me that
there is lack OF the necessary machinery
n the way proposed. II the change is to be
made there must be an act passed to pro-
vide for the operation. If the society de-
clines TO acquire this property. it seems
to me in justice to the men anda women
W 10 have put their time and money into
this Institution, the change should be
MADE in some other way. 1t seems to me
that the matter should be referred to the
governor and council to report tn the next
legislature, after consultation with the
trustees, plan for the future manage
ment of the school. Such a method would
relieve the trustees Of the imputation
which they feel would be cast upon them
by the passage of these resolves. They feel
that they are deprived of a chance to
answer any criticisms which have been
made of their management. l submit
that it would be only Just to the poble
hearted men and women who have labored
so faithfully for this institution TO pro-
coed in the manner / have suggested. In
this way, the matter may be amicably ad
iusted and the friendship of the trustees
and others interested in the management
of the school would 5e retained l am au-
th orized by the management to say that
if this proposition is accepted, the trus-
tees will repair the burned building from
their insurance money"
MIR. Burns of Westbrook, chairman of
the committee on education, said that it
should not be- inferred from the remarks
of Mr. Chase that the committee had
acted hastily in this matter. 1t had been
long and carefully considered by the COM
mittee of the legislature this winter and
some members served on the same COM
'nittee two years ago.
The association has put into this