Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-06-09
WORK OF LEAGUE.
Conditions of Maine Schools
Five Years Ago.
Parents Interested With Children In
Making Improvements.
mo 1crn Methods Now Being Used In Modern
Surroundings.


League of Maine" Ever since S,Inar.
intcndent Stetson has been in chara,
OF the schools hard and untirinp
efforts have characterized his work
pne day has found him in the eastern
| part of the State and to close of the
next in the western part. While this
part IS generally known yet it is not
generally known that there is hardly q
minute during the day that is not de-
voted to the work. whether he is on tn,
train or riding over the country to
visit some school.
That his efforts have been successful
are shown in the pamphlet recently
| issued, and more than that from the
Information gained by conversation
with different parts of the State by
talking with school teachers ana
| superintcndcnts.
In speaking of the work of the state
in general the latter pamphlet says:
Maine has proved herself strong
| enough and fertile enough to furnish
NOR" than her fun quota Of wise. sane
i aii"iS M all Ids Of human activity.
~ nas still further and in 4 more
convincing way exhibited her fitness
To live in the day which is upon us by
her frank recognition of her mistakes
ana Weaknesses. Ii has been a con-
tInllnG surprise to residents of other
states that there is anywhere Il large
body OF people to whom il is safe to
tell the truth when that truth is un-
complimentary. They have been still
further surprised that this could be
done without exciting passion ana
without arOusing desire to punish
those who have placed The truth within
the reach Of those directly concerned
in the statements made. That we have
unnumbered reasons for being exalted
over what our people have been and
what they have done, what they are
and what they are doing. admits Of no
question. That we have in some in
stances gone astray. been guilty of
grevous errors. been culpable Of gross
neglect. and that we are suffering from
these shortcomings must be apparent
to any one who knows local conditions
ana understands their significance"
The condition of the schools when
the work was taken up five years ago
is then shown very fully and in this
connection it might be We'll to quote
what is said: "A single item will serve
as an Illustration of the agreement be-
tween the estimate made by the de-
partlnent and that furnished by the
local authorities. The State Superin-
tcndcnt expressed the opinion that 40
per cent. of our teachers are not doing
satisfactory work. for one or more of
the four following reasons: Want of
ability to instruct; lack of scholastic
Knowledge; ineXperience. or want Of
necessary professional training The
answers given by the super
intcndents upon this subject, when
combined. indicated that in their
opinion the number who came within
this list are 40 % per cent. Of the
whole teaching force As this was the
one point which seemed to be most
open to objection. the substantial
agreement of the two estimates was
as interesting as it was striking"
The pamphlet then says: THE study
made of the schools during the sum-
mcr Of 1898. revealed the necessity of
calling the attention Of the general
uIblic to them as they existed at the
time the work was undertaken. The
department felt il to hc its duty 70
make a personal inspection. covering
Il large area and including sufllcleht
number of schools to fairly represent
tho entire system. The inspection IN
cIuded a critical study of schoolNardS,
nutbuildings. schoOlhouSos. desks,
books. apparatus. supplies. subjects
taught. methods used in giving IN
struction. and the teaching force me
facts learned during these ViSitations
made il clear that while more than
majority of al the schools made
craditable showing in these several
u,rtirulars. il was apparent that the
| towns were employing too many
teachers who had not tn" natural
| o,,i+rJa 10 instruct, did not possess
the requisite scholastic knowledge Or
had not received the professional
tr,ining which made it possible fof
them TO he successful teachers "i
i youth. 1t was found that Whlle NOR
i than a majority Of all the sch"olS Wcit
\ traasonahly well supplied with matrridi
for work and were placed in Sullapie
/ nbvsicaI environment. Yet there Wa =
iargar number of schools that Weio
Ilomnntably deficient in THESE rarti1u
I,rs tban can safely exist in our state
,,t- f,c+s were given to the pupil'
~ tho nurpose of enabling our peopic
to know the professional, intellectuIl !,
ana physical conditions under Wla''n ,ir.
tnair children were receiving theii
school training .,.o
pepording the efforts at lmpr"Nt-
mont il said: THE first effort naue =
nIoca our schools on better t"''t.s
and in a way to do their work more u
tnIIignntlv and hence more ehecti'eiy
vas "a prepare a detailed course -
stndy for the rural and village schoois
af tho state. In this course an outline
,os given of the subjects to De tausnt :
thn topics to receive special enpnhs.. HI,
in each study. the order IN "nicii 'i.c
a 20 he taken, and full ana speciiic
diroctions were given as 10 'ns
methods and devices TO pn ~,
.l,.ohinp these branches. Thls aoou,
,,ant ,aa NV was placed in the hands OF the
! ,noal eunerintendents and Of me 'eacn,
| &c of the state. About 80 per cent. I I
em tha schools are using this course %
az ID If is hoped that its use mas re-
] rr1ted in giving the children ena"s'
to study the subjects wh,ch Shou'i
. r,,t ~ in our common schools to tah'
: 80, at the time when they are pes
c., ~ master them. ana 70 nave -