Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-22
Daify ksnnsbtc Journal
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from page -

The IL lIlt senator
cram Somerset Will pardon me,-the
ending amendment is now the amend
,,,ant offered by the senator from Lin
coin.
ur WEEKS: | do not propose to Of
cor This amendment at the present time
am trying to get little information.
! vould like To read the amendment
that has been sent to me by one Of ml
constituents. and ! would like To have
~. matter explained by the senator
tr.p, PanubSVpt kno'V as little about
mis- matter as the ordinary lawyer
.no,ys about religion. The amendment
,a,, 10 me is as follows: Scholars he
tween S or 10 ana u years ana sufli-
oisntlv advanced in their studies may
attend any academy on smch terms and
c,ndi,ions as may be agreed ON by 'ne
trustees of th,. academy ana the school
committee of the town. ana such school
committee may eXpend from common
and High school funds of their town
cum not exceeding that which such
scboIars would be entitled to draw on
an EQUITABLE division of said fund tne
whole number attending school in
their town.
NAVY if the senator from PynGbScot
yho has 50 graciously acted as oar
class leader will take this matter up
and explain il 10 the Senate, / think
nat | viii not offer the amendment.
tApplausel
Nr PLIMMEE IF Pcnobscot. AIR
President. | think ! shall have to be
,4coroed as opposed 10 this amendment
for the reason that | believe an aca-
damv feteiVng special favor FROM this
STATE in the shape IF appropriations Of
from $500 to Sl00o, should be M aca-
demy ana not kindergarten. do not
believe that We should prove the way
nv the action of this Senate 70 have
children of tender years. not older than
n wears who ought to be in the kim
d4rgarten or the primary school. d thu
Intermediate school. pvt into these aCa-
denies in order to swell the nurrbar
and lower the grade and standard Of
the institution. | 60 not believe III
that policy: ana may say here. as well
as at any time. that it was the policy
Of the committee in framing this bill
10 raise rather than TO depress the
standard of these institutions. We
graded these institutions with refer
ence to the amount of appropriation
from the State which they might re-
ceiye in order 10 excite and raise the
ambition OF those institutions and those
who control them. so that they might
build up their institutions and enable
them to pass from the lower grade g
higher: and we placed the lowest
grade so high that there would be a
marked distinction between an inStltu-
ZION receiving $500 over and in addition
TO the $3.50 Of High school money which
they might receive under certain con-
ditIons the same as 4 High school. Such
an institution should be graded 50 high
that there should be difference be
tween ii and an ordinary High school.
Now. the effect Of this amendment will
be to lower the dignity and grade OF
these academies: and. for that reason
am opposed to it, and ask the Senate
TO vote it down.
Mr.. WEEKS Of Somerset: After the
oratorcal exuberance Of the senator
from Pcnob.cot. | certainly should not
have the face to press this amendment
which have asked him to discuss
Applause).
Mr. MCFADDEN Of Lincoln: / want
TO saw a word, if any amendment is III
order. The senator from Penobscot has
Just stated. as | understand, that these
academies can have the advantage OF
the free High school law as well as OF
the provisions of the first sections OF
this bill; and the senator from Han
C0ck-eXCuSc the errOr-frOm WashlnS-
ton 2nl the senator from PenoDscot are
Eatb m 70 I'm n committee
do not seem to agree. | want to reao
line or two which led me to think
that the act provided for giving these
academies the advantage of both laws
Any toWn-any town-that is the Ian
guage-or precinct providing free tut
ton for its High school scholars in any
academy-any academy-shall receive
State aid to the amount of one-half tbs
sum expended for such instruction.
Now if We do not take in the aca-
denies, if it does not apply to tht
towns where the academies are situat-
ed, cannot unrestand the English Ian
guage. | say that it is unfair. why
the friends Of the academies are mos
unfair in their arguments. They VII
take a free High school Of the loves
grade, one that perhaps is recelNlhs
S250 where some little town has strug
gled to have better schools and las no
raised as much as $3.50 ana have only
provided perhaps two terms year
and they will compare that little schoo
that is receiving perhaps 500 of $JV
Year, with an academy which IS re-
ceiving $1,000 or $4,000, and then dilatt
upon the discrepancy and inferiority Q
the free High school. Good Lord. W NJ
wonders that they are inferior! Nnei
YOU give to the academy three or fou
time as much as you give to the fre'
High school-when Won discriminate
against them in that way. IS it any
wonder? In the towns where the fret
High schools are able to make an eli
fort themselves they make an etfor
themse Ives They tax themselves Y
have the school of a higher grade; ant
the State certainly ought to do as wei
by those people as by the people OF
town that does not put its hand III lt
pocket to the extent Of one cent w
have been giving them. and we glN
them by tn FIRST seton Of this bill any
whore from $500 to $1,000 and now TN
section three provides that they shal
have an advantage of the free iflg
school act too. 1t is an outrageous IN
equality in distributing the scho'
funds Of the State and | hope 1t WI
be stricken out.
Mr. IF i'nro1hpy'llnd-