The Republican journal., 1901-01-10

..se your Judgment, reariessly ana consc,-
entiously In the expenditure of the peo-
Pies money. and that you will refuse to
grant needless or unwise appropriations as
opJects worthy OF promotion and support.
Education.
The report of the Superintendent of Pub
lie Schools shows a constant and crafty
Ing advancement in our educational inter
ests; The total amount of the State school
m tax for the year
raised by by the towns was $S1S,OO1; total
the common schools, as compared with
Increase of $427,4 or nearly forty-seven
per cent.
The Normal Schools are doing most ex-
cellent work. and the Importance Of hav..
trained in their duties is being recognized
t BY al; About thirty per cent Of our
There are ~ School n Children a in thirty
three unorganized townships, for whom
schools are maintained as provided by the
stat saesa at a cost during the past year;
from the State. appropriation. $96956 was
interest on land reserved, and $4,000 the
per capita tax.
The pupils in these schools range from
five to twenty one years of age. and, in
several instances, married men and women
have taken advantage of the opportunities
thus offered to obtain an education
1T Is Unnecessary for me to call your at
tention to the important work being done
by such schools. But for their existence.
many of the children now enjoying their
and much larger per cent of them would
ultimately become a public charge. The
furnishing of such instruction is in har-
mony with the established palicy If the
State to provide schoo! privileges for all
As rule, the people are anxious to have
the schools established. the children are
prompt and regular In their attendance
and apply themselves with great industry
to their tasks The good work which is be-
ing done by the schools of this class should
be extended and made more efficient if the
State is to do it's duty to that portion of
Its citizens dependent upon it for educa
tfonal advantages.
The special appropriations made for the
academies and seminaries lapse with the
present year: and if these appropriations
are to be continued, l am inclined to the
opinion that they should be made perma-
nent, under certain definite restrictions.
Under existing circumstances, school
having Jealous and skiilful advocate in
the Legislature may be able to secure a
liberal appropriation in excess of it's actual
requirements; while another, equally wor:
thy but less fortunate, must be content
with comparatively small amount. The
grade of the school maintained and the
number of pupils receiving instruction
should always be considered, and l doubt
the wisdom of assisting in maintaining an
academy i'll section of the State where
high schools of high grade are provided.
1t is an injustice to the State to allow
any of these academies to use the amount
appropriated in increasing their endow-
ment, instead OF providing more and better
instruction to the pupils who attend them ;
and under no circumstances should the sum
appropriated for such institutions be taken
from the fund provided for the common
schools
1t is exceedingly gratifying that 80 strong
an interest is being manifested in the pub
lie schools The children, teachers and pa
rents are assisting in improving and en-
larging school grounds. identifying school
rooms and providing books of art and
standard literature.
The work accomplished along these lines
has greatly stimulated general interest in
the schools, promoted harmony in manage
ment, and resulted in much better work
being done by all concerned.
The teachers institutes and summer
schools have not only improved the gen
State, but, to an extent that was not an
ticipated, have stimulated teachers to at
tend our higher institutions of learning
and thus enabled them to acquire the
scholarly attachments necessary to the
highest success in their calling
The University of Maine.
The State University is in a prosperous
conditioa. having about $50 students, of
whom more than six-sevenths are residents
of this State. Its most popular courses
are those in engineering, and the best
equipped those in agriculture but the
scope OF its work is of the very broadcast
character and also includes a classical
course, a similar course without Greek,
scientific course without Latin and Greek
a course i'll preparation for medicine, and
courses in chemistry and pharmacy The
School of Law located in Bangor. has been
well received. and is gaining the approval
of those well qualified TO judge of its work.
Nearly twothirds Of the income of the
University is derived from the General
Government, the remainder being provided
by the State. 1t having been the policy of
the State to reduce students expenses as
much as possible, the receipts from this
source are comparatively small. The rus
tees have used the funds available to Sc
cure teachers. apparatus and facilities for
instruction, rather than to construct large
and expensive buildings, and have been
governed by the restrictions of the United
States appropriations which forbid the use
of any part of these funds for the erection
or repair of buildings.
During the past two years the trustees
have constructed drill hall and gymna-
SUM, now nearly finished. which will be
paid for by private subscriptions, and it is
understood that the Legislature will not be
asked for any assistance in its completion
An astronomical observatory has also been
built. and a large telescope set up. The
equipment in electrical engineering and in
the natural sciences has been largely in
creased. aud the buildings of the agricutu-
raj department have received extensive re-
pairs and additions.
The trustees in their report will urge the
erection of building for the department
of mechanical and electrical engineering,
to contain recitation rooms. drawing
rooms. iron working and carpenter shops,
a foundry and forge shops. They state that
the building now in use was erected when
the University had comparatively small
number of students; that it is a cheap
wooden structure inadequate for the pur-
pose, and in bad repair and that no ap-
preparation for the erection of building
has been made for ten Years, although
since that time the number of teachers and
students has increased threefo4d. The
equipment of the University Is thoroughly
creditable. and it unquestionably affords an
exceptional opportunity for young men and
women to secure an education at very
moderate cost. You will, | am sure, give
its interests careful attention, and take
such action as the needs of the institution
seem to warrant.
Agriculture.
Agriculture will always be our most i'm
portant industry. 1t gives employment and
support to more than half our population,
ests and bring greater prosperity to our
farming communities is a benefit to the
whole State. The growth of our cities and
manufacturing centres, and the increased
volume of summer travel coming into
Maine every year have created better home
Gmarkets for our farm products; but the.
great resources Of the State are not yet
much Of which has never been utilized. and
the more general adoption of Improved
methods Of agriculture. must result in still
greater prosperity. In the years to come.
potent factor in the advancement of our
agricultural interests, and has added great