Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-29

ACQUAINTANCE ana nence are able L
labor together more harmoniously ant
10 formulate some plan for systemati,
work. Again, in the smaller group O
towns. there exists greater commun
itv Of interest and a more genera
similarity of conditions than are found
in organizations embracing a wider ex
tent of territory.
The regular speaking force employed
at teachers institutes includes one
professional, employed and paid by tn,
/ State superintendent of public school.
under authority from the State. the
superintendent himself and such loca
! Talent as may be available among tht
school officers. parents. teachers ant
pupils embraced within the severa
assoc iations.
TIE programs prepared by tn.
officers of the associations with the aiG
of the state superintendent, includ.
music ana sufficient entertainment in 4
lighter vein 10 relieve the monotony OF
continuous professional work, The
papers and lectures embrace the entire
catalog Of educational topics coming
within the scope of the work set for
, the institutes to accomplish.
! The report. in referring to schools in
: unorga nized townships, says:
J I'm the report Of last year was pre-
scented somewhat in detail an analysis
of the law Of 1889. under whose pro-
! visions school privileges were brought
to the children resident in the unor-
ganized townships of Maine. The
, special local conditions which would
! necessarily affect the methods of pro-
cadure under the law were there fully
| described.
The townships in which children
have had the benefits of schooling I'M
der this law during the two years of it's
operation. may be roughly divided
| into two classes. OF the first class are
those in which settlements have been
| made in the vicinity Of stations along
the railroads. running through
OF reaching into the wilderness
| these are peOpled almost wholly
by the employees of these rail.
| roads: others, In addition to the
above. by the employees OF manu-
| factories which have been recently es-
tablished along these railroads. Most
OF these settlements are without public
roads connecting them with other COM
| munities. The dwellings are located
along The railroad track, which is the
only street. or are grouped about the
mill buildings. In these mill settle
ments there are many transients, and
young men without families, so that
the number of children in proportion to
the whole population is smaller than in
the ordinary towns and plantations. In
the larger number of these townships
the people are English speaking. In a
few. however, they are wholly or
mostly of French extraction.
In The second class are townships on
the borders of the agricultural areas Of
the State, or in the numbering regions.
The most of these are connected by
fairly passable roads with neighboring
towns. Some have been formerly or
ganized as plantations, and, during the
period of such organization, supported
schools. With two or three exceptions
in Aroostook county, and one in Pts
cataquis, the people are English speak
ing. They are generally poor or in
moderate financial circumstances. I'm
Ger conditions such as have been out
lined, there must necessarily be
general lack Of suitable school build
ings, and of proper appliances for in
struction. II some cases the schools
have. of necessity, been held in parts
OF occupied dwellings. in others in I'M
| occupied dwellings. Two schools have
found their homes in chapels. in out
lying mission stations OF the Catholic
church. one has occupied the attic over
1t store. one lean-to Of a stable, two
have found accommodations in halls.
and one in the dining-room of large
unused boarding house. OF buildings
erected expressly for school purposes,
several are log structures. and at least
two of these are among those best
adapted to school use. Most of the
| frame schcolhouses are roughly An
| ished and rudely furnished.
Notwithstanding these primitive
conditions, the results attained during
the two years of the operation of the
law, have been more than satisfactory.
and those of the second and past year
notably SUCH -.. Z
There were 81 townships reported
and in y of these schools We're main
tanned The number Of children be-
| tween four and 81 years in these town
ships was 623 and the number attend
ing school was 467. There were "a
teachers employed at 1852 average
weekly wages, including board. The
total expenditures for the year
amounted to $3.50 of which $3.50 was
from the per capita tax. $l.274 from in
terest on reserved lands. and s1,sS6
from State appropriations
The fifth annual examination of cam
didates for State certificates, under
the present plan was held Friday. Au-
gust 90, 1901. The places at which the
examination was held We're as fol-
lows: Auburn. Augusta, Belfast,
Bethel. Boothbay Harbor. Brooklin
Brownf1eld, Calais, Canaan. Eastport
Ellsworth, Freeport, Fort Kent, Fox
croft. Greenville, Harrington. Houlton
Lincoln. Newcastle, North Arson
> Orono. Presque Isle, Pittsfield, Rock
land, Sanford, South Paris, Van Buren,
and Waterville. These places We're Sc
lected al easily accessible to candi-
dates who had registered on or before
August 10. 10