Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-11

ties. and one that must engage your
most serious attention at this time' Is
the consideration of the present man
cial affairs of our city, and the expendl-
lures for the ensuing year.
We have heard much of late concern
ing the city debt, and the policy OF IN
creasing it, has been deprecated.
fully coincide with this view, on gem
eral principles.
Our industrial interests have suffered
much for the past 10 years; in conse-
quence, We have lost $12,5OO on our tax
valuation the past year, as Is SHOWN III
, the City Report just issued. we are
, in the condition of the man OF smaii
means, and like him, if we are WISE
we shall direct our energies to the pro-
viding of essentials rather than iuxu-
ries; to the supplying OF absolute
wants, rather than to the gratlhcatioh
of fancy or taste. AS to what are 10
be considered as necessarles, may De
thought to admit of question by some,
! but | have no hesitancy in placing III
this category, good public schools, good
streets and sidewalks; a comfortable
almshouse, suitable clothing and
wholesome food for the poor who may
fail into distress and need assistance.
APPROPRIATIONS.
The matter of appropriations, l trust
you will give your most careful atten-
tion and thoroughly consider the needs
of each department. | believe that
generally the expenditures can and
most assuredly should be kept within
| the appropriation. After the various
amounts for the different departments
have been made and approved by the
full board, let that be final for the en-
suing year. If, however, any unfore-
seen circumstance should call for
larger amount than has been allowed
any department, let that official apply
to the city council for authority before
taking any action.
SCHOOLS.
! I cannot too earnestly commend to
your care and attention our public
schools: in them is centered all that we
are TO hope for in the future. We can
scarcely do too much in this way.
| The parents of children, l fear, are
not as much interested in our schools
and the maintenance of their discipline
as they should be. But few, compare
lively, visit them or manifest any in
terest in them; the majority thinking
they have performed their duty when
they have hidden their children to at
tend to their school duties. The result
has been d lack of spirit and ambition
to advance in knowledge on the part of
the pupils and not that pride and zeal
on the part of the teachers which
might be expected were their schools
frequently visited by the parents, and
th= counsels of the teachers seconded
and enforced by the parents at home.
In this connection, 1 am glad to say
that our schools compare favorably
with those of our sister cities.
Our High school, under the care of
Il our efficient principal, Mr.. c. w. Stow
ell, together with his faithful and ac-
lcomplished assistants, is highly spoken
of by those best qualified to judge, and
has kept up to it's former high stand
ard.
In connection with our common
schools. l desire to call your attention
to the fund left by the late Miss Maria
Clark for a Grammar school building,
which is nearly $4,000. This amount is
not sufficient to build such a building
as we need. Our last city council had
this matter under consideration and a
committee was appointed to investigate
and ascertain what a building would
cost large enough to accommodate four
or five schools. / was a member of that
committee and in my opinion we can
build such a building for $4,000, leaving
a balance for the city to raise of $4,000.
| ~.
debt or raising the taxes, yet in my
judgment it would be economy and a
saving to the city for the following rea-
sons: We should have five new school
rooms all under one roof which would
not require any repairing for number
of years; it would cost less to heat
them and less for a janitor and then
1--we should have two schoolhouSes to dis
pose of, which would bring nearly if
not quite $1,000, so that the real cost to
the city would only be about $1,000, and
it would cost more than that to pro-
vide for the school that is being held
in the Classical building, which we are
liable to be called upon to do at any
time; and best of all, we could have a
man principal who could look after all
the schools in the building and thus
do away with so much trouble with I'M
ruly boys as the school committee has
been called upon to settle the past two
years.
] would recommend that you give this
matter your earliest attention and
hope that you may think it advisable
to erect building the coming summer.
HIGHWAYS AND SIDEWALKS.
| Owing to the heavy rains the past
Year, our streets are in bad condition,
but no fault, however, of our diligent
and efficient street commissioner, Mr.
&. A. Sumner. l trust you will take
this matter into consideration when
making the appropriations. l would
also recommend that a new sidewalk
be built on the lower end of Water
street from the cotton mill to Vaughan
street, or a part of it at least also
would recommend that the sidewalk at
the upper end of Water street be con-
GREETED, from Winthrop street to the
overhead bridge; it is a duty we owe
Mr.. Hegarty for the improvements he
has made in that locality, and the
| 10 Of no