Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-29
STATE HOUSE.
agtl'
Law Relating to Public In
:. stfuction in Forestry. !
High School Students MayB Be Taught
by Experts.
!. 81
Summer Schools for Teachers Win
Have Experienced Instructors.

Gnu tle law Specl1eQ CnaC the ldnQ
agent should be the forest commissions
er. The duties of this official were
clearly defined in the law, and included
| among other things the following:
Section Is. The forest commissioner
shall take such measures as the State
superintendent of common schools and
the president of the State college of
agriculture and the mechanic arts
may approve for awakening an inter-
est In behalf of forestry in the public
schools. academies and colleges Of the
State. and of imparting some degree
of elementary instruction therein
This section of the forestry law.
while mandatory and explicit, has
been imperative since it's Incorporation
into law. for the past IL years. be-
cause. until the recent session of the
Legislature. no appropriation was ever
| made to carry out it's provisions. But
| the Legislature of 1908, in it's wisdom,
granted the sum of $500 year for the
\ purpose of providing public instruction
in forestry. When the appropriation
was made the question of the manner
in which it should be used was made
the subject Of general discussion about
| the Capitol and in forestry circles
| throughout the State. This matter
| was never settled, however, by those
having authority SO to do, nor will 1t
be until later this year.
BY some, it was thought that the es-
Establishment of a chair of forestry at
I the University of Maine would be the
| best and wisest method of imparting
elementary instruction in forestry, but
| this plan has not yet been determined
upon. 1t was believed and was ar
gued by friends of the college that the
institution of forestry professorship
would be the means of awakening more
interest in the subject than any other
method that could be adopted.
A more careful examination of the
law, however, clearly shows what the
Intention of the Legislature of 1891
was when it placed it's seal. of ap
prevail upon the idea of doing some
thing in a practical way toward in
structing the youth of the State in the
knowledge of how to care for and pro-
tect the forests, which are now such
a valuable Maine resource. The in
Itention was not only to awaken an
interest in the colleges of the State
but in the public schools and acad-
emes as WELL For this reason it was
provided that the State superintendent
| of public schools should have the same
power to approve any measures, which
the forest commissioner might sug-
gest, that the president of the State
lcollege should exercise. In fact, the
State superintendent and the president
lof the college were jointly given the
lauttority to endorse the work of the
forest commissioners in this particular
branch of his duty. But the forest COM
missioner is to determine how the
money shall be expended. The other
gentlemen are to a certain extent his
advisers. They can approve or con-
Idemn any measure he may suggest.
but they cannot exercise any other
lpower in the premises.
In considering the question of how
best to carry out the purposes of the
law and put ipto effect it's provisions,
lnow made possible to a limited extent
Iby the money AVAILABLE, it has been
suggested that, instead of spending the
entire amount in maintaining for
estry chair at the University of Maine,
the greater portion be used in employ
I ing forestry experts to lecture to the
scholars of the high schools of the
state. In this way. it is thought, a
more general diffusion of knowledge on
the subject could be impaired than by
combining the study to one educational
institution The boys who attend the
high schools, and the girls. too, for that
| matter would thus be able to secure
practical advice and instruction con-
corning forestry, which could not fail
to be of great value to them.
yl.I Io la, ri no hnpn considered
it has not yet been decided upon. If it
| is concluded that this manner is the
wisest way to provide for public in
struction in forestry as the law con-
templates, it will not be inaugurated
until the beginning of the next school
year. which will not begin until well
into September. In the meantime,
commissioner Ring will undoubtedly
| larrange a conference with President
Fellows and Superintendent Stetson.
and decide upon the method to follow.
The following circular relating to
summer schools for teachers has been
printed and is now being sent out by
the school educational department:
The Summer Schools for Teachers for
the present season will be held as fol-
lows:
Fort Kent. July $40; Stonington.
july 1911; Winthrop, July 2O-H; Saco,
July 1871.
The instructors have all had ex-
perience as teachers and superintend-
erts of rural. village and city schools.
Miss Gertrude Edmund, principal of
1.-The Teachers Training schools of
Lowell. Mass. will have charge of the
! work in primary methods.
I'll DR.. Charles O. Dewey Of New York,