Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1904-07-07
WHY NOT HARPswELL HAVE A
HIGH SCHOOL?

mood. 'Twculd be we'll for the towns
people Of Harpswell to rumiaate on the
same meditative query and let them
understand that Ito be- to means their
very existence as an up-to-date. pre-
gressive township. Propose to your
selTes the above caption query. con.
slider what effect high school locally
would effect for your future and esti-
mate carefully what the means and
ends of education really are. Follow
us-"We regard education" SAYS Dan
lei Webster. las wise and liberal sys-
tenn Of police. by which property and
life and the peace OF society are se-
cured" and here We make our error.
Tor while property and the peace OF So
ciety are most desirable. indispensa-
bel even, and are to be kept in view OF
every right system Of education. vet
only he looks above these scrdid ends
and lives in the infinite and permanent
world OF truth, beauty and goodness
can ever rise to the full glory of a
noble manhood: he must have ideals
and live up to them: he must labor .or
enlargement and elevation of mind: he
must realize that the whole social or
ganism has worth but in so far as il
fashions him and his neighbcrs as in
dividuals into divine image. It's is
the ideal of culture which de- I!ops
endowment into faculty. which lives
the mind possession OF the po'ters.
making ii self in the world itlup.
builds and keeps symmetrical and mir.
Deprive man OF opportunity or f ZEE
dom to educate himself and social cAr-
ditions obtain such as those of Indial
make education merely formal an
practical. and You garner 4 world of
arrested spiritual growth as Ia China.
Feed the young on starvation diet OF
education as the tcwn-ot Harpswell is
doing. and what kind of a citizenship
will We have?
AS one of this country's keenest-
minded educators said in the course OF
a speech before the National Education
association in Deroit in 1901: Prog
ress is increase CT power and quality
CT life. II is this even when II
seems to be but greater control of the
forces of nature: for they are thus
made seryiceable to life Education Is
the unfolding and upbuilding Of life.
and 1t Is. therefore. essentially prog
ress. All progress is education and
all right education is progress"
Harpswell township aims at prog
ress. at development of the o2porturi-
ties which nature gives 1t. at broad
ening its influence in the world-if it
does not 1t has no right to township.
But Harpswell is neglecting that on
which its progress depends. II refuses
to develop the God-given faculties of
its children, who will be its agents
in the broadening influence Harpswe.l
Is wrong. culpably negligent. a menace
to Its own life. Why is this? The
Breeze is OF the opinion that this is so
because our townspeople have allowed
commercialism. that spirit CT reaching
for the worlds goods. to put them in
a hypnotic sleep. which blinded their
eyes to a conception of the real cool
and higher life. Blind? Yes. in q
measure. but perverssly so. There Is
the neighboring island OF Chebeague
her high school could have taught
you your duty and should at least have
awakened you from your somnolence.
What excuse can you offer that when
this matter was by the sentient. clear
visioled element introduced at town
meetings you have vo.ed II down?
Thought you had not enough children.
who were OF the grade to enter IL. TO
warrant the outlay7 You never will
have. II you hold to that policy. You
must educate your children to a thirst
for knowledge. you must show them
that there Is a broader intellectualism
and awaken In them a yearping fer
its blessings and benefits. You mus,
make a start II IL be with hut one pu-
pill: give them the opportunity at
least; II you do we guarintec that their
native curiosity and inbor7 rivalrous
dispositions will lead them &c invest.
gate the higher branches and to vie
with one another for excellence there
In. The expense?" What does that
amount to? The state will reimburse
you one-half for yoar disbursements
net to exceed $500. II they. seeing
the future good II will be to the state.
are willing to do that for you and your
children. We know. not what term OF
contempt or derision We can apply TO
you that are too parsimcni Nous To Do a.
much for yourselves. Say you start the
school. the town to pay $3.50, NOW
much win the individual be dd{@ ID
poker? Ana he wffi hive established
an institution too far-reachins IN Its