Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-15
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from Page Five.)

versity. had the courage and pluck and
the tact to come here to this Legisla-
ture and carry out this work. Espe-
cially, as | understand that it is ral,,
down as a part of his duties and that
he does not do it of his own accord but
is obliged and required to do so. /
wish that al! institutions, both public
and private, in this State had as strong
men in control of their affairs. | be-
lieye that none of them would suffer
thereby / admire l say, the courage of
this man who is willing to accent
these unpleasant duties-for they Ger
tainly must be unpleasant-and he
does not certainly take them upon
his own accord.
In speaking I wish especially to
consider the amendment from the
House which has been adopted, which
strikes out that part of the resolve
eliminating the A. B. degree believe
that amendment should be adopted in
concurrence for these reasons: first. /
think that this discussion is out of
place and untimely. Ten years ago this
year in March 1897, this same question
was thrashed over in this Senate and
in the other branch. At that time, by
bill approved March %, 1897, the
Legislature voted to change the name
Of this institution at Orono and call
it the University of Maine 1 cannot
produce the records. as they are not
accessible, but at that time, so l am
told, it was argued on the floor of this
Senate by able men to change the
name to that Of a University, and that
then, as a university, it would be ex-
pected to do university work and to
establish classical courses. In accord
ance with that vote, the trustees did
establish that course and have main
tanned it for the past ten years, and it
seems to me it is out of place for us
now to turn around and say: You
have been going wrong all this time
you must change your course" and,
further than that, the students of the
University of Maine are treated I'M
justly, IL We deprive them of this
course, in view of the fact that they
have enrolled there with the under
standing that they might finish that
course. They have perhaps made sac
rHices for it. They have paid money
for tuition and now We say right here:
I'VE will break this contract" But we
have no right u do it, legaly-in con-
SideratiOn Of the students who have
been enrolled under those terms 1t is
about the same as it would be- were a
man, having a boy, to teach him or
allow him to indulge in certain prac-
tees until he reached, say ten years of
age, all the time saying to him it is all
right. 1t is not harmful. The boy ac-
quireS the practice. 1t has become
part of his habits and life. Then the
father says to him: You must drop
i- NOT iv1i1r
are innocent. yet sometime in the flu
ture it may be a cause of injury to
some one else. Do you think under
these circumstances, the boy is going
to change his habit Immediately?
Would it be Il just and reasonable re-
quest to make?
SO believe now that it would work
an injustice to the University of Maine
to deprive it of the privilege of con-
ferring the A. B. degree. l know it
would be an injustice to it and it is a
bare possibility that we might by re-
tanning the classics, in some possible
way be injuring the other colleges;
but do not think so. think it is only
a remote possibility. l would like to
ask the senator from AndroScoggin,
Senator Philoon, how many students
Bates turned away last year.
Mr.. PHILOON: She did not have
money enough to maintain them.
Mr.. MILLS: She turned away TWEEN
ty l understand, because there was
not room enough for them.
Mr.. PHILOON: She turned away
some girls because she had not room.
Mr.. MILLS: The University Of
Maine will never turn away those wo-
men; and Bates cannot accommodate
them, with its magnificent college. q
visited it two years ago and was very
favorably impressed and very pleas
antly received:) and if she cannot ac-
commodate them, why not let the Uni
versity of Maine do it? She does not
draw any line. 1t seems to me the
proposition is Il fair one The farmers
are not requiring that we should take
away this A. b. course up there. There
are today seventy farmers DIT the uni
versity taking lectures on agriculture.
They do not object to the cultural
courses. Neither is there any objection
from many other classes of people
who have sons and daughters there at
the University of Maine.
Mr.. President, | wish to say only
one word more. 1t seems to me there
educational work over this and the
other New England States. The time
was not long ago when any town in
this State could call n town meeting
and would put motion and carry a
vote to raise merely what the law re-
CURED for the purpose of maintaining
common schools. Now. il is 4 frequent
thing, and | think il occurs in more
than a majority of the towns, To raise
sufficient moneys for the successful
maintenance of the public schools.
without regard to the amount limited
by law.
We have in charge this great univer
sity. Shall we take a backward step
in this question? 1t seems to me the
sentiment expressed by Emerson fits
the case. He says:
II praise New England because it is
In the only country in the world where
is the freest expenditure: where the
poor man. whom the law does not al