Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-06
EDUCATION BILL
Discussed at Green Street
Church Last Evening.
All Speakers Agree That Old
System Is Complicated.
John W. Fuller Makes Plea For More
Practical Courses.

The leading feature of the Sunday
evening service at the Green street
church last evening WAS Il discussion
of the merits of the act authorizing
the city of Augusta To establish q
board Of education which was passed
by the last Legislature and which will
be accepted or rejected by the citizens
in special election to be held May IL.
The speakers were Introduced by
the Rev H. L. Dunnack. pastor Of the
church and at the close he briefly sum-
med up the points made by them.
Lewis A. Burleigh opened the discus
sion with a history of the Augusta
school system. He said in part:
Il have been asked to give Z brief
explanation Of the bill passed by the
last Legislature which provides for
board of education for the city of Au-
Gusta. There is Il sentiment Of pro-
found appreciation to those men VINO
have heretofore administered the af-
fairs of our schools. but | believe they,
without exception, favor this bill. I'M
der the Massachusetts and later Maine
laws, the schools must be under
local unit. In some cases it is the
county. sometimes the township or
city, as for many years here, school
districts. Prominent educators say
that the township unit is the best and
in 1898 the schoo! districts in this
State were abolished. with the cXcep-
ton Of those organized by the Legis-
laturc with special powers-thc Au-
Gusta districts surviving.
IN 1877, when we were 4 part of
Hallowell, there were eight districts.
four on each side of the river. Ten
years later, in 1891 We had two on the
cast side Of the river and six on the
west side. The number Of districts
gradually Increased until i'll 1S42 when
there were Is. At that time two dis
trictS on the west side Of the river
were united into the Village District
and in 1873. the Williams district was
organized. Then. az | said before. in
1899. al were abolished with the cX-
ccption of the two row intact.
"Thc net result is that We arc oper-
ating under four district systems, first
the village. second TIC Williams. third
the suburban schools ana lastly the
COny High school. | think that it may
be safely said that no City or town in
the state Of Maine has - complicated
or unWicldy a system rs | have at
tempted to describe 10 You.
Mr.. Burlcigh then took up the bill
ANA explained III" provisions Of each
section and the results. lie stated that
it centralized the responsibility, gave
each ward a representative was strict
~ non-poltical in its purpose or work
=
citizens to discuss school affairs at
least ono" a year.
In conclusion he said: 'T.rt me say
that | believe that it is a matter Of
civic pride. Yes, more than that tn
those of us who have children. that
tn" school system Of Augusta Shall be
conducted with uniformity and on
business principles.
John II. Fuller in opening said that the
fact that tie old system had worked we'll
in the past might be an argument for
its retention, but in his opinion there
should be both advancement ard i'm
rrovcmcnt. The four boards Of the old
system would be done away with and in
their stead there VIII BE- one, made up Of
representatives from each ward and upon
tIis will dcvolvc The work. He also spoke
of the election OF superintendent who
will act as the executive officer Of tha
board ard give his whole time to the
work
/ II am really considerably surprised"
he continued. that really chaotic state
of affairs does not exist under the pres
cnt system. The fact that each citizen
will have the responsibility of cleCtinS
a man from his ward to represent him in
the school matters will prevent a lack
Of interest. If the present system Is u
result OF lack Of politics then the sooner
We inject into il good dose of politics.
the better"
Mr.. Fuller closed his remarks with an
earnest plea for more practical courses
in the High school, claiming that it had
become primarily fitting school for col
leo and that the young men and wom u
who were obliged to enter business life
early were forced 90 attend some private
institution in order to obtain the rclui-
site training.
lanes +. Townsend spoke Of tho gen
c-YI anathv III T, gard to the coming
snccial election on account of tn" evil
| don't prevalent belief that the bill WI
all right and there was no opposition =
| If He thought that few q fhc P'"n'"
raa7Iv knew what the hill contained. Con-
ti,,in-, ne said. ION this account | wei
come this meeting for it arouScs inter-