Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-28
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Legislative Committee
Holds Meeting atCity Hall.
ACCESSIBILITY Of State Board Of
Education Is Considered.
Committee Finally Adjourns to Meet
In Bangor, Oct. rs.

The committee on education of the
last Legislature held an important
hearing in the common council rooms
Thursday On the matter of changing
the administration Of the public
schools.
The following constitute the commit
tee: Senator +. l.. Philoon of Auburn,
chairman; Senator II. II. Rice OF
Pennington; Representative e. F.
Danforth If Sllowhegan. secretary;
REPRESENTATIVE w. S. KnowltOn of
Monson; and Representative F.. w.
Murphy If Portland. The stenographer
of The committee was Fred Foss Law
rence Of SkoWhegan.
The hearing was specifically directed
to the provisions of the bill drawn by
Superintendent of Schools Dennis +.
Bowman Of Waterville and introduced
in tic Legislature by Representative
Knowltnn Of Monsoon. providing for a
State board Of education.
The bill is for the purpose of Great
ing a state board OF education, the
executive authority being vested in it's
secretary. who shall not be Il member
of the board. but employed by it, and
whose acts shall be subject to the APP
prevail Of the board. In addition agents
shall be employed, whose duties shall
be to visit the schools Of the State and
renort upon theeir observations.
The first speaker TO address the COM
mitt"e was Augustus ID. Small, master
Of the South Boston High school. He
spoke OF the system which is in opera
ton i'll Massachusetts, and observed
that each member of the MaSSachu-
sets beard served without pay. The
Massachusetts board. however. had
charge of only the Normal and State
Industrial schools. The local school
committees have charge Of the COM
mon schools. The superintendent and
agents receive salaries.
Dennis f. Bowman, Esq, of Water
Vile addressed the committee. He said
in part:
''Thc educational conditions of this
state are susceptible of Improvement
in many WAYS. The development of
school laws. improved superintendent,
better qualifications for teachers, the
truancy laws. graduation Of schools
ana many other topics need attention.
There is need Of 4 more definite policy
for educational development
To this end it is necessary, first Of
al. Ia view conditions as they exist in
the various parts of the State and in
different grades of instruction. There
should be 4 body Of men for this pur-
pose that shall be representative and
adequate to the solution of the prob
lens. However active single man may
he, the same result cannot he attained
rs by n pody of men at work
Educational development is an or
gained growth, and to preserve the
results that arc to be gained there
must DC continuity ana consistent
progress along definite lines This can
be attained by 4 slowly changing body.
in whose hands tire school policy NAV
be safely reposed.
'Thcrc is need Of constructive work.
There is need of investigation in new
fields for examples of manual. COM
mel" ial and indus. rial training. For
safe progress in such lines there should
PC BODY of men to prescribe the
kinds Of work ana t. review results. A
experience shows that when new work
is to be done III re is need Of conserya-
tive action. and tho salutary check Of a
board Of control over the superinten-
dent"
TIE committee adjourned to meet in
Bangor. Friday oct. %, for the purpose
of gathering more data.