Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-27
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page Two.)


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that Institution l am heartily ashamed
OF the course she and her learned presi-
dent have seen fit to adopt at this time.
My work IS such a nature that l have an
unusual Opportunity TO observe the sever
al educational systems in vogue in our
four Maine colleges, and from the obser
you few colo solid facts.
The University of Maine needs money;
II needs great dead of money; it needs
especially her technical courses. In GER
tain engineering courses thousands of
dollars are needed for proper equip
side of Boston, and really deserves to bs
properly supported by our State. But at
this time. when there is such crying
need of big expenditures to strengthen
this department. which is the backbon.
of the university why should we take
these Thousands Of dollars SO much need
Of a y. A. course for which there IS not
the slightest demand? l must confess /
Glm at hiss to understand.
Under present conditions in our State
there is not one single valid argument
that can be put forth in favor of main.
tanning this degree at the University of
and the people OF the State N general
do not understand the status of education
as II really Is here In Maine; you appar-
emily think that by retaining this degree
you are giving the poor boy a chance to
get q classical education which he would
not be able to get otherwise; new 1t
erroneous idea. Let US see If a boy can
attend Rowdoin or Colby or Bates with a.
little expenditure as At Maine. Let us
compare expenses at Maine with-we will
say Colby: At Maine tuition is SIS PEI
term. at Colby $50; at Maine a registra-
ton fee Of s per term Is required; there
IS nothing of that sort at Colby: all other
expenses are practically the same. So
how much do you figure that hoy saves
by going, to Orono for his A. B. degree?
1:ut We have yet to consider the college
called Maine or
scholarships as | believe they are call
ed at Colby. At Maine a student is not
provided h. can glv" a promissory noto
endorsed bv a good surety for the amount
of this tuition; this note bears interest
at per cent. Very Kind and generous
of the university, Is IL not, when Wa
think now we are fortunate to get SAT"
investment Of our money at per cent
per cent? President Fellows is good
financier. though II Is rather tough on the
boys; and we are not surprised when the
president tells us that they do not try to
hurry the payment Of notes, So long az
the interest Is paid promptly. I have Il
few thousand ] should NkC to tn"CtNt at
this rate myself. These loans apply only
to the tuition. all other rxpc1s amt
CHARGES remember, must be paid prompt
ly. Now with these so-callcd loans let us
compare the scholarship system at Colby.
The amount of these scholarships aver
ages about 81 per term, which amount Is
deducted from the tuition; :hcS" scholar
Ships are granted to every ne "IIE S''lGt- Il ::
nor ie "A stuCent respected any the less
by either faculty or his felluV-Stui"ntI
because he is the recipient If aid. Quit =,
the contrary. Al admire the spirit of
the vounc man who has the d,trrrna-
ton to get a college education, though hr
be poor ir pocket. Now what about bay
ing tn. So scholarships? There Is no per
cent. string fastened T." II. nor does tn.
student file = bond or 0ffcr fIS note with
payment guaranteed Icy ar accGptab!'.
surety; the only surety is the stud"nt'a
honor At ScholDlSllD
granted him he signs a simple siItCmenl
wherein h" agrees to repay whatev""
amount he receives: nor is any datitit,,
time exprcsscd-simlIy II REPAY it "A.
some future trmr 'wh'n he may h" abb 90
Now which nT these tv'" systo ms d. YOU
consider 10 - the better cllcuEated +"
help the poor but ambition bows Of our
old State" furthermore. at Lewiston.
Watervllc ard brunswick many of II"
boys earn a great deal by work outSi1 Z,
the collngpS-in such way clerk n-s.
tending furnaces. waiting on tables, etc.
small town the siz" Of oron" oanno;
offer these opportunities.
Now another matter: Maine must have
another d0rmitory to tax" ear" of hc''
sver increasing number IF student He
quarters are greatly oVcrcrOWd"d anu
something must he done. The other three
colleges can accommodate. so more sta
dents with their Present CONTINENT. and
without calling upon the State for on,
single cent. Now why in Heavens name
should the taxpayers of Main" he called
upon to pay for maintaining an expense 80
course Of study for which there is abSn-
hItely no necessity How does this Y.
\. course at Orcno compare with the Il
A. courses offered by the other colleges
! have studied into the matter very care
fully. and as loyal alumnus beg that
you will excuse me from answering that
question. I will say. however, that | shall
not send my boy there for his a. B. until
many radical changes have been made in
the curriculum.
should like TO call your attention to
a little incident which occurred something
over a year ago. Possibly it may be vio-
where "exitus. acta probat." where th1
end justites the means. President Eel
lows met few of us to talk over his
plan about asking for the twO-thirds mill
tax. In the informal discussion which
followed his remarks one Of the men
present asked him if he realized what Il
4arge amount 1t would mean. The reply
was that it had all been figured out. and
he told MS the approximate amount. An
other asked: DO you think it would be-
better for US ito ask for q smaller amount
which probably would be granted to US.
rather than demand such 4 large sum-
and run the risk of losing all because of
the opposition which such request must
arouse?" mo. sir; not at ALL was tha
reply. eve must plan to work this thing
up among ourselves quietly as posi-
bic. Get 1t all ready. then Introduce the
bill. have Some good strong men on the
ground. and we can rush il through be-
fore they realize what an immense sum
st will .moai.' Someone asked II thai;
was quite honest. We'll, it's business
was the reply. Perhaps it Is business.
but 1t is hardly what we should expect
from n college president. In very re-
cent conversation with one of the Off
GERS of the university. I asked IL he con-
sidered it was just fair to impose this
needless burden unon the taxpayers:
"Dsmn the taxpayers. We want it and
we are going to have it." was The reply.
That seems T., be the sentiment prevail
ing throughout the entire institution
Damn the taxpayers. We want it AMI
are going to have it.
Now I want TO see the University Of
Maine grow. ! want to see thousand
boys there on the campus. | want II seq
there the best place In the country to get
a technical education. This will be only
at the outlay Of thousands of dollars
yearly; and as the institution grows and
develops and EXPANDS the annual
penses win increase tremendously from
one year to another. Let the State he
loyal to her university and vote to giva
1t as large an endowment as is consist
ent with the public welfare of the State;
and demand that this endowment shall b.
devoted entirely to those legitimate
courses of instruction for which the col
lego was established.
Pardon me for having taken up so much
of your valuable time, but this is a mat
ter I'm which I have an intense interest.
and I felt 1t my duty to express to you
md RI tho Senate the feeling of large