Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-07

outside of the university the courses
were not neeoed. that is, if they did
not NIL an absolute need. I have triad
10 snow that the courses are more ex-
penslve to give there than they would
be at any other college and that the
probable saving TO the State would he
at least $4,000 year. Now. I come to
the question Of the effect upon the 9th
er institutions of the State of the ex.
penditure of this money for this pur-
pose, assuming that it is true that Tho
A. B. degree courses do not fill an abso-
Lutte need and that they are EXPENSIVE
1t should be borne in mind that the
university is after all only one of num-
erous component parts in the great
educational system in the State. 1t
must be remembered that we have Just
ABOUT 50 much money to
spend for education, and that
III spending any money whether
lor normal schools or the
university or anything else, we have to
consider not only the special interest
before US but the proper and just needs
OF al TIE other educational institutions
say we cannot afford to srcnd one
collar at the university which is not
needed. 1t would be IN Injustice to our
common schools. Any money that is
Sprn: anywhere for education can only
b" spent once. 1t has been said that our
common schools are second Ia none. Az
q matter nf fact that is not true and il
Is II 40 use 70 deceive ourselves. 1t was
sud to Cur committee on good author
lty that Ono-third of the teachers of
The common schools Of this State are
teaching for $500 year or less That
Indicates one place where the State or
Maine needs to spend almost any
amount Of money that we can reason
ably afford 10 spend. It is unfair 10
spend here any money not absolutely
needed on account of our Normal
schools. a good deal has been said
about the educational system in this
State as compared with Massachusetts.
We have spent at Pennington less than
$4,000. altogether FOR buildings, equip
lnnnt and everything. The state of
Massachusetts has spent more than
500 900 on one plant alone, that at
EridgeWatcr. That is one of 10 in Mas
sachNSettS. Massachusetts spends eV-
cry year on that one normal school
moro money than we spend for all the
normal schools in this State. | mention
this only to show that there is a chance
for us to spend any money that we may
have which is not needed elsewhere, on
the Normal schools Of the state.
If these courses are not needed at the
university from The point of view Of
the State and they are expensive. their
nluintc rance is unfair to the other col
i've 70 NJ InllnC
to expect them to continue at their own
expense through the bcneticcncc Of pri-
vatc individuals, most Of them outside
of the State. without expense to the
State, the same courses leading to the
same degree which the State is mtin-
tanning at the university. 1T is unfair.
further. in the matter of competition.
It has been said that the other colleges
nave more students than they can Fan
die T don't think that is true. Either
the courses at the University Of Maine
sometime Will draw considerably from
the Z. A. students at the other colleges
or they will not. if they ever do draw
any very large number Of students who
would otherwise go TO the other col
lcGcs. then the competition will become
important. If thcy do not, then the cX-
pcnSo in NY opinion will never justify
itself at the University. And there is
another respect iii which the Univer
sity is competing with the other col
ltgcS and that is in the matter of the
salaries of the professors. | am not
arguing for cutting down the salaries
Of anybody. If there is any class Of
people except the ministers that are
undcr-Daid it is the teachers. l do say
that i'll my opinion it is improper for
the State To consider the raising of the
salaries Of the professors who are now
getting $500 at the University for
teaching the same things for which
professors At Bates and Colby are get
ting $500 and $1GG0 while ut the same
time the State is obliging one-third Of
the teachers in the common schools ~
tcdcn for 5000 a year or less. l think
there should be Il proper sense of pro-
PORTION in this matter.
| come now to the advisability Of the
continuance of the degree from the