Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-13

hands and join in that familiar and in
fectiouS chuckle with which this cheer
full Cerberus must have contemplated
his work Taken together. his three
communications furnish an answer to
Shakespeare's inquiry:
Tell me. where is fancy bred,
or in the he art. Or in the mead,
How begot. how noriHh'd?
Reply, reply"
It is difficult to deal seriously with
this fellow Of infinite jest, Of most ex-
cellent fancy" yet his articles afford
ar opportunity of adding a word in ia
yor of a measure which should COM
mand the cordial support OF every
thoughtful and Intelligent citizen who
has at he art the interests Of our city
schools.
"TAxpaver'' asserts in Roman capt.
tails that ''it is simply an effort on the
mart of the Williams district to get the
rural districts and the Village district
70 assist in paying their big debt" Mr..
Nowbcrt. in saturdays issue Of the
Journal. has completely answered that
nronosition, pointing out, among other
things, that the debt Of the Village dlS-
trict exec. as. though by narrow mar
"Citizcn." in fun faced type, quotes
the late CAPTAIN Charles f.. NaSh as an
authority in his favor. He dlshohorS
the memory Of that lamented gentle-
man Of broad culture and experience.
Cartain Nash was opposed, as all de-
cent citizens are and ever will be, ID
the introduction of politics into our
city schools. But he was not man to
trig the wheels Of progress. The pres
emf measure replaces with one efficient
and uniform system the four-headed
system which today makes our city
unique among all the cities and towns
of New England. Had Captain Nash
lived to pass judgment upon it, We be-
lieye that he would have been one of
its most cordial friends and supporters,
for it places our schools farther than
ever beyond the reach of political ma
nipulation. 1t is a vastly easier PROPOSE
ton to pack one Of the thinly at
tended meetings Of the Village or VIII
liams school districts. then to capture
a majority of the wards of our city UNI
der the carefully guarded provisions of
this bill. Under the present systems the
experimenting school committee, and
the committee on Cony High school
are both elected by bodies essentially
political in their makeup, namely, the
city council and the mayor and board
of aldermen. The members of the pro-
posed Board OF Education cannot be
members Of the city council, and are
chosen, one from each ward, without
regard to the political affiliations of
the voters, in an open ward meeting
corresponding 20 the good, old-fash
toned town meeting" They are to be
elected on the first Monday of June-a
time well removed from the heat of pO-
litical controversy.
Farmer subsidies into ordinary
lower-case type, and adds nothing to
what he had previously written under
his other mons de plume. The bland
Complacency with which he heartily
agrees" with the communication of
"Citizen," and fully agrees with
Taxpayer is delightful in the eX-
IRENE. The thought Of this good Tax
payer Citizen Farmer 50 completely in
harmony with himself. reminds us of
that peaceful description by George
Canning:
80 down thy hill. romantic Ashbourn,
GlilpS
The Derby dilly, carrying three in
Sides"
LEWIS y. BURLEIGH.
May II, 1907