Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-09-23

ert hour If the men and women, in
| professional and business and home life
| of this state, dead or living, who nave
passed through these colleges or at
! tended them for various periods, couid
be assembled in one place, We Shoul1
Ihave a wonderful company OF people,
and if there be added to this number
that great multitude whose lives have
| been benefited directly and indirectly
by the graduates and students or these
institutions. we should begin 70 realize
family at least, the mighty work Whlch
these colleges have already accomplish
ed This great service has been gong
| forward century or more, in part CT
| in whole: and on the foundations now
established still larger and more M
portant superstructures Will be puilt
| into the lives of the citizens ana youhS
people of all our counties.
Pint the colleges cannot do this mn
portan1 work unless there be secondary
| institutions, such as high schools
academies, and private schools. where
| bows and girls may be fitted Tor the
colleges. Tho history of Maine. like all
other States in the Union, gives us the
pleasing story of the beginnings OF this
education in the large number OF
academies which were scattered here
and there within our borders. Many Oh
these academies have received generous
endowmcnts and will always continue
| 10 do q great and a growing work. But
many have had to give way, and nat'lr-
auv so. to the high schools which have
been bu!lt il the larger and more pros
perous towns and in all of the cities
wi
those which do a superior work and by
their Intellectual and moral Ideals draw
students from the parts of the state
which are not cared for by local insti-
tutious. The academy that survives will
| live because of its worth ana charac-
ter. but it will always have to be
largely maintained by generous %llts
of its friends SO far as | have learned,
this community has never had an acad-
er,v. The high school has been m
method by which you have educated
your boys and girls for college or have
prepared them to finish their mental
trainin,; here as they have gone int"
trades and business and the duties OF
the home.
THE growth of the High school in
Fairfield is typical of the growth OF tine
average school throughout the State
Each year You have been enrichn|
vour courses. broadening your horizon
and doing more and better work for
Tie pupils. You have been fortunate in
the selection of your teachers and prln-
cipals and superintendent of EDUCATION,
and you have manifested spirit OF
generosity toward the school, which
has made it easier to step forward
when advance in various directions
seemed wise. I congratulate you that
now this spirit Of generosity on the
part of the town, AID the wisdom Whi"A
has been shown by your committees
and educational leaders, have been re-
varied by the erection of this con-
mOdious building by the gentleman
who during all these years has been
watching to determine if this invest
ment were Il wise one and would b.
suitably safeGuarded and protected, and
made to yield its largest dividend. IL
careful attention and management on
the part OF the town of Fairfield.
"Doubtless you realize that this State
has been a very generous with all sec
ondary schools, and only a few years
ago a law for the better education of
:.
the Legislature IS the Davis law, was
Incorporated into our statutes. This
law provides that any child who may
live in Il reighhoring community or il.
fact. in any community in Maine which
has not an approved four years course
in Il high school, may come to Fairfield,
or any other town or city which has
q high school of accepted grade ard
have his tuition paid by the town in
which he resides. In the nature of the
case without doubt you will attract
some such students to this high school,
which will in this way exert an influ
encc beyond the borders of the town.
Indeed, | can easily see the hour not
far distant, and which may have struck
already, when parents will be attractt 4
to this community, as they are to the
town where the colleges are established,
in their desire to live in a place where
the colleges are established. in their
d eSire to live in place where their
children may be suitably educated.
where industry and optimiSni make
possible the enterprises OF business, and
where the churches safeguard the sa-
cred interests of this life and the lite
to como. Your proximity also 20 Colby
College Will certainly attract the best
class of citizens who are coming to
these towns Of the kennebec for bust
ness and the educational enrichment of
their home life.
"And now let me ask you seriously to
well consider the obligation which YOU
have assumed today in taking from the
generous hand of Mr.. Lawrence this
priceless gift. 1t means to me, and 7
am sure to you also, that in receiving
this high school you promise with the
highest sense of honor to generously
maintain the schools that center in this
building. The salaries of teachers should
be increasingly generous, for the cost
of living hasadEanced, and may still
further 1t VIII not be long before all
the towns ana cities. of Maine must
seriously consider Increasing the sal
aries of their teachers, and might fol-
low your lead In this work. 1t means
that You will nswg realize the import,
anco of equipnent fo. teaching in the
The exneIse ibs sliitabIy cq,upping ana
m;ihfti IsbofSteriss vim prove :,
necessity x6d az, to rightly educate