Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-30
Arrive in Portland by Hun
dreds For Convention.
A Right Smart Contest on For
The New Officers.
Manual Training In Our Schools Dis.
cussed In Opening Sessions.

Portland, Me-, Oct. 29.-The annual
meeting Of the Maine Teachers Asso-
citation opened in the Auditorium to-
day for two-days session. President
Ernest l.. Palmer of Dexter presided
and there was an attendance of about
1909.
The proposed introduction of indus
trial education into the schools of
Maine will be one of the most import
ant matters introduced for the con-
sideration of the members. Speeches
dealing with this subject were expected
to give an impetus to the movement.
In discussing the matter President
Palmer said that this subject is one
concerning the whole country. Not
alone will it benefit the manufacture
irg industries of the State he said,
but it will be of inestimable service
to the farmer. Industrial education
means that the student shall be fra med
in the arts and crafts. 1t is a business
proposition which merits the attention
If all. Each student may choose i
vocation and the institution which will
BE erected will be dedicated to differ
eEt branches. Indiana. Illinois and
Ohio ara pioneers in the movement
and the officials and people there real
lied long ago that it was through this
medium that their prosperity Deepen led.
Schools were built and some of them
were devoted to farming and some to
the arts and crafts. They have proven
of great value
On the subject Maine Schools and the
Educational Demand, Supt. Smith spoke
in part az follows:
''rhe public school system must s;c-
knowledge d two-fold obligation one to
the individual. the other to the commune
tv society for membership in which
the individual receives education. E.duca-
tion means adjustment and the right sol t
OF education helps each individual to find
and to fill his own proper place in the So
cial and Industrial organism. Around this
idea of education as adius! ment arise all
the various new demands upon the pub
lie schools.
complaints are made that our school
system as at present organized does not
serve the Industries and business of the
community; that the graduate of the
school Is deficient both in manual skill
and in the liking for work. While there
of misunderstanding in these complaints.
yet it becomes the duty of the teacher
and school administrator to analyze them
carefully and meet the deficiencies that
may exist.
'The common school Is the starting
point for meeting the demand of the
worlI for better educated men and wo-
men. That institution is the foundation
of the entire educational system. This
common school should so teach the COM
mon facts of life that the individual will
be brought into right relationship with
his opportunities, capacities. his sur
roundings and his work. 1t should give Il
thorough drill In these oldfashioned sub
jects which we trust still remain the
backbone of the school curriculum. 1t
has as part of its work training the
child into a right relationship with his
fellows In order that he may be a SER
viceable citizen of the community and the
State. And 1t must train to the doing t,f
deeds as we'll as TO the thinking of
thoughts. 1t is not the business OF the
lower schools to fit directly for the trades
but It must give kind of training that
will develop manual SKIN and deNterity
and that will dignity toll. Manual train
ing should be made a part. therefore, of
the common school curriculum.
I'm order that the common school be
better prepared to do it's work in meet
ing the new educational demands. three
things are necessary: First, it should
have,a reaching force of superior quail
hcation and that it cannot be had for
all our schools. as it now is for a part
Of them, until higher wage rate is
to be obtained more uniformly. Sec
ond. Is the element of time. For the
year ending July I, 1908, rs weeks and
four days was tho average school year
for the State. Many towns had only
90 to q weeks. The State should re-
quira at least % weeks of school of all
the towns of the State. And a third
element is that of equipment. The
teacher should have a workshop ade-
quate in it's equipment for carrying on
the work given him to do. In this
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