Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-01-13

CuStuIiS III UlilsT SUITES Oh the Union, ana
to bring our election in presidential years
on the same day as that Of the election
OF presidential electors. 1t is waste
OF time and money to hold two elections
where one can serve as well.
hardly need call to your attention
the crowded condition OF public depart
ments and the lack OF adequate commit
tee rooms in this state house for it is
evident to you all. Several departments
have been added within the past few
years. the housing of which greatly over-
crowds the building. understanding fully
as you do that limit must be set upon
our expenditures in any given year, you
must. nevertheless, mole the serious con-
dition that confronts us. Valuable doc
uments are stored here in hazard of fire.
You have inadequate quarters for your
committee work. There is every indica-
ton that the demand for room will in
crease greatly within the next two years
III new departments are created the ques-
ton OF where to house them becomes
practically unansweraole. Various ex-
pedients have been suggested. such as the
erection of an Office building or an ex-
tension to the state house. l suggest an
early consideration of this by the COM
mittee on public buildings.
The School Question.
Several conferences have been held
recently between the governors and gov
the chief purposes Of which have been
to promote, so far as possible, legisla-
ton along lines which the New England
states have in common. 1 have been
privileged to attend some of these ses-
sions, and 1t has occurred to me to sug-
gest to you several topics which have
been generally agreed upon as worthy Of
especial attention in order that so far
as possible, we may fulfill our part Of
the general plan to do all that Is possible
to increase the prestige of New England
and to benefit the individual states. In
this connection / wish to call to your
attention five Recommendations relative
to our common schools and high schools
in Maine, which are particularly essen
tial 1t seems to me- to this state II it
Il to keep In line with the rest of New
England in educational matters.
First: The requirements of a state
certifcation Of teachers with view to
secure better qualifications from the
teachers and higher salaries for the
teachers. The average salary in the
schools Of Maine is lower than any other
northern state, and few southern states
have lower average. The result. Of
course, Is a constant drain Of our teach
ing force to other lines of work and to
other states. So great Is this drain upon
US that even our normal schools. support
ed largely by the state. fail fully to
serve us in the supply Of teachers be-
cause large percentage Of their grad
yates leave soon after graduation for
more remunerative fields of labor. Mon
ey spent for the common school brings
highest possible returns in good citizen
ship. The school house is the poorest
place conceivable for the display of par
simony. The teacher Is peculiarly wor-
thy of his hire. and believe that If we
are to maintain the standard of our
schools on the basis of other New Eng
land states, we must pay salaries which
shall be proportional to the salaries paid
by them based upon the cost and stand
ards of living in those states. have
no special suggestion as to definite leg
islation covering this point but it has
occurred to me that If the state take
cognizance of the conditions and so pro-
coed as to assist In raising the standard
Of the teacher in Maine by proper certifi-
cation on the standards OF teachers in
other states, the remuneration will fol-
low. l believe that. today, we have as
fine a teaching force in Maine as can be
found in any other state in the Union,
but 1t Is an unquestioned fact that every
year the difficulty eof retaining our best
teachers is greater than before.
Second: l would be glad to see an
increase in the minimum required school
year.
Third: 1t has been suggested that a
change be made in the free high school
law permitting the approval of stand
ard high school course of study for one
two, three or four years, in place of the
arbitrary course of four years now re-
CURED
Fourth strongly urge upon you some
form of legislation to encourage medical
inspection in our public schools.
Fifth; I suggest the fixing of a mini
mum of standard schoolhouse construc-
ton and equipment in accordance with
views of advanced education-these
standards to meet both educational and
sanitary requirements.
Other New England states are build
ing state roads on a general plan for the
development of New England, and l be-
lieve it will be necessary for Maine to
set about the construction of thorough
fares crossing the state from border to
border. A passage of uniform laws re-
garding the license and control of auto
mobiles, uniformity in insurance laws
and the preservation and propagation of
shell fish are also subjects of common in
terest to New England. The preservation
of shell fish is of more than ordinary
Importance as a legislative question at
this time, because it is being so seriously
agitated in other New England states,
where they note the rapid depletion Of
the shell fish beds through unscentifc
trea tment. Massachusetts proposes to
lease the unproductive tide water lands
to private parties for the cultivation of
shell fish, especially clans and quahaugs
The chairman of the Massachusetts Fish
and Game commission estimates the
prospective value of the clam industry
alone in that state to be from sc, 900
to $4,000 600 annually in place of the
present income of about $500 900. Names
interest in a similar industry may east
ly surpass that OF Massachusetts, ii we
take steps to prevent further extermin-
alton of our beds and to cultivate them
in places where they have already disap-