Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-09
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
The State Historian.


| (Bansor Commercially
| The legislature of 1907 enacted law
to encourage the compiling and teach
| ing of local history and local geogra-
nv in The public schools of the state.
| The provisions of this law were: INA.
q state historian should be appointed
who should compile historical data OF
the state which should be taught IN the
schools; this historian should approve
the publication of town histories; local
seography should be taught regularly
The state superintendent OF schoois
should, with the state historian ana the
local school officers form board to
compile a history of the several towns
| in the state.
| DIR. Henry S. Burrage, state historian,
has presented his first report, when
has just been printed. 1t is docu-
ment that demands attention from ev-
erv intelligent citizen Of the state.
In this report DIR. Burrage gives the
result of the work he has attempted.
Circulars asking certain questions Gov
cred by the provisions of the law, were
sc mt to superintendent OF schools IN
| 800 towns III Maine, from which III re-
| plies were received. With few eXcep-
tiuns the replies to the question gwen
showed that very little attention is Palc
| TO state and local history in the pubic
| schools of Maine. The history OIL me
state is taught to 4 small extent, large
| IN in connection with general history
while almost no attention Is PAID 10
| local history of towns or to local geo
era hy No text books on these sub
| iccts are in use in the schools of Maine
1t may be said, as to why these MS
toric and geographical studies are not
introduced into our schools, that they
are already overcrowded with other
branches of studies. Newer methods
of education and the advance Of deVel-
oDment in material sciences have de-
nlanded an increase of studies. But why
should local history and county or town
geography not be admitted, when their
importance is assured. even if some
other studies are omitted or the time
given to them shortened?
Regarding the compiling and publish
ng of town histories, Dr. Burrage says
that while this has been encouraged no
completed work Of the kind has been
submitted. He has, however, compiled
q brief historical review OF the more
important facts in our history, from
the appearance of the early Voyagers
ON our coast to the present time.
We learn from this report of the state
historian that the public archives of
Maine. and important papers and doc
uments have not received proper atten-
ton and care, Valuable papers and
lletters-including letters of Names
war governor, Israel Washburn have
been removed to the basement of the
state house or to the attic, or to any
ether available place to relieve the ac-
cumllation of papers in the several
Offices This is disgraceful. If public
archives arc to be preserved, a place
must be provided for them and 4 COM
pctent keeper authorized.
Dr. Rurrage calls attention i'll this
report to the Importance of charging
the duties of the state historian, that
this officer may be given the care and
preservation of the state archives and
the collection of materials of our his
tory before Maine became & state. Hc
Celebrates upon this subject with great
interest and fuiress. giving an account
Of the material gathered by other his
toricil workers and of the Importance
Of this early material to our own state,
What shall be done with this ma
| terial and where can it be kept where
it may lie available to historic students
and to the public? In some cases such
archives and records are kept in the Of
flee of the secretary of state; in others
in the state library; in others a special
department of archives and history
with a keeper in charge and suitable
quarters for tho preservation of all
such material mas been created by leg
islativc enactment. These plans are
severally examined with the conclusion
that the last named OFFERS the best
possible guarantee that the end pro-
posed il. the establishment of such a
state department will certainly be
reached"
This last plan, of necessity, means
the suitable provision or rooms and
quarters where the public archives can
be preserved, arranged. filed, caralogu-
ed and kept; not only in safety, but
also III such condition that they may
be consulted and examined b. students
and the pe"ple--even though the state
house has to be enlarged for this pur
pose. At present all the departments
and Offices are overcroNded. many val
liable documents and records are tuck
ed away i'll useless corners and holes.
To give room for material of the day
The condition is disgraccful. That
which should be of first Importance
the history of our state. its Institutions
and its people. are thrust aside as Of
little value, neglected. dust covered
and liable to decay. 1t may not be too
late t" save them now, but it should
be done at once.
he ~