Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-17
Educational Laws Enacted
By the Legislature.
Central Penobscot Dairy Asso'n
Organized at Charleston.
stonInston Water Power Co. Or.
sanlzes Under Special Statute.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
Tuesday, April ~, at 1890 A. M.

That the Maine Legislature of 1863
enacted some important educational
legisla ton is shown by the following
summary which has been prepared by
state Supt. Smith of the public schools
Of Maine
1t increased to three mills the State
tax for the support of common schools
On the basis of the new law the State
will annually distribute beginning in
1871 about $1.500000 to the towns and
cities OF the State to be expended
for common schools.
1t increased the minimum number
of weeks that towns must support
schools from twenty to &C.
II increased the requirements for
high schools raising likewise the
amount of State aid to these nstitu-
tons and providing for visitation and
inspection under the direction of the
State superintendent of schools.
1t added an educational requirement
to the compulsory education law au
thnrizng school committees to compel
school attendance to the seventeenth
birthday unless minimum education
al test can be met.
II established q new State Normal
school making the total number of
such institutions FIVE. 1t also made
liberal increase for the support of
these schools making possible the ex-
tension of courses in manual training
and agriculture already introduced
and the establishment of rural model
schools.
1t passed Il law providing for state
approval OF plans of new school build
ings and also fixed a minimum stand
ara in respect to protection against
fire.
1t provided for the more liberal sup
port by the state of the common
schools in unorganiZed townships and
for the payment by the State of the
secondary school tuition of pupils res
lde mt OF these townships
1t passed Il medical inspection act
which authorizes towns to provide for
the appointment of school physicians.
This act also provides for sight and
hearing tests of public school pupils.
1t endorsed and strengthened the
law previously enacted providing for
expert school supervision by raising
the standard of requirements upon
superintendents and by extending the
provision of the act to all towns and
cities of the State.
1t created n school equalization fund
for the aid of the towns assessing
themselves for the support of common
schools i'm excess OF four mills on the
dollar.
II provided additional aid to acad-
emies Offering courses in manual tram
ing. domestic science and agriculture
1t made provision for a special in
Vestieation of the needs of the state
in respect to n system of industrial
education
II provided for the payment OF
teachers salaries at the close of each
school month.
Under the terms of Che initiative and
referendum none of these cnactments
are effective until about July |.
The total appropriations for all ed
Vocational purposes made by the leg
islature of 1909. exclusive of institutions
for lie fectiVeS and delnqucnts includ-
ing the three mill tax. high school and
academy aid. expert school supervision
and special appropriations for acad-
'+mies colleges. etc. amount TO APP
proximately $1,000. 900 for 1909 and to
$l.35O. 900 for 1910
The first distribution of the proceeds
of the new mill and a half tax viii
not be made until 1911 and is therefore
not included in the foregoing appropri-
1tlons of l909-l0.
state Dairy Instructor Merrill ana ms
assistant, Mr.. Sllofield. were at
Charlcstown Thursday. where they or
ganiH,d the Central Penobscot Dairy
Testing Association. and the dairymen