Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-09
ANNUAL MEETING.
Fourth Conference Of the
Maine School SuptS.
Secondary Schools Should Meet
Needs Of Student Body,
Says Supt. Smith---Should Take
Care of Tuberculosis.

Castipe, Me-, July S.-The fourth an
nual conferences of Maine School Su-
perintendents opened here. Monday
evening. Fol the first time the seeon-
dairy school principals are meeting in
similar conference The joint confer
ence Is held under the direction of the
state superintendent of schools.
After the repetition of the Lords
| Prayer in which all Joined, State Supt.
| smith reviewed the development OF the
conference, referring to the results
that have come from previous meet
ngs in bringing together in common
effort the educational leadership of the
| State. He mentioned the fact that pub
lie school work is passing from the list
OF temporary employments and is now
regarded as a permanent occupation.
| Especially, is this true in the field of
school supervision and direction and
great hope for the future of our schools
is to be found in the growing DISPOSE
ticn Of the people to insist that the
management of the schools shall be
placed in the hands of experts Supt
| Smith emphasized the obligation that
rests upon those who are taking up the
work OF supervision, that they give
| themselves unfeservedly TO it so that
that confidence of the people may be
| enlisted and retained.
! Speaking of the secondary schools.
| The STATE superintendent called special
attention to the ne wdemands that are
| betng made of our High schools The
people viii finally insist that their tax
! supported higher schools shall. SO far
as possible, meet the general needs of
| the student body Changing ideals of
service ere placing the High schools in
the very midst Of the serious problems
of readjustment. 1t Is highly import
ant that Maine superintendent and
Maine principals come together for Sc
] rious and open minded discussion in
order that each in his own community
or place be able to render more eff
| Gent service of leadership.
! William Orr, deputy commissioner of
| education for Massachusetts. discuss
ed some of the problems of New Eng
land High schools. Mr.. Orr declared
that the High school of today. is I'M
| der obligation to select such pro-
| gram Of subjects, totprovide such con-
tent IN each of its courses and to
| follow such methods of instruction as
snail train the pupil in skill of pro-
cess, equip him with accurate infor-
nation, develop wholesome Intellectual
interests and enable him to discover
| his aptitudes, in order that his choice
| of a vocation may be made with in
| teltigenee.
/ Each subject taught i'm the High
school" said the speaker, has a com
mon nucleus of material to be pre-
scented without regard to locality. In
addition the environment, natural and
| industrial, of each school constitutes
a source of material TO be ineorporat-
ed in each subject. The selection of
such local material is one of the prin-
cipal problems of today. In selecting
| and presenting subjects the High
school must also keep in mind the
part its pupils are TO play in com
| munity life. Each subject should be
| presented, as far as possible. so as
TO give an intelligent understanding of
certain community questions.
The High school is to be measured
| by the part played by it's pupils in
the Industrial, social and civic envir-
| oninent into which they enter 1t
| should direct towards a calling give
broad and liberal training in the cuI-
ture studies and equip for intelligent
| and devoted citizenship"
/ DR. A A. Downs of Fairfield. sec
| rotary of the Maine Anti-Tuberculo-
SIS Association, in taking up the sub
| Ject Conservation of Human Life.
| showed the comparison between the
| money appropriated for the care of
| orr natural resources and that of the
| public health The speaker said that
/ a very conservative estimate of the
| annual financial loss in Maine from
/ tuberculosis is IS. 700 900. There are on
a very conservative estimate, 1860
children with active tuberculosis i'm
| the schools Of Maine. The 50 children
| dying of tuberculosis between the ages
| Of Is and ~ have cost the tax payers
| over S2L0oO on the basis that the in
| dividual cost for educating child
who has completed 9th grade work is
| $242.s9. He further stated that it
would be possible to reduce this loss
one-third in the next ten years, If the
| state was willing to make sufficient
| appropriation for this object Teach
| ers and pupils should be educated TO
| a knowledge of tuberculosis, should
| learn the methods of infection and
prevention; laws should be passed,
| prohibiting the use of the common
drinking cup; Maine should have
sanatorinm with $50 beds, where chill
| dren can be cared for with a school
| in connection. She should have three
small sanatoriums for advanced cases.
| a complete system of inspectors and
nurses Open air schools where chill
| dren can be sent free dispensaries
and district nurses available for the
use OF all the citizens in the state, all
| of which should be paid for by direct
/ taxation