Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-02-12
MAINE TEACHERS
Receive Less Pay Than
In Neighboring States.
College Does Not Recognize
High School Conditions.
Educational Progress Along Many
Lines, However, During 1911.


during 1911 was 1928 an increase of
23l over 1919. according to the annual
report Of State Supt. of Schools Pay
son Smith, which has been filed with
the Governor and Council. The whole
number of persons in the State be
| tween the ages of five and q in 1911
was PA, 96e. an increase Of 1887 over
1910 The average registered attend
ance per term was 114,2SS. a gain Of
: 32S over 1910; average daily attendance
per term, 1888, a gain of 1895 over
, 1910.
The average length of schools for the
! year 1911 was 81 weeks, three days,
a gain over 1910 of one week and one
day: aggregate number of weeks for
, the year, 1925 a gain of 5006 over
1910.
The number of different teachers en-
ployed during the year was 6932, a gain
of q over 1911; of this number 1919
We're graduates of Normal schools. q
gain of 236 over the preceding year.
The average wages of male teachers
per month was S44.43, an increase of
S11S over the preceding year; aver
age wages of female teachers per
week, SS.577. a gain of 26 cents over
1919; amount paid for teachers SER
vices and board and janitors' services
in 1911. 81 500, l62, an increase of s11.5S4
over 1910.
The whole number of schools in the
State is 1915, a decrease of Il from
1910; of this number 250S are graded
and 2l37 ungraded; number of school
houses in State $3.50, decrease of AZ
over 1910; of this number. 1924 are re-
ported in good condition and 2I95 are
supplied with flags. Thirty new
schoolhouses have been built during
1911 at a cost of-$144, 1853. while in 1910
80 schoolhouses We're built at a total
cost OF s27s. 1852. The estimated value
of all school property is s7,6sS,o5l. IA
gain of 1928, 563 over 1910
The total school resources School
fund proper for 1911 Was s., .96S,
gaia Of S41i,671 over 1910; amount
raised per scholar Give to y years.
by local taxation for common school
fund only, S2.52, cost FER pupil. all
common school purposes. basis of aver
age, attendance, $500 total expendi-
ture for an common school purposes.
s2.6id514, a gain of $9S,021 over 1910,
Salary Question Urgent.
THE salary question is still urgent"
says Supt. Smith. 1T is necessary to
point out again that the most i'm
portant question before the people is
that of securing proper financial reeog-
milton of the teachers worth. This
fact, to be sure, is not local one, but
the situation is particularly acute in
Maine, where teaching service Is less
adequately recognized in terms of
salary than in any other of the states
of this section"
THE gradual increase each year In
the number of graded schools is not
TO be taken as an indication of a pro-
portionate decrease in the number of
one-room rural schools 1t is rather
one of the signs that greater care is
being taken To systematic the work
of all the schools The decrease in the
number of schools located in rural
communities will be found to be only
slightly greater than the increase OF
schools located in villages. These tig-
ures indicate that school consolidation
in Maine continues to follow the trend
towards making use of the village
schools as the unit of consolidation
There is to be found in the existence
of this tendency a special reason for
care that these consolidate village
schools may, so far as practicable,
conform to many of the ideals of rural
education Ii would be unfortunate
il school consolidation of this kind
should result in alternating the youth
from farm life by undue emphasis
+ upon urban attractions"
of changes in methods of raising
school revenue Supt. Smith says:
THE variation of figures under re-
sources ana expenditures has been
( considerable for the two years just
closing because of the changes of
/ methods of raising school funds and
( of distributions brought about by re-
! cent legislation. The result of this
legislation has been to increase great
~ the amount raised by the State and
to decrease IN about the same proper
ton the amount raised by towns. 1t
has been encouraging to observe that
in a hummer of instances towns have
| continued liberal local appropriations
! in addition to the amounts they have
| indirectly contributed to State funds"
Secondary Schools.
The number of free high schools re-
| ceiving State aid in 1911 was 1S2, an
increase ~ five over 1910; number OF
towns maintaining free high schools,
| III, an increase of four; total number
of weeks, 63o4, an increase of 1ss; aV-
| erage number OF weeks to each school
81 weeks, two days, a decrease of -four
| days.
The number of scholars registered in
these free high schools is 1l.759 an in
crease of -, with an average atten-
dance Of 10,446 an increase of 2S9 over
1919. The. number of boys enrolled is
| SHE, AN Increase of 626 number OF
| girls enrolled. 6643, a decrease of 81
| Number of male teachers employed
223. an increase of seven over 1910
number of female teachers employed
342, an increase of six; average wages
of male teachers per month, $500, ar
| increase of $2.14; average wages of fe-