The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-01-23
Concerning Maine Schools.
WHERE MAINE STANDS.

SoeAoh anu CNSIv ototC Has Ut6u given
rank of it's own on each point examined
Among all the States of the union the
Foundation places Maine twenty-second
in rank. She stands second among the
States in the proportionate number of
children in school, while she stands
almost at the lowest end of the schedule
being forty. fifth on the point of teach
ers' salaries. Vermont leads Maine in
respect to the proportionate number of
children in school, while South Carolina.
Mississippi and North Carolina are the
only States ranking lower in teachers
salaries.
In the number of school days per child
Maine climbs to the ninth place; to the |
eleventh place in point of high school
facilities and to the seventh place in
proportionate registration in secondary
and collegiate institutions. Maine oc-
cupies twenty-irst position among the
States on point of school expenditure in
! proportion to wealth and occupies the
twenty-eighth position on the point of
school expenditure per child. While
Names rank on all other points is cred
liable, the low salary rating reduces her
general average to the lowest among the
New England States.
THE EXPERIENCE OF ONE TEACHER.
A certain Maine teacher, who has been
| for more than forty years an instructor
of the youth of this State, having come
to the time when it is necessary to give
up her life employment finds herself
passing in review her financial oppor-
tunities and her future care and mainte-
nance.
With the exception of two years all of
this teachers service has been in Maine.
She has served in twenty towns and in
thirty FIVE different schools and has
taught approximately $500 children,
among them many who have attained
positions of prominence and usefulness
in the State.
She has taught at salaries ranging
from $40 week to $500, her present
salary being 49, week. She has been
a faithful attendant at summer schools
and te chers conventions and often has
been called upon to assist in the support
of others.
Some little investments made by this
teacher in Mutual Benefit Insurance AS
sociations have been lost through the
failure of the companies. This teacher
is not eligible for entrance to any # the
Old Ladies Homes al which application
require ten years previous residence
in the town wherein the Home is located.
After a service of many years in the
training of citizens this teacher naturally
inquiries what place there is for her dur
ing the years that are left.
NAMES TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR
SCHOOLS.
In these columns there recently ap-
peared a statement relative to the ex-
pendtures of Maine for common schools.
From tables compiled in the Office of the
State rerintendent of Schools it is
now possible to give the figures cover
ing the cost of all the departments Of
public education. For the support of all
classes of public schools, including both
common and secondary schools, with all
auxiliary expenses such as those for tut
ton payments, supervision, free text
books, repairs on schoolhouses, new
buildings, truant officers, evening schools,
manual training, domestic science and
all other educational expenses, there was
expended So, Isl, GIT.
The appropriations made by the State
for special aid to academies and for the
support of State normal schools and the
University of Maine bring this public
expenditure for education to grand
total of 1885,, AIT. Including the
amounts paid on account of common
schools, free high school aid, tuition re-
Endorsements, supervision and support
of higher institutions, the States direct
contribution to education amounted to
$l,919, 800.
NEEDED LEGISLATION IN SCHooLHoUSE
CONSTRUCTION.
Believing that there are many school
buildings that offer menace to the health
of pupils, State Superintendent Smith
y i'll ask the legislature to fix some mini
mum requirements in schoolhouse con-
struction. These will deal only with
such fundamental points as lighting,
ventilation and sanitation.
Speaking of this matter Superlnten-
dent Smith states, "a few years ago the
frightful Collingwood disaster, destroy
ing by fire the lives of many children,
resulted at once in the expenditure of
vast sums for fire protection. This eX-
pendture was made ungrudgingly. Be
cause.-the losses that result from badhealth
conditions come more insidiously and
without sensation it is less easy to focus
public attention upon the necessity OF
improvements along these other lines.
That they are sometimes necessary. any
one familiar with the conditions OF some