Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-14


pecially among the schools of longer
establishment for pupils to take adj
vantage of their opportunity to at
tend a secondary school and teachers
are instructed to encourage this wor-
thy ambition states Payson Smith
of Auburn, State superintendent of
public schools, in his annual report.
Touching on the matter of schools
in unorganized townships, the report
says:
THE work in the schools of the
unorganized townships has been car
ried along essentially the same lines
as those followed last year. Efforts
have been directed principally towards
securing the best available teachers
and then using every influence TO bring
them into the closest possible rela-
tionship with the State, to the end
that q greater uniformity of the whole
system may be obtained. 1t becomes
increasingly evident that these schools
must, on account of the great variety
of conditions surrounding thenI in the
communities where they are located,
be treated to a considerable degree as
individual units rather than as mere
standardized machine.
while it is possible to bring about
much greater unity of procedure
through having the results desired
more clearly indicated and then pro-
viding the necessary tools for secur-
ing these results. there still remains
to be considered the fact that the sue
cess or failure of these schools for
any given period Of time depends most
vitality upon the personality of the
teacher in charge of the school and
her ability to realize in a practical
way the need of that particular COM
munity in which she is working. On
account of the size of the territory
over which these schools are scatter
ed the direct supervision of their work
must necessarily be limited and
great many details of management
must be left in the hands of the
teachers.
Throughout the year the systemat-
ie inspection of the schools has been
continued and the reports filed have
shown in detail the condition of each
school with recommendations for its
improvement. In addition many side
lights on the general community life
have been included which should prove
Of value in outlining the work to be
carried out in the school for that par
ticular group Of children.
Books and supplies have been con-
stantly added to the equipment until
there are now only few schools
which are not furnished with charts,
from two to five good maps, a globe
and a certain amount of busy work
for the use of the smaller children, i'll
addition to regular textbooks, a num-
Der OF books fer supplementary work,
and the nucleus for well selected
school library. In fact, the general
equipment of these schools has now
reached the point at which it may
be safely said that they compare faY-
orably in this respect with the bet
ter class of rural schools throughout
the State.
Several changes and additions OF
textbooks are known to be desirable
and ii is probable that these needs
can be at least partially met during
the corning year. AS soon as these adj
ditiors are made q more satisfactory
organization upon the basis of reGu-
lar course Of study can be effected A
great degree of elasticity in this re-
spect is necessary to get the greatly
varying conditions and special consid-
Grafton must be given to local inter-
ests and the probable outlook of the
pupils upon life after leaving school.
So far as possible teachers have re-
eeived instructions to make their work
look toward this end. In several in
stances where pupils were very much
over age and but slightly advanced
directions have been given to place
great emphasis upon essentials so that
in the short time left to these pupils
they might be given a solid foundation
in the fundamental processes of read
ing, writing, spelling and arithmetic
without much regard for other sub
jeets.
There is, however, growing ten
dency, especially among the schools of
longer establishment, for pupils to take
advantage of their opportunity to at
tend a secondary school and teachers
are instructed to encourage this wor-
thy ambition.
"A typical example of the valuable