Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-07-22
Schooling of Children
In UnOrganized Townships

THE department for the schooling
of children in unorganized townships
furnishes problems and difficulties IN
! school administration unlike those
found in any other school administra-
tive unit in the State and probably in
the Union," states the annual repor.
of the State superintendent Of public
schools. which has recently been filed
with the Governor and Council. The
report continues further on this line
as follows:
The widely scattered location Of
the many unorganized townships in
which educational privileges are pro-
vided. the most remote in the differ
ent sections Of the State being hum
dreds Of miles apart, and the difficult
ties of travel in making frequent
visits to these places make 1t i'm
pra cticab BILE to exercise supervision
over these schools in the same man
ner which is possible and by estab-
lished custom demanded in most units
of school administration where any
attempt is made for professional
supervision. And again the long dis
tance Of most of these places from the
administrative Office together with the
fact that not a few are remote from
regular mail routes furnishes new and
novel problems in the business ad-
ministration of school affairs.
However, with all the problems pc
culiar to this distinctive type Of
schools, it has been found possible to
find means and methods for the ad-
ministration of their affairs. both Of q
business and professional nature, in
such a manner as to insure their sue
cess in furnishing commendable edu-
cational privileges to practically the
entire school population Of the unor-
ganized territory of the State
The history of this special branch
Of educational work since undertaken
by the State shows a gradual in
crease in the efficiency and constant
broadening in the scope Of it's bene-
fits and activities, while a still great
ed advancement remains to be at
tained through a continued improve.
ment in administration, new legisla-
ton and through the active co-opera-
tion Of the other factors essential to
its success.
During the past year school privi-
leges have been provided under the
direction of this department for the
children living at the numerous light
stations which are scattered along the
coast Of the State. The rugged and
irregular coast line Of Maine has made
necessary the location Of many of
these light stations at remote and
isolated places and usually without
regular communication with the main
land In many cases light keepers
bring their families to live at these
stations and the problem Of educating
their children has been for many
years difficult one to solve.
The idea Of employing a travelling
teacher for the benefit of these chill
dren has been considered for some time
and was put into active operation
during the early part Of the summer OF
1915. While 1t was first in the nature
OF an educational experiment, the plan
has proved to be practicable and sue
cessful and bids fair to be a perma-
nent solution Of the problem. A
teacher, known as The Lighthouse
Teacher" is employed who makes
visits to each light station and re-
mains for several days to q week at a
time. She gives the pupils regular in
struction during her visit and upon
her departure leaves an outline of
work for the pupils until she comes
again. During her absence the pupils
are taught by the parents or some
other persons living at the station;