Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-16
|SUPT. SMITH RESENTS
BOSTON MANS CHARGE
AGAINST MAINE SCHOOLS

Hon. PaySon Smith, State Superin-
tendent of public schools, in a. strong
statement made Tuesday takes excep
tions to the remark made by w. Stan
wood Field. director of the Boston
continuation schools at the annual
banquet of the Massachusetts Alumni
Association of the Pennington, Me-
Normal School recently held at the
American House at Boston in which
he said Maine has not Democratic
idea of education, the schools of Maine
are for the select and hundreds of
people are turned out of the rural
schools who are barely literate"
Mr.. Smiths Statement.
Mr. Smiths statement is as follows:
NO man has any right to place the
school system of an entire state un-
der an indictment unless he presents
, Herewith his facts and evidence.
When Mr.. Field states that Maine
has not a Democratic idea of educa
ton and that they are for the Sc
, lect' he certainly overlooks the facts
and statistics with. relation to the
schools of Maine as compared with
those of other states. 1t is true that
Maine in common with every other
state has been making strenuous ef-
forts to make her school system serve
a larger proportion of the people for
I greater extent of time and in a larger
variety of ways.
| The efforts of Maine in this direc-
ton are clearly in evidence, as shown
l. ;,Jr ,,y,In
prolonging the minimum school year
first by six and then by an additional
four weeks. by the enactment of legis-
lation for vocational opportunity and
by making her entire school system
free up to entrance to the university.
Through her unorganiZed township
act Maine carries school privileges to
! the remotest wilderness and of all the
states Of the Union Maine alone sends
, teachers even to the outermost light
stations in order that every child OF
the State may have school opportuni-
ties made available to him.
The democracy of a school system
can we'll be tested,on the point of the
numbers served. With regard to en-
rollment in common schools according
to the figures Of the Bureau Of Educa-
| ton Q913). Maine leads all the other
of the New England group. the per-
centage on the basis Of population be-
ing as follows: Maine, 1874; Vermont,
ISL: Connecticut. 17.5; Massachusetts
ISL; Rhode Island, 14.5; New Hamp-
shire. IA.
According to a recent report OF the
Russell Sage Foundation this State Is
placed among the first half dozen in
the Union on the point of the reten-
ton Of children in school. Certainly
these figures Of unbiased authorities
would indicate that common school
facilities in Maine are widely used.
Not stopping here. however. Maine
was among the first states to provide
for free tuition to secondary schools
Of all the youth qualified to ava't
themselves of secondary school priVl-
leges. Here again the result Is SHOWN
in the high place taken by this State
in the proportion of students enrolled
in secondary schools and let 1t pc
borne in mind that the high schools
of Maine have been rapidly respond
ing to the just demand Of the people
for courses Of study adapted to all the
youth who attend these higher
schools.
in her attitude toward college ana
university education Names position
will stand careful comparison with
that of any other eastern state. Hard
ly anywhere is it possible to find col
leges and state university more wide
Nv extending their activities to every
field and department Of the life of the
State. Take the matter Of school
support and it would seem to me that
when all the people Of the State have
through their legislation determined
that the wealth of the whole State
should be put behind education. then
YOU have democratic idea well
worthy Of emulation.
In the report Of the United States
Commissioner Of Education for 1913
il will be found that Maine as State
contributed 43.3 per cent. of the entire
amount expended for elementary edu-
cation, Connecticut 1875 per cent.
Vermont, 1912 per cent, New Hamp-
shire, "a per cent. Rhode Island. 60
| Der cent. and Massachusetts, 1.9 per
cent.
lat the same time, Maine con-
tributed for high schools. academies.
industrial education in as great or