Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-19

the same time an approximately eor,,
| increase Is shown in the wasss :,
female teachers. Since the total r,s
Der of the latter is very much IN 49,
cess of the former the net chsnes
shows a gain. While the progress -
reaching a satisfactory standard =.
wages for teachers is not such q. :.
guarantee the future place of the sto..
in the position which it ought 10 4,
cupy, yet the fact that there con,;rv..
to be even small Increase in the aver,
age from year to year shows tina,
towns are not assuming a wholly >.
dictionary attitude on the subject.
Out Of the total OF 6,273 teachers s
ployed during the year, 4203 are renor,
ed as having attended teachers ne.,
ings. That this number should bar.
taken advantage of this opportun;,,
offered them to come in touch with N.
broa dening influences arising fro,
contact with other teachers and oths,
administrative officers outside the mar.
ticular systems in which they are am.
ployed is point Of commentator, On.
point in this connection, howey.r
seems to be worthy of special mention
During the year for which these figure,
are compiled the meeting Of the Msrs
Teachers Association in Portland
showed a total registra ton Of 1884 n,
only $50 less than the total number re-.
ported as having attended any teach.
ers' meetings. 1t is to be remembers
of course that certain small percent.
age of those registered AT this ststs
teachers meeting are not employed as
active teachers.
Even with this reservation, howeye,
the inference is strong that since the
total number Of teachers who ATTENDED
teachers meetings during the wear *
only slightly in excess Of the number
registered at the meeting of the state
association there must have been COM
paratively few taking advantage Of tia
county meetings who were not in A.
tendance at the state convention, IN
other words, very large pronortion
those teachers who did not attend In
county meetings also Such a cona.
ton serves to emphasize the necessy
OF larger number Of teachers inst.
tutes OF more local character in order
that greater number of those teach
ers who are not under present cond
lions reached by the larger meeting
shall be brought within the influence Of
some professional stimulus
Schools and School BUILDINGS.
School buildings of one room were IN
use during the past year to the number
OF 2,35s or SO fewer than during the pre-.
ceedlng year, while the number Of RI.
raj school buildings Of more than one
room increased from 1874 to 169 Schools
located in villages increased from l,1
to l.%15, while those in the cities in.
creased from 81 to SOL The total
number of common schools reported
1868. These figures while showing
total gain in the number Of common
schools also indicate the tendency
toward abolishing schools which are
held In one-room buildings in rural
communities with the consequent con.
Veyance of pupils from those commun'
tiles to others which are more thickly
settled. This movement is further &C.
centUated by the increase Of III In the
NUMBER of schools in which conveyance
is provided. Grade schools show an IN.
crease from 1882 to 3,415.
| The number of schools not using
course of study is further reduced from
90 to 61S. In 1905 there were reported
2,0o2 schools not using a course OF
STUDY. 1t is apparent therefore that
towns have voluntarily accepted to a
! very great degree the judgment o.
school administrators who hold that
school work to be most effective must
follow a well-defined plan. Such vol
| untary acceptance of this principe
assures the cooperation of almost al
towns in carrying out the act OF tM
1913 legislature making compulsory the
use either of the course of study pre-
! scribed by the state or of one which
mas received state approval.
va NiioS V Will Tie ulCI cdoCt AAN--
! Der OF common schools comes de-
crease Of i95 in the number OF schooI
buildings in which schools were main
tanned The number Of these reporter
In good condition was 3,oS2 which stu
leaves 646 which superintendent 90
not consider in a proper state of repair.
The decrease of 81 in the number OF
school buildings, however, taken IN
connection with the decrease in the TO-
tai number is highly encouraging
Financial Support
The amount available from town
treasurers for school purposes dullhe
the past year was ss6O6o7, an increas'
OF s49,122 over the amount available iol
the preceding year. while the amount
available from state school funds was
very slightly less. The total amour
available for the past year was s2os'.
500. In addition to these amounts tne''
was available from local sources o'h''
than taxation s53,664 for the past yea'