Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-16
A Civil War Letter Now of
Timely Interest.

c. B. Millay of Camden has a most
interesting copy of the Maine Teach
err" of 1861 which contains a most
patriotic letter on THE War and the
Schools" being one of a series OF an
swers from superintendens OF schools
to a question by Hon. Arson Smyth.
school commissioner of Ohio. The let
ter from +. =. Weston. then superin-
tendent of schools of Maine, follows:
State of Maine.
Department Of Public Education.
Augusta, Dec. II. 1861.
Hon. Arson Smyth:
Dear Sir-I fear that the delay In
receiving your letter caused by my alb
sence from the capital may partially
defeat your object in writing. I am
happy to say in response to your in
quiries that our school interests thus
far do not appear to have suffered ma
teria!ly from the war. ed
The money raised by taxation in the
several cities and towns of the State
for the support OF schools exceeds in
amount that of any former year by
some 100000. This. to be sure, was In
March and April last. before the neces-
sity for large appropriations for ma
tioIidi hViciIC lulty hHoNU.
1t is not unlikely that the appropria-
tons usually made by the legislature
for educational purposes may be some
what lessened by the approaching ses-
sion.- But our people seem determined
that the schools shall be taken care OF
as well as the country.
Many Of our enterprising young
teachers have responded to the call OF
the country and are now with the
armies of the Potomac. or Port Royal.
or elsewhere. fighting In defence OF
free institutions by which they have
been educated and which they have
learned to love. Many students have
left our colleges and academies for the
same purpose. and some. no doubt, are
in the army who have been in the win
ter free schools. But the general edu-
cational operations of the State have
not been very much disturbed. Our
institutes normal classes and teachers'
association have been very well sus-
tanned. The newly avowed spirit OF
patriotism seems to have awakened
new interest in those institutions which
constitute the highest objects OF our
Northern pride and which are known
to be the special object OF hatred
among the aristocratic citizens OF the
rebel State. We owe IT to ourselves
to defend what they would overthrow
our system of free labor. free schools
and free men.
The friends Of education have need
to set before the people the immense
loss which the children OF this genera
ton must inevitably suffer by even a
temporary Interruption OF the public
schools, and to use every worthy effort
to prevent a retrograde movement In
educational affairs.
And while the State sustains the
school. let the school in its turn In
culcate among the children these prin-
ciples OF patriotism. justice and hu-
mainly which are the surest support Of
the state.
Finally. let the East and the West
cooperate in sustaining these institu-
tons which are the stability OF our
times, chief among which. whether in
peace or in war. are our schools or
higher and lower grades-the common
school, the academy and the college.
Wishing you all success in your great
field. am yours truly. in common
labor. f.. y. WESTON.
Superintendent of Schools. Maine.