Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-05-15
School LEGISLATION.

The legislature of 1917 adjourned on
Saturday, April Z, having left behind 1t
record of school legislation containing
much of i'm portance in its bearing upon
the future of our school system. While
some measures which appeared TO have
merit failed 10 receive favorable action,
as is the case in every session, yet there
can be little cause for dissatisfaction
with the general result.
The most far-resching change, and one
which must take rank with the abolition
of the old district system in favor OF the
town system of school management, was
the Act providing for the including of all
schools under professional supervision.
This bill received it's final passage only
two DAYS before the close Of the session
and, while it was never subjected to gen.
eral debate from the time il was favor
ably reported out of the committee, yet
its enactment seemed all the more uncer.
tain up TO the last moment on account OF
that fact.
As originally drafted the bill provided
for the approval by the state superin-
tendent of schools of the dismissal OF
any superintendent and also for tenure
of office Of three years. Both OF these
provisions were stricken from the bill
however; the former by action of the
committee and the latter by q floor
amendment. Otherwise the bill becomes
law as first drafted.
By an act to provide for the registrs-
ton of teachers the state superintendent
of schools is required 10 establish state
teachers agency in connection with his
Office, Teachers who wish to do so may
enroll for three year period by paying
fee of three dollars and will then be
eligible to recommendation for positions
without further expense for that length
of time. To what extent teachers de-
string positions will avail themselves of
this privilege is of course entirely prob
lematical. The experience OF other
states iu this venture shows that a COM
paratively small number may be expect
ed TO enroll during the first year but
that the number increases rapidly there
after. Like all other enactments, this
does not become operative until July D
on account of the possibility OF referen-
dunn, so that little in the way Of orgsni-
cation can be undertaken before that
date.
An amendment TO the school building
law makes necessary the approval by the
state superintendent of schools and the
state board of health of all plans for re-
pairs tu buildings in excess Of five hun
drCd dollars.
An increase in the amount of the appro-
priation for the inspection of secondary
schools will make possible the extension
OF this work TO include special attention
to courses in agriculture and also teacher
training courses in academies as well as
other courses in such schools as 1t may
seem particularly desirable.
The high school tuition law was amend
ed so that the maximum liability Of
towns not maintaining standard high
schools is increased 10 thirty-six dollars
for each pupil attending secondary
school outside the town. The state aid
in reimbursement is correspondingly in
creased.
By another amendment towns main
tanning high schools of Class B are liable
for the tuition of pupils for the last two
years of a standard course even though
they may have taken the first two years
of work in school of equal grade out
side the town.
An increase in the appropriation and
an amendment in the law relating to
teachers associations will make possible
the holding of larger number Of smaller
group meetings than has heretofore been
authorized.
Kindergartens will now be recognized
as a part of the school course by an act
making legal the attendance of children
four years of age in such schools. Upon
the petition of the parents OF thirty chill
dren between four and six years OF age q
kindergarten is TO be maintained unless
the town votes otherwise. 1t should be
noted that this does not affect the school
census.
A change that should be noted espe-
cislly also is the act which does away
with the term "truant officer" and sub
stiIutes the term attendance officer" in
its place. This is in line with the desig-
nation now commonly used in many
other states and is intended to empha-
size the supervising duties of such OH
GERS rather than the police duties. No
change is made in the actual powers and
duties of these officers.
In place of the ten minutes per week
formerly set aside for the teaching of
kindness to birds and animals the Law
week for this and other humane prin-
ciples but only in correlation with other
studies.
Appropriations for all school purposes
were approved without serious question,
the most notable increases being those
for normal schools to the amount OF
$40, 900, for Industrial education $14, 900,
and for superintendent of unions SIC, 900
for 1917 and s27, 900 for 1918.
Among the important measures which
failed to pass was that providing for
military drill in public schools, that pro-
viding for the distribution Of state school
funds on the basis of aggregate attend
ance and that providing that the fall
term of school should not open earlier
than September 20 Of each year.
The announcement of the serious i'll