Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-02

One of the most important pieces
of legislation relating to schools that
has been received consideration in
period of years-the act providing for
the State wide professional super
vision Of schools through the union of
towns-was added TO the Statutes of
Maine through the favorable of the
LEGISLATURE at it's last session.
The combination Of towns, as an
: nounced at the State department of
education. are made after a searching
investigation of conditions likely to
: have bearing on the efficiency of
: supervision. This investigation has
covered q period Of nearly two years.
including the time devoted to a pre-
lminary study of the situation for the
) purpose of presenting necessary evil
dence to the Legislature while. the
measure was pending. In so far as
possible existing unions are allowed to
: remain intact or to form the bases of
new unions. With the problems of
making combinations to include some
10 towns now without professional
, supervisor it is necessary to dissolve
several unions.
) 1t is undoubtedly true that in some
cases more nearly ideal combinations
, might be made were 1t not for the
fact that the interests of some small
: town or group of towns in the same
r section might also be considered. This
condition has been emphasized in the
: past by the fact that many towns
have instructed their committees to
unite for the professional superinten-
S dents but that in scores of cases it
{ has been impossible for such instruc-
tons to he carried out without lad
: iustments which joint committees of
existing unions did not feel free to
make.
For Efficient Service
The principal factor considered in
: making these combinations is that of
the most efficient service to the schools
Included nd to the State as a whole
In connection with this a study has
y been made of the present local fl
!, nancial support of supervision and the
t possibilities of fair increase in the
: same, the number of schools and their
4 accessibility, the means of conveyance
with the relative mileage and conditions
t OF roads, the community Of interests in
e school affairs and relations of towns
n as trading centers or business outlets
Q the railroad. telephone and stage con-
: nections, etc. AS n result there is little
uniformity in the number of schools or
: number of towns included in these
Il unions. Because of the geographical
: situations and other reasons it is to the
a advantage of the towns and of the
Y state to form several unions with less
than 80 schools and a few unions with
more than so schools.
Attention is called to the provisions
of the law which give authority to tho
state superintendent of public schools
to change the combination of towns
, whenever. upon the representation OF
the experimenting school committee OF
= any town, it shall appear to be TO the
advantage of the town and the state
: that such a change Is made. BY this
. IL is possible to meet changing condi-
tons and to recognize suggestions for
. Improvement as presented by local au-
thoritieS.
While the law does not require that
these unions go into operation unit
: July 1, 1918, it is permissible and de
sirable in many instances for unions
to be organized prior to that date and
: mittees may find it to the advantage of
their towns if such organizations are
, completed properly.
In presenting the list of unions Dr.
e Augustus 0. Thomas, the State super
intendent of public schools. wishes to
acknowledge the efficient services rem
, Gered by. Harold a. Allan State agent
! for rural education, who has been
. charged with this preliminary study
and who has ably assisted in arrang
: ing the list. Mr.. Allan has made a
r careful study of conditions in every
part Of the State and has lost sight of
D no detail or condition which should be
taken into consideration in forming the
> most effective list of unions.
The New School Unions
The following are the new school
unions for the counties Of kennebec
Somerset, Waldo and Hancock as an
inounced by the State Department OF
Education:
Belgrade - Fayette, Mt. Vernon
, Readfield
HALLOWEEN Manchester, Wayne. Win
throp.
Litchfield- Monmouth. Wales, West
Gardiner.
Observation-Disclosures. Randolph.
Chelsea jefferson, Somerville
Whitefield. Windsor.
China -Vassalboro, Winslow.
Ill