Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-05-08
EDUCATION
Continued from Page One)

cation committee appropriation, SO:
express. s36; total. s12A31. Leaving
balance on hand. May Z, 1919, $5s249.
Literature Department
Mrs. Harry Burnham. chairman of
the Literature department, reported.
/ 1t was. in part, as follows: Last De-
ce!nber your committee presented
several courses in literature prepared
with thought and elaborated with in
dustry. in enthusiastic desire to JUS
tify the separate existence of the de-
partment OF literature for which we
had long commended. With the con-
lidence Of newly born hope we APP
pointed advisers for each particular
course. distributed copies Of the
courses to the delegates. invited cor
respondence from the clubs and with
winged words sought to inspire en-
thusiasm for the work OF our depart
lnent. Then we waited: we are still
waiting for the poStman to bring
those ardent inquiries which we
were longing to answer concerning
the courses recommended by this de-
partment. Nevertheless our faith is
strong. our hopes are high and our
will TO serve you is undaunted.
The course of study for 191S-192 is
as follows: Study Of French history,
institutions and literature. Bulletin
on history by Mrs. Martin Of Chica-
go. Other bulletins in preparation,
Mrs. Harry Burnham of kennebunk.
adviser. The Literature of Democ-
racy. Bulletins: Democratic Ideals
in Literature. The America of the
Poets and American Literature Since
1870. Mrs. Leon Forbes. Portland.
adviser. A Survey Of the New Am
erican and Of His Inherited Ideals.
Bulletin: The Immigrant Seen
Through His Own Literature. Miss
Doris Folsom. Sanford. adviser. The
Literature of the Recent War. Bull
letin: Literature of the Great War.
Mrs. George Parsons Of Kennebunk.
adviser. Peace Problems Involved
in a Durable Peace. Servia: The
keystone of the Arch of Peace. Po-
land: The Seat of Ancient Wrongs.
Outlines and photography. Mrs.
Burnhan. adviser. Maine Centenary.
1S20-l92O. Maine Writers. Maine
Statesmen. Mrs. Forbes, adviser.
Study Of Biblical Literature. Bulle-
, tins and Syllabus. Miss Folsom. add
| wiser. Suggestions for Library Elk
! tension Work, Miss Nellie NJ. Smith.
Saco. adviser. Modern literature.
Cunliffe's English Literature During
I Last Half Centu~-. Suggestions for
programs. Centenary Exercises on
! Three Great Apostles Of American
! Ideals Of Democracy, James Russell
! Lowell. Walt Whitman and Julia
Ward Howe. All Of these courses
submitted center about the ideals of
democracy and of mankind. which
pervade all literature: for literature
the record Of the loroin~e the aSpira-
tions and the dream Of men preserves
the ideal which completes and uni
forms the real. We need the inspira-
ton of literature for the days that
are ahead. Details for the plan of
touring a speaker for the clubs await
cooperation. Kate Cpsom Clark has
wonderful course of lectures on
Democracy in Literature. She would
be available for trip in Maine next
February, with terms adapted to the
size of the clubs so that the large
clubs can aid the small clubs in Sc
curing this inspiring speaker. In
closing she said. IL your club is in
terested will you not communicate
with me Will you also ask your
clubs to report to the department
their literary programs? Mrs. True
worthy White. chairman Of the Cen
eral Federation. sends to the Maine
women greetings and appreciation of
our plans.
The report Of Mrs. Burnham was,
in full. very fine. showing much time
and preparation. and fundamentally,
the result of active work.
Education Department
The report of the department Of
education was given by Miss Nellie E.
Brown. chairman. and was in part
as follows: Where thousands of dol
lars have been spent on education in
Maine hundreds of thousands must
be spent. Money must be spent I'M
Ill it hurts and only when it hurts.
it has been said will the state be do
ing its duty by the children as it has
done it by the soldiers. The people
of Maine raised millions to conduct
war. VIII they not raise an eaua
amount to conduct the education
those who will determine her future
Maine has 10000 illiterates. lackin
SO. ten years of age and over ans
this does not include a single foreign
born while Maine has 110.562 for
eign born immigrants; Names school
revenues are inadequate ana almost
everywhere good teachers are leav-
ing for other and better paid occupa-
tons To permit the efficiency of the
schools to suffer is to invite disaster.
The ultimate success Of democracy,
for which thousands OF Americas
strong. fine young men made the SUI
preme sacrifice. depends upon the
work that our public schools can do.
The welfare of public education IS a
problem Of the first magnitude. ana
the club women Of Maine must think
and plan for education on a scale
Commensurate with the magnitude OF
the task that lies before them. Upon
the common schools Of the land must
attention be directed. They enroll
in the aggregate more than 20 million
boys and girls-one person in every
Ave Of our population is pubic
school pupil. Upon the rural
schools and the schools Of the small
towns and villages must attention be
especially directed. because they en-