Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-14

the present time all of the grades ex-
cept the primary grade are housed in
that building. The high school is in
the upper room and We have two
teachers at the present time. There
are ~ scholars in the High school;
there are only 81 desks and no reci-
tation seats. The assistant teacher
in the High school has an ante room
or a small room that is 9x14 IT,. anu
that is the only room they have for an
assistant teacher.
Suffice it to say that the inspector
Of High schools during this session
notified me as member of the school
board that they could not approve this
school as an A grade standard school
unless the town provided better
equipment. and q better school build
ing: that we had sufficient number
Of scholars. we had a good corps O.
teachers. but the equipment and the
building were insufficient to warran.
the State educational department in
grading it as an A grade school.
Within two years the town, of Por-
ter has had left them under the will
Of the late George 4. ToWle 100000.
the income thereof to be expended to
support this school. And also with
in two years there has been left to
the town of Porter from Elijah Fox
Of Haverhill. Mass. a native of our
town, $4,000, the income 10 be eX-
pended for the support of a free High
~ ho nf par$or W fho
will Of Mr.. Towle it is also provided
that the scholars in the village of
kezar Falls. where the school should
be located-that the scholars in tina.
part of the village Of Kezar Falls that
is in the town Of Parsonsfield shall
also be admitted TO this school free
of charge. so that if the town accepts
the provisions of this will they willy
have to house not only their own
High school scholars but they will
also have to provide building that
will take care Of the scholars in the
other part Of the village that is sit
uated in the town of Parsonsficld.
Now it will probably be asked why
we should expect or ask the State to
help in building a High school bui:c
ing The town Of Porter is situated
in the southern end of Oxford coun-
~ and the town Of Parsonsfield in the
northern part OF York. and the river
divides them. The village Of kezar
Falls is on both sides. The wooden
mill that we have which provides en-
pioyment for the people of that vii
lage, is situated on the arsonsdeld
side of the river. The larger num-
Der Of the employees live across the
river in the town Of Porter. and the
people Of that part of the village ATE
working people who work by day in
the wooden mills. in the bohbin mills
ard in the lumber mills. Most Of
them have large families Of children
10 support. And the town Of Porter,
with its present valuation and it's
present Indebtedness could not pos
sibly build a High school building
that would be adequate for the neecs
Of those scholars.
The valuation Of the town OF Por-
ter last year was $4,000. AT the
present time the town is owing s64S..
AS the senator from Somerset said
yesterday III IcSdId " S'"Ho h.AN
cities, the constitution of the State
has provided that town or city's
Indebtedness shall not exceed per
cent of its valuation. The total in
debtedness that the town of Porter
could assume under the constitution
Of our state would be $i3.500. With
their present Indebtedness. if they
should raise all the money that they
could under the constitutional limit.
the full amount that could be raised
would be only about $1,000 or s7olS.
Now the department Of education
has said that we must provide a suit
able school building in order to ex-
pend the money that the State OF
Maine provides. There has come IN
a fund that will provide perpetually.
not for one year. not for five years
and not for ten years, but fund
that will provide perpetually to help
educate these children, practically
$4,000 income a year. Now if the de-
partment of education has said that
we have not building suitable and
sufficient to spend $500 OF the towns
money. would it be reasonable to sup
pose that the heirs Of these estates
would say that we had fulfilled the
conditions Of the will unless We pro-
vided at least as good as is required
by the State educational department
for expending $500 that the State Of
Maine provides in. support Of a free
high school?
1t seems to me. fellow senators.
that this is an extraordinary case. l
have been member OF the House
and a member of the Senate the sec
ond term. and l have never asked
/ for any special appropriation for our
town or any of the towns In our
county. 1t would be the last thing
that I would do, would be to ask for
an appropriation for my own personal
. benefit, or for the benefit Of my own
| town. But here is an extraordinary
case, where the town Of Porter wish
es to accept the provisions OF that
will and wishes to carry out the pro-
visions Of that will. but it is impos-
sible for them to provide building
that will meet the requirements OF
the department Of education.
I went into the Office Of Or. Thorn
as after Inspector Taylor was in our
town, and he said that the needs. OF
that community demanded a build
ing that would cost from $4,000 TO
$50, 900 and that is why the original
resolution was drafted for that
amount At the hearing the question
was asked whether or not we might
use the present building by the town