Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-15

business aspects Of our common task
is the responsibility which we share in
the matters affecting human welfare,
for government at it's best is not mere
ly an impersonal machine. There must
be q solid basis Of law like the bony
structure that gives to the human body
strength and the power to stand up
right. The State must exact strict
obedience to law but it's proper func-
tons go much further. 1t Is not suffi-
Gent merely to keep order. Government
ID properly concerned with problems like
the education of children. sanitary
working conditions, reasonable safe
guards for public health and with pro-
lection of children and those who are
weak or unfortunate against undue ply
steal. moral or economic hazards.
For example. under the wise laws
enacted by the last two Legislatures the
State and towns together have assumed
an increased responsibility for assuring
every child a decent opportunity for
growth and education in wholesome
and comfortable surroundings. OF all
welfare and relief work that done for
children 10 at once the most hopeful and
the most vital for the future of the
State. We must see to Il that no child
hereafter is subjected. to physical u
moral danger or denied proper educa
ton because Of the accident of poverty
in the family. This does not mean that
family life is to be unwisely interfered
with or set aside in favor of any sys-
tenn of governmental paternalism. No
other training of the growing child can
fill the place of the care by the right
sort Of mother in the home. For this
reason under the provision for State to
dependent mothers, you have full AL
thority to provide necessary relief with
out breaking up the family or placing
upon it the stigma of pauperism. If the
personnel of the family is inadequate
or unsuitable the children can be cared
for elsewhere with the cooperation Of
the State acting through the Board Of
Children's Guardians; and especially
must such action be taken If the chill
dren are found in surroundings which
constitute q moral hazard. I urge you
especially while you are here In Au-
gusta to make the Acquaintance Of the
gifted and sympathetic woman who has
charge Of this important work for the
Board Of Children's Guardians.
''It has happened occasionally in the
past that 4 young child has been com.
0ithe4 70 sAe q the correctional insti-
tutions merely because Of dependency.
These institutions are designed for way.
ward or delinquent children. and are
splendidiy managed, az you will ind il
you visit one of them. But no child
should be committed to a correctional
institution merely because Of poverty.
and trust you to see to it that no such
injustice = peepetrated hseoaftee uDon
. child In any town that ia6epresented
here.
Public Health
"since your last convention. very i'm
portant new laws have taken effect
which increase the degree Of co-opera-
ton by the State with cities and towns
in the employment of competent local
health officers. Each city and town is
required to employ a local health off,
Ger and In case he is a full-time officer
possessing proper qualifications one
third Of his salary will be paid by the
State. Towns which cannot afford the
salary Of . full-time health officer arc
authorized to combine into districts as
they do in hiring school superintendent.
I hope that DR.. Bristol will explain this
law in greater detail before the conven-
ton is over.
Rural Education
THE outstanding educational problem
in Maine is the establishment Of rural !
schools that will give training equal to
the town and city schools and will tend
to prepare boys and girls for rural life
instead Of urging them away from it
An important step toward the solution
Of this problem is the establishment by
the present Legislature of what is com.
monty known throughout the county
as the maine plan for fostering rural
Each summer 100 rural
picked from the entire State
are to be given six weeks intensive
at the States expense and sent
back to serve as leaders and model
in the school districts from
whence they came with a bonus of 25
per cent. added by the State to the SAL
Try which the local town pays them. 1t
8 believed that this plan will gradually
give us better trained and better paid