Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-18
Committee Hearings
EDUCATION

a large part or the time devoted TO
public hearings by the committee on
education. Thursday, was taken up
with discussion of the Barwise Bill,
so called. with its provisions for max
ing the University Of Maine a State
institution and selection Of board
of trustees to be controlled by a ma
jority Of alumni members, as well as
the creation of board OF overseers.
Rep. Barwise of Bangor, the author
of the bill, and a member OF the
committee, explained that upon fur
Their consideration it had been decid-
ed that 1t would be better to make
the terms of the first trustees two,
four or six years and to have trustees
elected or appointed on alternate
years.
w. D. Towner, general secretary of
the U. of M. alumni, explained that
he was in favor Of the proposition
advanced in the bfll but differed in
some Of the particulars. It was not
an alumni bill, in that it had not been
approved by any large body of the
alumni. 1t called for majority of
the alumni board to be graduates or
former students of the University. He
believed that the alumni would be sat-
isfied with larger representation
without having control of the body.
He was of the opinion that it would
be a mistake to turn out the entire
board on July 1, 1922 and put in all
new men. 1t would prove embarass-
ing to both groups of men. AS to a
board of overseers it seemed to him
that the work was now being done by
the alumni advisory council.
D. F. Snow also spoke in favor of
the bill, taking the position advocated
by the preceding speaker.
The Opposition
Rex Dodge of Portland opposed the
bill because it make it a State insti-
tuition which he believed would open
the door to much larger expenditures
than the State could afford. The costs
of running the University had been
growing rapidly. The State was do
ing now all that it should and it
should not be called upon to assume
more responsibilities.
George E. Thompson of Bangor, in
reply to Mr.. Dodge, told of the work
of the joint Legislative committee ap-
pointed in 1907 to investigate the
condition existing between the State
and the University. Mr.. Thompson
said he was a member of that COM
mittee and the majority report was
that the University of Maine was a
State institution and that he only
Quesio nto be decided by any Legisla-
ture was as to whether it should be
liberal in it's treatment of the univer-
sity's needs or not.
Rt. Rev. Louis S. Walsh, bishop of
Maine, spoke briefly in opposition to
the bill. basing his remarks upon
three points: The Indebtedness Of the
first section of the bill, which estab-
lished the University of Maine as q
State institution, which he said might
lead to claims which no one could
now contemplate; that the university
would be much stronger institution
if kept as a school of agriculture and
mechanical arts, as was originally
contemplated; and that the school
which represented the entire State
should be controlled by body a ma
jority of which was taken from gra-
duates or former students. He also
protested against the lowering the
standing of the school by the grant
ing the A. B. degree to students gra-
duating without having taken either
Latin or Greek.
Four school bills, which had the ap-
prevail of the State superintendent of
schools, DR.. A. 0. Thomas. were with
out discussion, laid on the table for
executive session. One referred to
improvement of sanitary conditions in
school building toilets; another in re-
gard to reports to be made on the
completion Of heating, lighting, ven
tilation or hygienic work in any
school buildings; still another matter
the appropriations for maintenance of
normal and training schools. which
was taken up at the budget hearing;
and an act which makes the superin-
tendent of schools a secretary of
building committees in connection
with schoolhouse building or repairs.
JUDICIARY
It was Rumford and Mexico against