Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-24

less than a Class A school
he was sure the State OF Maine did
not The promised gift by Mr.. CHS
holm was conditional upon Gloss A
school being maintained. This was a
proper condition for so generous
present.
Mr.. Thaxter declared that there was
no assurance that the Maine General
hospital would be available to the
school for.clinics and. certainly, only
so in the discretion ofthe directors of
the hospital.
He charged that the present Medical
School was not going concern and
that it had for some years been going
backward. When Bowdoin dropped the
axe upon it, he said, it was dead and
it u dead today. I
The argument that we need this
school to provide doctors for the rural
sections is specious," asserted Mr..
Thaxter There is no assurance that
the graduates will go to the rural sec
tons. For the past 10 yeas not more
than two of its graduates have gone
to the country regions each year"
In closing his opening Mr.. Thaxter
said that If Maine established this
school it must bear in mind that the
entire expense OF conducting the
school would be upon the State. as
all private purses were closed to the
state institutions.
DR.. Edwin w. Gehring of Portland
SAID that there was nothing too good
for the State Of Maine and he was
heartily in favor of Glass A school.
II 1t can be shown that we can afford
it.
! do not believe that it is possible
to get Glass A man to teach in a
medical school for $500 or 5000 Der
year, said DR.. Gehring. "Why, the
payroll in the Maine General hospital
at Portland is $4,000 per year. Who's
going to pay for professors, instruc-
tors. laboratory men. chefs, ETC.. at
the medical school. Twenty five thou
sand dollars is mere bagatelle for
running the medical school for one
year The standards are constantly
changing and we must keep pace
with the times. =.
The finest school inthe State would
not solve the problem of the lack of
doctors in the rural communities. 1t
has not done it in the past and it will
not do it in the future Graduates of
medical colleges will not go into the
rural districts and this does not only
apply to America but it also applies ia
foreign countries. The only way tc
get doctor to locate in rural com
munity is to make it worth while for
that doctor to locate there"
Questioned by Rep. Hinckley OF
South Portland, member of the
committee. DIR. Gehring said that he
did not believe that competent pro-
fessor could be secured for less than
$4,000 per year.
DR.. Owen Smith of Portland,e su.
perintendent of the. Maine Genera
Hospital, also opposed the aproposi.
ton.
1T takes courage for any one te
oppose higher education" said DR.
Smith, but I do not hesitate to take
a stand against the State providing
an education for the sons and daugh-
tiers of the rich before they care fol
the sons and daughters of the poor.
Only few years ago." continued
DR.. Smith, 1.-The University of Maine
came to the Legislature and asked fol
a modest amount. Now, as 1 under
stand it, the university has come tc
this Legislature asking for something
like a million dollars I understand
THAT out of this amount the trustees
borrowed $c40,000. If this be true
and the trustees of the University OF
Maine can borrow money, why can
not the directors or whatever they
may be called of the medical schoo
borrow money the same as the direc-
tors of the University of Maine?
why, if this measure is pasesd, il
will open a very wide door. Probably
Thea osteopaths will come here at the
next Legislature asking for an appro-
priation of $4,000 to establish a school
of Osteopathy. The Legislature will
probably the grant the appropriation
as it has never denied anything tc
the Osteopaths.
There has been a great hue and
CRY tIlc L w llOI DC-
lieve that many farmers will come tc
the Legislature asking for anappro.
priation of money for medica
school,"
DIR. Smith. ridiculed the small sala-
ries which were suggested in the
budget. He said that the professor
of anatomy was to receive salary OF
81, 900 a year under the budget, apt
he thought that this salary was pref
ty small for a full-time man.
do you think that the Bowdoir
Medical school is good schoor?'
asked Senator Gillin of Penobscot
chairman of the committee.
"I can't answer that question BY
yes or no. replied DR.. Smith, 81
would like to have time to discuss it. I
care you a graduate of the Bow
doin Medical SCHOOL," asked Senator
Gillin.
IT am" replied DR.. Smith.
"Did they have good professors
there when you attended it?" asked
Senator Gillin.
Eyes, they had three or four" re.
piled DIR. Smith.
"Are there good professors at the
school now?" asked Senator Gillin.
"You will have to ask some one
else?" replied DIR. Smith.
DR.. Smith then referred to the
proposed joining of the Maine De
partment of Health to the proposed
new medical school at which Senator