Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-24
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medical school and then not have
the school able to get a desirable
rating.
DR.. Addison S. Thayer Of Portland.
the dean of the Maine Medical
School, told the committee that as
dean he had an opportunity of
studying the progress Of other medi-
cal schools and he had seen one-Half
of them go to the wall. In the past
10 years the number of graduates of
medical schools had decreased more
than one-half, while the Medical
School of Maine has survived.
"The chief struggle of the school
has been to meet the increased STAN
dards," said DIR. Thayer, land we
have succeeded in maintaining our
position as a Glass A medical
school.
1.-THE requirement of full time
teachers has been the chief obstacle
tinued DR.. Thayer.
schools to train doctors and heal
ers of the sick are greatly needed
in this country. Should this matter
be referred to the next Legislature,
81 students will either have aban-
donedf the study. of medicine because
they have not the funds to go to a
school outside the State or they will
have gone to colleges in other states
by the time that the next Legis-
lature convenes. 1t is now or never.
A request that the matter be refer
red to the next Legislature is surely
not constructive proposition"
Robert Hale of Portland asked DR..
Thayer how the figures he had quoted
as to the average cost of the Harvard
medical school per pupil had been ar
rived at and was told that by dividing
the total school budget by the number
Of students.
Answering further questions by Mr.
Hale. DR.. Thayer said that he under
stood that of this total cost of $3.50
per year per student $500 of it was for
research work.
"A
icals.School. said that when the school
was founded in 1920 the avowed pur-
pose was to supply physicians to the
St9tc of Maine. In the hundred years
of its cxistance it had graduated 200
doctors. OF these $50 were now liv-
ing and PIG We're located in the small
towns OF this State-towns under 5000
population.
DR.. Whittier did not see how the
proposed school could be conducted
for less than $4,000 a year and he
thought $75,0000 would be better. He
said that the program called for four
fuil-time teachers at an average salary
of $4,000 each, and four full-time as
sistants at an average salary of $4,000
each The budget which had been pre-
pared called for a total expenditure of
$4,000 for teaching. This is included
the part and full-t time instructors.
Other expenses carried in this budget,
including $4,000 for new equipment
brought the total budget figure to ,s62,-
600. Estimated income Of $4,000
would bring the amount which must
be provided to meet these charges
down to, $4,000.
DR.. Whittier told the committee
that in the history of the school there
had not been year when one grad
uate, at least, did not attain a national
or international reputation.
James @. Gulnac of Bangor, presi-
dent of the Maine Chamber of Com
merce and Agricultural League, also
spoke in favor of establishing the
school.
The Opposition
Sidney ST. F. Thaxter and Robert
C.. Hale of Portland had charge of
the presentation of the opposition to
the two resolves. Mr.. Thaxter in open
ing for that side said that neither ne
nor Mr.. Hale appeared as paid attor-
neys; that they were coming to the
hearing anyway and were asked to take
charge.
He said that practically none of the
physicians with whom he had talked
were opposed to the State of Maine
establishing a medical school if it so
desired. but they did object to the
State going into the thing blind, with
it's eyes shut and with no knowledge
whatever of what it would actually
cost.
He read the notice which had been
sent to the Bowdoin trustees telling
them that the school was to be drop
ped from Glass A to Glass B school
and said that this showed 1t had been
going down hill or, at least. had not