Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-12-18

glad to get them. Maine teachers
ara notorious for professional spirit.
The best positions in many of the
other states are filled with Maine
men and Maine women. n. A. Luce,
and w. w. Stetson were nationally
known for their professional stand
ing ana professional teachings, and
their power to inspire professional
attitude. Payson Smith, Commits
sioner of Education of Massachu-
: sets, and one of Americas leading
school executives. contributed large
ly of his genius in the organization
of the States educational forces. The
present encumbent of the chief edu-
cational office of the State has had
his own feeble efforts supplemented
by a most generous action on the
part Of the people of the State.
'Since the great war we have had
In Maine an Educational Drive. We
have had q definite program which
included: Better Housing Facilities
for Our Schools; A Prepared Teach
err for Every Group of Children; In
creased Professional Attitude. and
Equal Educa tional Opportunities for
All the Children of All the People;
or, in the language of the trainers
OF our constitution: ITO make the
privileges OF educational opportunity
universal" We have emphasized the
duties and responsibilities of citi-
zens; have attempted to meet the
growing demands of our schools;
have established a definite. uniform.
State course of study. Last summer
1900 of our G,0OO teachers took the
time to attend professional schools
and improve themselves in the art
of teaching. securing the latest
methods and the soundest educa-
tional thought. What the people
have contributed is most marvellous.
When the war broke out Maine was
contributing $3,7O0,O0O to education
, in the State. The year just closed
saw an expenditure of $S,914 900,
not including approximately $4,000.
600 which is now being placed in
better housing facilities.
There is no sainsaying the fact that
one of the functions of the high school
is to open way to college and TO the
arts and sciences. We lack literally
educated men in America. There is
danger Of our breaking away from the
classic element in education and be-
coming sordid with the cash value of
an education. We need men and women
who have gone down below the foun-
cations and dug up now material.
whose minds are polished until they
glistcn, in order to bring the general
levels of our ideals to proped stand
ard. But S0ro of the People of the
United States earn their bread by the
sweat of the face. Only small por-
ton of our young people ever enter the
college door. In 1921 over 40C0 young
people graduated from Maine high
schools. Out of this number 649 or
1870, entered college. Let US say that
1870 entered colleges both within and
without the State. but less than one
fourth of the students who go to high
school complete the course. 1t is said
that only 4eo of our students who en-
ter schools complete high school. The
question. therefore, rises, is the edu-
cation which fits for college the best
fitting for hfe's activities, and should
the same for of education be given to
all? l believe there is no man who
has been long in educational fields
who will contend that you can give all
the youth of our country the same edu-
cational prescription, any more than
you could enter hospita; in the morn
ing and direct the attending physician
to give every patient the same treat
ment during the day. The large ma
1ority of the boys and girls get all of
their preparation for life through the
e~--rr. - 80 tt-h r-,,eri ~ hollow.