Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-26

ties for education in such places are
vastly improved. We are making con-
siderable progress in this work, and !
always enjoy visiting these union
schools. and have taken part in their
dedication.
The rural school house Is our real
problem, for it is costly. and an econ
omic waste. Forty per cent of our
teachers are in one room schools and
this 10Th century Institution as a rule
Is not a proper place in which to train
goth century children. l am not sur
prised that in some of our country dis
tricts there are abandoned farms. for
certainly no self-respecting farmer
VIII live in community unless his
children are able to obtain proper edu-
cation there. In such places a high
school education often is unattainable.
In my opinion the farm and the school
60 hand in hand, and you cannot ex-
pect TO have good schools where there
are poor farms and certainly where
there are good farms there is no ex-
cuse for poor schools. The problem
OF each is interviewer with the other"
The Governor spoke Of the condi-
ton OF the lighthouse children and the
commendation from Herbert Hoover
On the work Maine is doing. I'm
usually good work is being done for
the children in our unorganized town.
ships, the Governor said.
illitsraey
Inc National Educational Associa-
ton is making a great drive to wine
out lliiteracy in this country. We
nave made some progress in Maine
out our efforts have not been re-
Warded with any unusual success.
In 1870 there were 20,14O illiterates
In Maine, or 3.3 per cent. More than
one nalf OF these live in the country
districts. l wish this illiteracy could
De wiped out during the next five
9ears, -put TO DO SO we must take
Dold OF the problem more vigorous
ly than in the past We canrut
attain the end we seek unless citI-
lens in general take a greater inter-
est in this work. In this matter
there is a good deal of Indifference
on the part Of the public. 1t would
be splendid if Maine could lead the
states in wiping out this stain, and
certainly there is no reason WHY we
cannot stand at the. top, for IS per
cent OF our citizens ale nativn corn
and we do not have A great annual,
lhfluA OF people of foreign piI III. I
am encouraged at one feature of
this situation however, and that is
that in 1920 there were but SIS
juvenile illiterates in Maine. In this
connection | want to speak about
our child labor laws. Let US re-
solve that in 1850 there will not he
an illiterate in the State of Maine.
Names Child Labor Laws have
given the State a high standing on
this question. With us no child
under IA years of age can work in
any mercantile or manufacturing
establishment, while no child under
Is can work in such establishments
while the schools of tine communitr
iii which 1t lives are III session. II
a child has completed six grades in
our public schools and is between
IL and 16 years CT age it may be
employed under worl. permit, but
If the child is between ii and IS it
must obtain a permit even if it in
tends to work wnlle the schools ore
not in session. In June, 1928. there
were but 227 won; permits out
standing in Maine, and in October
Of this year there Weic 31S. This is
an unusual record which few states
can equal. 1t shows that there is
very little child lanor in mercantile
and manufacturing establishments,
Maine certainly has no reason 10 be
ashamed of the way it handles it's
child labor, and although there are
reasons for strengthening the law.
its provisions at the present time
are well within reason.
The Public School
1.-THE public school is the hulwark
of democracy. In it children from
every station in life come together
and learn the lesson of American
citizenship. l myself went through
the public schools of Portland and
graduated from our High School
My parents were wise in dong this
instead of shipping me off to some
exclusive private academy. there to
grow up in utter ignorance of what
American democracy means. | am
sorry for the poor little rich" chill
dren who are forced to go to
private schools. We all must be on
guard lest any inroads be made upon
our public school system, and must
see to it that they not only are
protected but are maintained at the
highest standards. The underlying
principle of the public school is
sound.
Every child of school age in Maine
should he compelled to attend school
for every child is an asset to our
country and this asset never will
attain it's full value unless the
child is properly educated. l be-
lieve we are n little weak on school
attendance for the 1920 Census
showed 5,735 children between 7 and
13 years of age not going to school
and our State ranks 18th in this re-
spect. Massachusetts heads the list
authorities to see to it that not a
single child within their respective
jurisdiction is overlooked. This car
be attended to only by the local
authorities.
Some years ago law was passed
providing that "all teachers in the
public schools of the State shall de-
vote not less than ten minutes OF
each week of the school term to
teaching to the children under theil
charge the principles of kindness
to birds and animals" (Chap. 10
Sec. 1881. In my opinion this law
is more honored in its breach than
in it's observance, and l want tc
call the attention of the teachers OF
the State to it. The child who is
taught to respect the rights of the
weak and helpless, whether these be
humans or dumb animals, grows ur
to be a better citizen. In this
world the strong are able to pro-
tect themselves, while the weak ano
those who cannot speak deserve the
constant care of every thoughtful
human being. Kindness, in my
opinion, is the greatest Of all the
virtues.
"a child who loves and is kind tc
animals naturally is kind to children
Nothing Is finer than to meet boy
who is manly and not afraid to stand
up for and help some sick or abused
dog, cat or bird. Many men seem t.
feel it beneath them to speak in de-
Tense of creatures of lower order