Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-09
AUGUSTA TEACHERS
HEAR INTERESTING
HISTORICAL TALK

An interesting talk on History
| from Original Sources" having as its
| object the promotion of the study of
| local history in the schools, was
given Thursday evening at Cony
| High school before the members of
the Augusta Teachers Association.
| by Bertram Packard, Deputy Com
missioner of Education.
Mr.. Packard declared that love and
| knowledge of the locality of ones
| birth goes far toward love of state
| and nation, which must be the foun-
| dation of q patriotism that will in
| any way be permanent and enduring.
| This is best acquired through the
| study of local history and the teach
ing of local history may also be
made the means of developing in the
minds of the pupils what may be
! termed as historical sense" that
is, by teaching them to go TO the
original sources for the required in
| formation, and to distinguish in
study. between the true and the false,
that they may learn not to accept
hearsay evidence and may come to
understand that history. to be of real
value must be the truth, absolute and
I impartial.
The speaker then gave an outline
| of such a course of study. going back
to the countries OF Europe. just be-
fore the first settlers came to
America and showing how these
countries were striving for land in
this country.
He then took up the first settle
ments of Maine. such as the landing
of Weymouth at Monhegan, and the
Popham, Pemaquid. Mount Desert
and Castine settlements. He then
traced the early settlements of the
| inn he hull r,f
the trading post in this city and the
carrying on of profitable trade in
skins with the Indians. Arnold's eX-
| petition to Quebec was then taken
! up and short time was devoted to
the tale of the expedition which
passed through Bingham and Flag
! staff to Quebec. The romantic love
OF the Indian girl. Jacataqua for
Aaron Burr. who she followed as the
was also taken up. The early set
tlement at Dresden and the settle
ment of Gardiner. "a bit of old Eng
land in New England by the Gardi-
ner's was also spoken of.
The speaker closed with a brief
description of early Kennebec days
and the social customs on the Ken
nebec. This talk easily proved to the
teachers that study of this kind can
| NC vi the IllOSl dDSOTDlnS
terest. especially when coupled with
scenes now familiar to the children.
Following the speech by MIR.
Packard, a business session of the
Association was held at which Miss
Ada L. Edgecomb presided. Officers
were elected as follows: President,
#. w. Burrill; vice president. LucW
f. Linekin: secretary and treasurer,
/ Edith Newman: executive board. f.
V. Perkins. Ada +. Edgecomb, Ella
X. Hodgkins. Harriet V. Enright,
Elizabeth Hayden, Carleton Tracy,
Fannie *. Putnam, Edna l.. Knowl-
ton. Superintendent F.. w. Burrill,
| also presented Miss Gwendolyn
Griffin who is to leave for Melrose
Mass. to accept a position as
! teacher in the high school there,
with beautiful finger ring of onyx
set with a diamond. This ring was
presented by the teachers of the
schools and came as u complete sur
! prise to Miss Griffin.
At the close of the business meet
ing an hour was devoted. to enter
tainment. This part of the program
was under the direction of the teach
ers of the Nash and Lincoln schools
| who presented several interesting
and mirth provoking features. Re-
| freshments were served after the en-
| tertainment.
very beautiful feature of the
meeting was the presentation by Mrs.
! Morgan of several delightful violin
solos. Mrs. Morgan was accompanied
by Leo Andrews.