Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-08
Mayors Address


Gentlemen of the Board of Alder
men, Ladies and Gentlemen. Allow
me at the beginning to wish you and
every man, woman and child in Car
diner a Happy New Year.
We are assembled here today to
inaugurate a new government for the
City of Gardiner. We have been
chosen by the people to be their rep
resentatives. Having been elected by
the people we are responsible to
them. We are their trustees. l am
sure I speak your sentiments, when
l say that we are grateful to the
voters of Gardiner who have recently
expressed their confidence in us and
by whose suffrage we are permitted
to serve.
The gospel of efficiency and
economy in public affairs as we'll as
in private business is preached
everywhere today. The public right
fully demands service. That service
which comes from wise management
and efficiency in operation. That is
the goal toward which we and every
department of the city should strive
/ shall be glad to work with you to
this end. and I trust that we shall
all be united in common love for
q common task.
To most of us public service is a
new experience. l congratulate the
City of Gardiner on the men who
have been chosen as Aldermen to
serve with me this year. / hold my
self particularly fortunate in having
as aldermen, men of such high stand
ing In the community, and in whose
integrity and ability you all have
confidence. l wish to express my ap-
probation for the help they have
given me in all our preliminary con-
ferences and the desire expressed by
each one to give Gardiner the best
business administration that we
possibly can.
government-the cooperation and help
OF all the citizens. Don't except too
much at first. 1t takes time to show
results. We can only make n begin
ming in one year. While we welcome
suggestions. yet I ask of the citizens
to give this new city government,
this child of your creation, n chance
to function before you condemn.
The law of this country which is
founded on the ten commandments,
and Christ's sermon on the Mount,
holds a man innocent until he is
proven guilty. Why shouldn't we
exercise the same restraint and with
hold that destructive criticism which
so hampers a public official in the
exercise of his Judgment
Gardiner is fortunate in having so
many public spirited citizens. Our
new High School stands as q
memorial to that. In 1t we have a
building which cost $205,00O, at an
expense to the city of only SIS, 900.
The thanks of the city are due to
those who made this possible. and if
their names are not already entered
on the city records, shall make it
my business to see that they are
recorded at an early date.
Through the generosity OF Mr.. r.
Il. Hazard, who has done so much
for the High School, very soon there
will be installed in the building one
or the latest types of moving picture
machines; set up in tireproof vault.
properly ventilated. and complying
with the rules of the Insurance EX-
change and the electrical code.
I wish to call your attention to
the very fine work which the Athletic
Advisory Committee have been doing
this past year especially at Quimby
Field. The thanks of the city is due
this committee which consists of Mr..
John II. Thompson who is the chair
man and through whose initiative
and untirlng zeal this work has been
made possible. He has been ably as
sisted by Mr.. Fred n. Boston, DR..
VIM. T. Pierce, Mr.. Ralph Stone and
MIR. John Henderson. They have,
through the generosity of the citizens.
raised the money and supervised this
work themselves so that now we have
one of the finest athletic fields in the
State.
| would recommend for your con-
slderation the appointing of recrea-
ton committee not to supplant the
athletic committee but to supplement
the work which they are doing. To
plan recreation program for all the
people of the city as we'll as those
in our public schools. Many young
men and women, after leaving school
or college and entering gninful oc-
equations feel the need of outdoor
as well as indoor recreation. Skill
ink. skating, and tobogganing in the
winter might be promoted as well as
baseball. tennis, football. and other
games in the summer.
l wish to commend our High teams
Tor the fine showing they have made
In the games and athletics the past
year. But the very finest thing about
the splendid spirit of sportsmanship
shown by them all. 1t made me feel
that the spirit of one who was an in
spiration to us all and was ever an
example to the boys and girls in our
High School to play the game and
especially the great game of life fair
~, still lived and that athletics in
uor High School was greatly indebted
to Der, the late Alice NJ. Richards.
We are fortunate in having in our
school committee. citizens that have
had the good of our schools so much
at heart and also in having capable
supervisors and fine corps Of teach
ers and instructors.
For the benefit of the boys and
girls and for their encouragement. |
want to mention how they shall helm
us finance our schools. The money
which we get from the State Is de-
rived from three sources; first, we
receive $500 apiece for every boy
and girl that the school census shows
we have in our City, between the
ages of five and twenty one; second.
enc hundred dollars apiece for every
certified teacher: third. the balance
from the aggregate attendance of
every boy and girl in the schools be-
longing in Gardiner. SO every student
that is regular in attendance in
creases this amount.
The work of taking the school
census has been done by our superin-
dent OF schools. Mr.. l.. w. Gerrish,
which was not only very fine thing
for the schools but also of financial
value to the City.
Our Public Library
The work of our Public Library
has been greatly extended the past
six months under the splendid man.
agement of our new librarian, Miss
Martha Bartlett, who. is proving that