Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-18

severe crisis. after which It was felt
tn ..: somethtng must be done by each
cIuzen- The people realized that de.
feat was due to Internationally pro.
pa&anda.
The most difncuit period Of 1918
20 !sz0 gave possibility for greater
work to Mussolini. Italy was then
having economic difficulties. There
was dlmculty in getting work for the
returned soldiers and in keeping the
wages up. That caused unrest and
unemployment.
In 1919 and 1920 the Fascist party
was created. The Fascist UNDER
stood it opportunity. Local guilds
were formed within which were en-
pioyers and employees and each local
suiio came to agreements and COM
The wonderful work OF this partv
IN restoring order and bringing about
greatly improved social and economic
condttions throughout the country
was related In detail by DR.. .Borghese
In concluding her address,
Or. A. o. Thomas
state Commissioner Of Educate
Augustus o. Thomas, speaking be-
fore the principals Of high schools
ana academies, described the aimless
criticism and snap judgment of our
nigh schools so freely INDUCED IN
Tor sensational purposes. He de-
clared the facts do not bear out their
cfiticisms, Our schools are not good
enough but they are steadily improv-
ing. The tremendous building pro-
Tram now going on, the ambition Of
teachers to better prepare and a
helpful attitude on the part Of the
people are bound to tell In the high
er efficiency of teaching.
'fne statement made by a promi-
nent Maine educator recently that
there is too much stalling along by
teachers to avoid neighborhood rows
and that pupils are shunted along
from the elementary into the high
school Is libel on Maine teachers.
Since this statement was made l
have taken the time to investigate
our records and find that in 1928
there were 19,467 pupils in the first
primary school and only 1913 went
forward into the second year. This
vas loss Of s54s: 2:4s recanvassed
the first years work while 1899 fell
by the wayside. This is a retarda-
ton or loss of about 20 percent.
During the year, 1859 elementary
pupils were compelled to reeanvass
and about $4,000 fell out because the
game was too hard. This is too
great a mortality for the good of a
country where each is heir apparent
TO the throne of an American citizen.
l regret that anyone should speak 60
disparagingly OF Maine teachers who
are painstaking and conscientious.
There is a constant sorting taking
place and SO strong is the competi-
ton for promotion that any student
who is able to get into high school
should be qualified to do the work If
he apiies himself.
The record of the GIL freshmen
from Maine high schools and aca-
denies in Maine colleges is espec-
tally gratifying. Out Of q total of
3.1OS grades assigned there were but
o45 failures. There were S47 honor
grades. Although less number of
students entered in the fall of 1925
than in 1922 there were 66 less fail
ures and 100 more honors. During
the present year the failure is rs
per cent to 9.6 per cent for the year
previous. Owing to the universal in
herent weakness Of humanity it is
not probable this record will ever be
substantially increased. As students
become better and better prepared
the college will become more and
more exactins.
Maine has staged tremendous
building program. In the last ten
years IS towns have either remodel
ed their high school plant or built
new modern buildings and many
others are under contemplation. The
cost Of these buildings approximate
100000 This Is an enormous ad-
vance when it is remembered that
when the world war closed we had
less than $1O,OOO.OOO in school pro-
perty all told. The people deserve
credit for this.
Our schools are advancing. An in
telligent cooperation will mean much
to the improvement and solidarity of
the work. There is too much back
school teachers say the work Of the
elementary school is weak, the COL
lege says the high school instruction
is poor and the world complains Of
bot hhigh school and college grad
yates. Fault finding will get us no
where. Constructive criticism is val
liable. Let each unit point out weak
nesses in a sympathetic. cooperative
manner and we shall grow in grace
and in strength from kindergarten
to college.
Maine has been preparing teach
ers for other states a long while.
Maine seems to be a good place in
which to be born, reared and edu-
Gated. But there are no educational
'plums" in our State. Our cities are
small and cannot pay wages offered
by larger cities, consequently Maine
educators have had to use our
schools pretty much as stepping
stones. Massachusetts has ten cities
with a population Of 10000 to 1OO.-
600. while Maine has one. 1t is easy
for Maine educators to find places on
the outside. 1t is probable more OF
our prepared teachers may stay at
home since wages have advanced.
In 1917 our high school wages aver
aged 1912, while in 1925 they reach
ed 1,404. Gradual increases have
come. We have at present only 164
Bates graduates in our high schools,