Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08
The March Of Education One Of High Lights
In The History OF The Pine Tree State
BY Augustus Thomas Comm of Education


Academy, therefore, is the oldest es-
tablished secondary school in Maine.
This was followed by Fryeburg and
Washington Academies in 1792, Lin
coin Academy in 1901, Hampden and
Blue Hill in 1908, Hebron in 1904
and Bridgton in 1908. These acad-
emies, with those subsequently es-
tabliShed, have had a long, success
full career and have been anptmpor-
tant factor in the educational well
fare of the state.
In response to widespread de-
sire of the inhabitants of the district
of Maine, a new college was estab-
lished at Brunswick under q charter
signed January "A, 1904. and Bow
doin College came into being. The
second college Colby established in
the state was opened at Waterville
in 1918 but the inception of the idea
was in 1910. the act of approval be-
ing signed in 1918. Bates College.
situated at Lewiston, was the pioneer
grew out of the Maine State Semi
nary, being chartered by the state IN
1856
The University of Maine was es-
tablished as the State College of
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts and
the trustees authorized to, receive
and hold donations, to select pro-
fessors and other officers of the col
lege in 1865. This act was based up
on an act of Congress July I,> 1867,
under the land grant. ~.
In 1858. the Western State Normal
School WAS located at Pennington.
In 1871. the Eastern State Normal
School 1t CaStine was established.
Corhan Normal School and NADIA
was.za Training School were estab-
lished in 1873, the Aroostook State
Normal School in 1908, ana the
Washington Normal School in 1909.
Under provisions of the law in
1873, free high schools were estab-
lished. The law provided that any
town raising and expanding funds
for the maintenance Of a school or
schools giving free instruction in
academic studies would be. ,.reim-
bursed to the extent of $500. In
1875, such schools of very elemen-
tary form were organized in t157 OF
the Al towns. There are at the
present time fifty-eight academies
and 200 high schools. The high
schools have had a remarkable de-
, velopment in recent years. Today
teachers. free school privileges for
all our children.
Through the interest Of the. people
and beneficent legislation, together
with the professional supervision
through districts, the schools Of the
state are rapidly forging ahead. Our
program calls for suitable buildings
and equipment for all groups Of
children, for reasonable consolida-
ton of small schools in convenient
centers where the distances are not
great, the> building of the single
teacher school, where it Is advisable
to maintain it, along the most eff
cient lines. We should have by 1880,
or 1855 at latest, q technically pre-
pared teacher in every school in the
state. Our instruction is being mod
, ernized and the individual qualities
| and characteristics of the children
are being carefully studied and safe
guarded through the proper. type OF
(! instruction While Maine ranks low
; in financial support compared with
the fifty-two states and territories, it
ranks high in the five educational
| components. Faith in education, CO.
operation and sustained effort will
give us the kind of schools weoneed.