Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-05-26
maine ACADEMIES NOT TO Be SCRAPPED
SAYS DR.. THOMAS SPEAKING BEFORE AUGUSTA
LEAGUE women VOTERS ON MAHER RESOLVE

IT. AUGUSTUS ". InOnaS, state
Commissioner of Education, speak
ing before the Augusta League of
Women Voters In the Library hall,
Tuesday evening, offered information
concerning the Maher Resolve.
which has been referred to the peo-
Pile. to be settled in the court of
highest tribunal on Monday, Sep
TENDER IL, at the time a governor is
elected. The Commissioner explain
ed that when a measure Is referred
to the people, 1t has the tendency to
lose it's political aspect. Any such
measure represents the serious con-
sideration of the legislature to solve
a problem in which all the people are
concerned.
There are those who seem to
think that the Maher Resolve Is des-
tined to scrap the academies of the
State" said DR.. Thomas. which are
seasoned by service of hundred
years and which should become a
more integral part of our school
system. do not have any idea that
We are to pull down the walls of
these buildings, scatter their endow-
ment funds and abandon the work
they have undertaken with so much
courage in the past, but do believe
we shall find way for more close
ly knit system Of education which
will improve the situation in many
respects.
"Under the bill at issue, II It should
pass, 1t would end direct appropri-
atoms by the legislature. 1t would
be necessary for institutions to be-
come privateNin the full meaning of
the term or to enter into contract
relations with the towns. Under the
law. a contract academy stands in
exactly the same position as a free
public high school and is so desigA
mated by the law. Teachers teaching
therein are eligible to teachers pen
pensions. Towns with contracts re-
ceive the same funds as free public
high schools. Thirty-one of our
academies are under this regime at
the present time.
"While last year. there were 5,S73
students attending the fifty-six
academies of the State, only 1,43S
were tuition pupils directly reim-
bursed by State funds. 4,440 were
from towns with contract relations
or from towns which put blanket
funds into the academies with no
voice as to program, method or pro-
cedure.
Evidently our academies can be
strengthened. There are me of them
exceedingly strong institutions today.
There are many that are having a
struggle to exist. A readjustment of
the whole scheme would seem to be
conducive to a better cooperative re-
lationship. In the last 25 years only
few of our academies have brought
buildings and equipment up to date.
-Four new buildings have been con-
structed, two of them by the town,
| and one has been remodeled Many Of
the others are poorly equipped to pro-
vide adequate facilities for the type
Of secondary education we now re-
Quire.
THE town OF Dover-FoXcroft puts
SIC, 000 in a blanket approximation into
the academy, Saco $4,000. and many
other towns like amounts. They have
no voice In administration. AS prin-
ciple of sound government. a measure
of control should follow the grant OF
public funds.
Every town iH the State which sup
ports free public high school pays a
double tax in the aid it gives to pri-
vate schools rendering the same grade
of service. Funds appropriated for
academies are drawn from the State
school funds which would otherwise
be distributed TO the towns for general
school purposes. There is sort of
advantage accruing to towns with
academies over those supporting free
high schools. There is an example of
a town with a free high school which
draws 1870 from State funds, while
an academy of about the same number
of students in town of the same pop
ulation draws $3.50. There is 4 way
to adjust this situation in an equitable
manner.
Not all academies oppose the meas
ure. They are willing to enter into
partnership with the towns which they
serve and to give each partner to the
agreement representation.
Instead of looking upon the
amendment as a menace or as danger
Gus to the preparatory school, 1t may
be looked upon as a means OF strength
ening, increasing their efficiency ana
fitting in more closely with the COM
munities they serve. AT the same time
safeguarding to the future the prin-
ciples of the separation of church and
state, SO deeply written into the per-
sonality of America.
THE proposed amendment will not
affect hospitals. infirmaries and insti-
buttons for the deaf. dumb and blind.
In fact. the Maher resolve is more lib
era1 with these than the present law.
1t should be remembered that no direct
concentrations are made to these in
situations at the present time. A sum
of money is set up and available for
them now, but 1t Is paid out upon act
ual service rendered. the same as the
resolve provides it may. In order to
determine. this. read the second sec
tion Of the resolve and with it Chapter
9s of the Public Laws of 1925 and
fhnir hnrnN-iSinnc ~