Year: 1870

In house OF REPRESENTATIVES,, March 4, on
pm an act to amend chapter IL of the Revised


Statutes In relation to the employ yment Of Teach


erS.


MIR. SPEAKER In the early part of this
session, when presented an order direct
ing the COMMITTEE on Education to inquire
into the expediency of changing the
present school laws as the bill now under
consideration proposes, was controlled
by motives of the purest desire to conserve
the educational interests Of the State. am
quite certain that no call to promote the ma
.erial interests of my constituency and of
the people of Maine finds more ready re-
sponse in my heart than the education of
the masses of our people, and while |
claim this purity of purpose for myself,
accord to those who honestly differ with
me on this measure the same earnest de-
sire for the public good. With this COM
mon desire for the best common school
system animating each legislator on this
floor, let us approach the discussion of this
question with that considerate Judgment
and calm purpose which the magnitude of
the subject demands Let us not hastily
jump ut conclusions and seek for argu-
ments TO sustain them, but rather let us
survey the whole field of reasons for and
against this measure and then base our
conclusions on the argument. In nearly
all cases of legislation some valid obiec
tions may be urged and we'll sustained
against our best and most essential laws.
But because objections do exist are we to
disregard the still more potent reasons
which demand the law? While | am
compelled by my own experience and
observations in educational interests, to
believe the prosperity of our common
schools will be largely promoted by the
passage of this bill and the prompt en-
torcement of the law, have no desire to
urge upon this House the idea that there
are no objections of force. But, sir, after
giving this subject as careful an examine
ton as my limited power of comprehen-
sion will allow, am of opinion that the
passage of no other law by this Legisla-
ture will produce grander results for the
general good than this measure will if it
receives your sanction. have no means
of knowing the sentiment of the people on
this question, but | am well convinced that
our public educators and those most inter-
ested in schools, are of one mind and one
heart in support of this measure. During
the late exciting contest before the Edu-
cational committee on the subject of estate
uniformity of text books a large number
of public instructors from various parts of





interests of education, and although the
gulf was deep and wide which separated
parties on the proposition for uniformity,
yet singular unanimity was manifest in
regard to this measure. and with one
voice, SO far as that voice was heard, they
said, give the experimenting school COM
mittee the power to employ teachers and
one essential mark of progress will have
been recorded in the statute books of
Maine. Remonstrants, too, who were not
before the committee, have written to this
capital urging the adoption OF the same
measure. Whatever else might arise to
divide the friends of the sacred cause of
education, in this they agreed, and for
this they could heartily join hands in their
educational labors, and sir, | have yet to
learn of the first man devotedto educational
pursuits. whose sympathes are not with
us on this measure, though doubtless there
are many. yet few, | believe, when COM
pared with the grand army of educators
whose influence is felt to-day in their
noble work.


In the last annual report of the State
Superintendent of Common Schools, | find
the following among other questions pro-
pounded by him to the several town COM
mittees, to be answered in their annual re-
turns:


Can you suggest any amendments to
the School Laws of the State ?" Answers
were given and suggestions made by one
hundred and thirty-nine committees, and
more than one half of these specifically rec
commended the very change this measure
proposes. l observe again that no other
single recommendation was made by near
ly as many experimenting school commit
tees, thus showing that his change is, in
their Judgment, the essential one that looks
to reform in our school laws. / have
said that have no means of knowing the
sentiment of the people on this measure,
and yet, the unanmity with which public
educators and school officers have APP
proved and recommended this change
may safely be regarded as an index, in
some measure, of the public sentiment.


Now, sir, is it true, or is it not true, that
the experimenting school committees of
our towns are better qualified than the
agents to care for the school interests of
the people? l invoke the calm Judgment
of this House and of the people | ask
them to put off the masque of prejudice
and of superstition, and tell me If our
school agents are selected among the peo-
pie for their scholarly attainments, their
love for the cause of education. their Ia
miliarity with the modes of teaching, and
their knowledge of the real qualifications
of instructors. Are they selected for their
general knowledge of schools and school
interests? fancy hear it said that they
are as well qualified as the committee are,
but, sir, that answer comes from him who
has spoken in his haste, and not upon the
''sober second thought" Doubtless the
history may show cases enough where
school agents have eyinced superior abili-
ties and qualifications to many school com
mittees, but we are to take into our ac-
count the great whole and not look for the
few; the general rule and not the excep-
tions. You can find exceptions enough to
every general rule, however wise that
rule may be. The trifiing office of school
agent, as it is generally regarded, yet re-
sponsible in fact, is too often bestowed up
on that man who can, by his shreweness
and business tact, hire teacher cheap.
He may be practical business man, and
in his business may be successful, but af-