STATE OF MAINE. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March 11, 1845. Laid on the table, and 350 copies ordered to be printed for the use of the legislature. SAMUEL BELCHER, Clerk. TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE. No. 27.] [SENATE. STATE OF IN SENATE, March 11, 1845. THE Committee on Education, to whom was referred so much of the Governor's Message as relates to common schools, have had the same under consideration and ask leave to report the bill submitted, and the views that have induced the committee to submit said bill. Readily responding to the views of the Executive, your committee consider the common school system as demanding the earnest attention and as commending itself to the most favorable consideration of the people of this State and its Legislature. This has been an ever present and a paramount subject with the statesman, and warmly cherished in the affections of the philanthropist. It was among the earliest objects of our care as a people-and the same wisdom and patriotism that called into existence our State, embodied into its constitution as a sacred principle, " that a general diffusion of the advantages of education was essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people." This declaration was considered as one of those great and indispensable truths intimately interwoven with the happiness and liberties of the people, and therefore as appropriately to be set forth in the constitution, to warm the faith and invigorate the action of those who acknowledge the authority of that constitution. Early was perceived the intimate connection between the education and the liberties of the people, and they who felt most deeply all the worth of the latter Wm. T. Johnson, Printer to the State. were the most anxious and energetic in extending the former-and never have those who fully realized the greatness of a popular government, ceased to inculcate the value of popular education, or relaxed in their efforts to diffuse and secure it. Indeed it may be said that we all appreciate the vital importance of this systemthat we all acknowledge it as an indispensable element of freedom; and we can say with feelings of pride and satisfaction, in reference to the legislation upon this subject, and the consideration it has received, that partizan and sectarian biasses have but little, if at all, been known, and that its blessings have been imparted with but little of bitterness. It is a matter of congratulation, that upon this subject, if upon none other, where the whole community participate in such action and discussion as may be had, that there exist no unpleasant memories to disturb the considerations that we may be called upon to bestow, or affect the decisions that we may be required to give-no embittered contests to divide our feelings or diminish our zeal. It is a matter of congratulation that here we have stood so far aloof from the prejudicies and passions and novelties of the times, and that we have suffered no wild innovation to invade the sacred precincts of the common school, to pervert its purposes or impair its benefits. Still it is believed that the system admits of improvements, of great improvements, that should be gradually introduced, and which by the aid of the wisdom and discretion that are at the command of the State, may be permanently engrafted upon that system. It is believed that the State with the funds that she has provided, can accomplish, if she but will it, far more for the purposes of education than she has ever hitherto accomplished. Cheered by the auspicious influences to which we have before alluded, and deeply impressed with a sense of that greatness and glory that repose upon the broad foundation of popular education, your committee feel themselves called upon to present to your consideration such views as they believe would meet in some degree the repeated suggestions of present and past Executives. The attention of our legislators has been repeatedly invoked to this subject, and rarely has issued an annual message of the Executive that has not bespoken for it the interest and careful protection of the legislative department. At times this subject has occupied an extended portion of those communications, and been earnestly presented to the consideration of the Legislature. The popular voice too, has been constantly coming into the halls of legislation and suggesting improvements, and asking for laws in aid thereof. Nor have there been wanting in the halls of legislation those who were ready to respond to these calls, and to make generous efforts to advance an institution in which are involved such vast interests. These efforts, though at times receiving a large share of favor, have not hitherto been successful. Amid more noisy pursuits and more ambitious subjects, it is not so much a matter of surprise as regret that the common school should have been treated with some degree of neglect-that legislation should have been bestowed rather upon the active and clamorous that beset the halls of legislation than upon the multitude of children quietly receiving in their thousands of departments whatever their guardians may choose to bestow. Too humble to demand, too immature to prescribe, those children, but the recipients of our care and dependent upon our kindness, have been subject to the same fortune as ever will be those whose influence cannot be immediately felt. The unpretending must yield to the importunate, and weakness must succumb to power, and however much duty may indicate a course the reverse of this, we cannot close our eyes to the lessons of expediency. It is however the conviction of your committee that there never has been in many respects' a more favorable period for reviewing the history and investigating the situation of our schools for the purpose of adopting such measures for extending their usefulness as may be deemed expedient and within the compass of our meansnever was the popular mind more alive to the impulses of liberty, more convinced of the blessings of equal laws, than at this day; and the ardent and discriminating friends of liberty and law ever lay the foundations of such principles upon an enlightened and educated people. The spirit of progress that pervades a free people is never limited to a single subject. It may be that some one topic is more absorbing than another, but that spirit exerts an expansive influence which spreads out in every direction, controlling or modifying every subject, and politics, education and religion, all feel the predominating power. Important changes in our common school system should be the result of deliberate counsel and thorough investigation only. The experiments and experience that may have been furnished by other States, afford one of the safe methods of forming our opinions and correcting our errors. We wish briefly to invite your attention to the results of that experience. In April, 1837, Massachusetts established a board of education. Eight years will have elapsed in April since the organization of that board, and it will be useful to ascertain what advantage it has been to the community. Since the board of ed The objects in establishing the board were to collect school statistics, and cause such portions of them as might be deemed useful to be laid before the Legislature-to collect information of the actual condition and efficiency of the common schools and other means of popular education-to diffuse through the State information of the most approved and successful methods of conducting and promoting the education of the young. ucation was established, eight annual reports have been made by the board, and eight annual reports by the secretary of the board. The system of schools at home has been thoroughly investigated— defects pointed out and remedies suggested-full and exact information collected upon the whole subject matter, and made known to the community-the neglect and deficiency of school housesthe want of qualifications of teachers—the irregularities of school attendance the multiplicity of school books-all have been closely examined and largely discussed. The schools of other countries have been visited for the purpose of gathering more perfect information, and their practice and imof provements presented to the community through the secretary that board. From all this extended examination and thorough investigation, a flood of light has been shed over the common school system and important acquisitions made to the details of the science of education. One great object sought to be gained by establish ing this board, perhaps the most important, was to excite a higher |