USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Harrison > Centennial history of Harrison, Maine > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51
I66
A HISTORY OF THE
liberal and progressive in educational matters, and became able to look beyond the foundation principle, (which was right), to some others which seemed to them to be wrong and unjust.
The available school money in the town was apportioned to the several districts in proportion to the number of scholars in each, and the result was that some districts had money sufficient for two or three long terms of school, while others had only enough for one short one. Of course this made the school privileges very unequal, and was in direct opposition to the republican principle of equal rights to all. This inequality became so very manifest that a law was passed giving the school boards the right to use a cer- tain percentage of the school money to increase the length of the schools in the small districts, and in 1875, this amount was increased to twenty per cent of the whole amount. Still the injustice and inequality continued to a greater extent than seemed right. The larger schools were much the longer, and hardly two schools in town were of the same length. Statistics of 1875 show that one district had thirty weeks of school, while another had but nine, and no two schools were of the same length. Years following showed some improvement over these figures, owing to the working of the law already spoken of, but the report of 1884, showed a variation in length of from sixteen weeks in one district to twenty-seven in another, and in 1885, the variation was from fourteen to twenty-eight, or one school of twice the length of another, with varying lengths in the others.
Another evil of the system was the difficulty of securing suitable schoolhouses. The districts were obliged to build their own houses, and the cost of building a good house was so large a burden for the taxpayers of a small com- munity that it was not an easy matter to persuade them to assume it. The result was that the scholars were forced to attend school in houses entirely unfit for the purpose.
167
TOWN OF HARRISON.
Various changes were made in the limits of the districts, as has already been stated, this being the only remedy that seemed to suggest itself to the minds of our most progres- sive educators. In 1868, the Superintending School Com- mittee, consisting of Silas Bullard, S. Loton Weston, and David Frost, made a determined effort to reduce the number of the districts, and to so change the limits as to reduce in some measure the existing evils. They made a very careful study of the situation, and presented their conclusions in a report that was laid before the voters at the annual town meeting. After stating the conclusions at which they had arrived, and recommending such changes as to them seemed right and just, the report of the committee concludes with the following ringing remarks :
"In the above arrangement we have endeavored to ac- commodate all parts of the town as far as possible, and we feel that the eight districts as here proposed would be much better in many respects than the fifteen into which the town is now divided. True, some families would be further from school than they now are, but what they lose in that respect will be more than made up by having larger and longer schools. That some change is necessary must be evident to all. The interest of the town demands it; the interests of the parents and the welfare of the scholars demand it; the miserable old huts now used as schoolhouses in some districts and the small schools of not more than six or eight scholars demand it; public policy and the general interests of society demand it."
The report was not adopted, and changes in the following years were only made when the decreasing number of scholars made it impossible to maintain a school in certain districts, and the town was consequently obliged by sheer force of circumstances to consolidate those districts with others. Schoolhouses became such disgraceful affairs that in some of the districts a progressive people could not con- sent that their scholars should be forced to attend school in them, and a part of the miserable hovels were replaced
I68
A HISTORY OF THE
by modern houses, although at the cost of a very burden- some tax upon the districts which built them. Others re- mained which were a standing disgrace to any civilized community.
The evils of the District System became more and more apparent to the progressive educators of our State, and finally it was proposed to apply a drastic remedy by abolish- ing the "District System," and adopting the "Town System" in its place. This proposed change did away with school districts entirely, and placed the management of the schools in the hands of the towns. Those who proposed this radical change were well aware that the people were not ready for it to be adopted throughout the State, but many of the larger cities and towns were ready to adopt it as soon as the law would allow them to do so. In 1875, the Legisla- ture passed a law giving to all towns the right to make this change. The State Superintendent, the Maine Peda- gogic Society, and other prominent and progressive edu- cational men, believing that the proposed change would bring about a great reform in our schools, pushed the matter to the best of their ability. Quite a number of the towns adopted the new system at once, and each year increased the number, the matter being vigorously pressed by those who were behind it, and who thoroughly believed in the advantages to be derived from it. Its workings were eager- ly watched by those who were interested in making some kind of a change in our school system. It appeared to be giving good satisfaction wherever adopted, and to be doing about all that had been claimed for it.
Liberal and progressive men in our town, who were inter- ested in the welfare of the scholars, became satisfied that the system would benefit our schools as much as it had those of other towns, and in 1885, on petition of Alphonso Moul- ton and others, an article was inserted in the warrant for the annual meeting, "To see if the Town will vote to abolish the District System of managing our common schools, and
169
TOWN OF HARRISON.
adopt the Town System in its stead." The Superintending School Committee, - Alphonso Moulton, Horatio H. Cole, and S. Loton Weston - strongly advocated the change, the conclusion of their annual report being as follows :
"This proposition will without doubt be a startling one to many of our voters, who will at first thought regard it as an infringement upon their rights which they will not submit to. We have given the matter our candid and ear- nest consideration, having investigated the workings of the new system as far as possible, and are most decidedly of the opinion that the proposed change will do more to benefit our common schools than any other measure that can be adopted. Our best educated men throughout the State are in favor of the measure, and it has been adopted in a large number of towns, varying from the largest city to a town with only a few hundred inhabitants. Wherever adopted it has given the best of satisfaction, and has invariably accomplished the reforms which its advocates claimed for it. So far as we can learn, the old District System has not been re-adopted in a single instance after the Town System has been tried. It is not our purpose to argue the question here for we have not the necessary space at our disposal, and without doubt all necessary arguments on both sides will be made when the question is brought up, and we have done what we could to enlighten the people on the subject by distributing what documents we have been able to obtain, and only regret that we had so few. We do not advocate the measure because we think it will give us, or our successors, more power, but because we honestly be- lieve that it will be of great advantage to our educational interests. We are well aware that wonders have been ac- complished under the old District System, but this is an age of progress, and many things are constantly being proved to be superior to those which had before been re- garded as almost perfect. We ask our fellow citizens to give this matter their candid consideration, and not con- demn it unheard simply because it is a new thing, or be- cause they may regard the old system as good enough. Give its advocates a fair hearing, and then decide the question as you may think for the best."
170
A HISTORY OF THE
A LONG AND INTERESTING CONTEST.
The friends of the movement did not expect that it would be adopted at the coming town meeting, but thought that it would be a good plan to "set the ball to rolling" towards the reform which they had made up their minds to press each year until a majority vote was secured in its favor. Those opposed to the measure thought that it was a cranky movement which stood no chance of adoption, but when they discovered the unexpected strength which was devel- oped in favor of the measure, they were really alarmed because they thought that they were to be robbed of rights and privileges which they deemed of vital importance, and they fought the measure with desperation, and with a per- sistence which was only equalled by that with which it was pressed forward by its friends. The contest which was inaugurated at the annual meeting of 1885, was one of the most interesting and exciting that has ever occurred in this municipality, and it was by all means the longest, extending as it did through a series of five annual meetings, and two special ones, and covering a period of eight years. Most certainly this book would be incomplete without a brief history of this contest, in which about every voter in town took such a lively interest.
There was a good turnout at the Annual Meeting of 1885, and matters did not look very auspicious for the adoption of the Town System when the chairman of the Superintending School Committee, who had been a zealous advocate of the change, was defeated by a young lawyer who was opposed to it. It was a set-back to the cause, but did not dishearten its advocates in the least, because it was expected, and when the school question came up the matter was explained by the outgoing chairman of the School Board, and he stated as best he could the arguments in favor of the adoption of the new system, showing that it would equalize the schools in all parts of the town, tend to give us better schoolhouses,
I71
TOWN OF HARRISON.
and make the cost of running the schools less than under the old system. Several speeches were made in opposition, the leading speaker being Hon. Obadiah G. Cook. After quite a discussion pro and con, the opponents of the Town System attempted to force a vote at once, and even at- tempted to "yell down" one of the speakers on the affirm- ative side. The speaker stood his ground and had his say, and as soon as he was seated, Hon. C. A. Chaplin, who had taken no part in the debate, sprung to his feet, stung to the quick by what he regarded as an insult and an outrage on the part of the district people, and in an able and impassioned speech protested against the "out- rage," and presented the "Town System" side in such a way that no effective answer could be made against it. No effort could stem the tide which his speech had set in motion, and, to the surprise of all, the vote showed a majority in favor of abolishing the District System, and adopting the Town System in its place.
This result precipitated the long drawn-out contest of which I have spoken. A special town meeting was called at the earliest possible date, for the purpose of reconsidering the action of the town at the annual meeting. There was then a great hustling on the part of the friends of the old system, and many and various were the arguments that were put forth in its favor. Many of our voters were genuinely alarmed and thought that their cherished rights were being taken from them, and that this was the first step towards consolidating the schools to such an extent that only two or three would be left, to which the people would be forced to convey all of their scholars, and some even went so far as to state that finally there would be left but one, situated at Harrison Village. The right to manage their own affairs was to be taken away from the people by doing away with the school district meetings, and wrongs too numerous to specify were to result from the change.
I72
A HISTORY OF THE
"THERE WAS MOUNTING IN HOT HASTE,"
and couriers rode forth to sound the note of alarm to their comrades, like Paul Revere before the Battle of Lexington, and right well did they do their work. Though it was shown that the people were to be robbed of no rights; that schools were not to be consolidated any further than was necessary in order to have them of fair size; that school- houses could be built without the resulting increase in tax- ation being an intolerable burden upon the people; that the people were to manage the schools the same as before, the business being simply transferred to the town meetings, it was no use, for the people were alarmed, and the tide had set so strongly that nothing could be said to stop it. The town voted at the special meeting to reconsider the vote at the annual meeting, and again was the District System in force as before, and the cherished rights of the people were safe for the time. The majority was not a large one, but the friends of the Town System were content to let the matter rest for that year, though they announced their de- termination to place the matter before the people at every annual meeting until it was adopted.
In 1886, another trial was made, but the voters were not ready to make the change. In accordance with their dec- laration the friends of the proposed change kept up the fight, and in 1887, the matter was again brought up, and this time their efforts were crowned with victory, the Town System was adopted, and all necessary votes passed to carry it into full effect. This time the victory was followed by no special meeting, for a law passed by the Legislature of 1885, had effectually barred such proceedings by providing that all towns adopting the Town System must retain it for three years before attempting to make any further change. The district people accepted their defeat with as good grace as possible, but it is safe to say that they made no efforts to make the Town System a success, and that
173
TOWN OF HARRISON.
they looked eagerly forward to the end of the three years of probation.
The new system was put into effect, and none of the dire predictions of its opponents came to pass, while the ad- vantages derived from it were apparent to all who were not blinded by prejudice. All schools in town were of an equal length, the scholars in the smallest school having just as many weeks tuition as those in the largest one; and a somewhat unexpected feature was the fact that there was little decrease in the length of any of the schools, thus prov- ing that they could be run more economically than under the old system. The teachers were now hired by the Super- intending School Committee, a measure which had long been advocated by educators, as it seemed right that they should be employed by the ones who alone were empowered to pass upon their qualifications. In short, not a single bad feature was developed, and the friends of the system were much pleased with its workings.
But the most important act in the drama during the three years of probation was the building of the Bolster's Mills schoolhouse. The house at that place had long been a standing disgrace to the town, and especially to an enter- prising village. Many attempts had been made by the old school district to build a new one, but it was such a large undertaking for a small community that the people were frightened by the taxes which loomed up before them, and had voted it down every time. Under the new system the town could be asked to build it, the schoolhouses being town buildings the same as the town house, or the buildings on the town farm. The greater portion of the voters who were directly affected had been opposed to the Town Sys- tem, and now feared that they would not receive any very cordial support from its friends, but their needs were so urgent that the matter was broached in the spring of 1889, and was first brought before the town at a special meeting held on March 18th. The friends of the Town System
1
I74
A HISTORY OF THE
quite generally supported the measure, while its opponents as generally opposed it, except in the case of those who were to receive a direct benefit from the new house. The school district people regarded it as an endorsement of the new system, and this they were resolved not to give under any circumstances. There were a few exceptions to this gen- eral rule.
The measure was defeated at the first meeting by a small majority, but a consultation was immediately held by those advocating the new house, and it was decided that there was such urgent need of immediate action as to warrant the calling of a second special meeting, and before the voters left the house, an application, duly signed, was placed in the hands of the Selectmen, and a second special meeting was called, to be held on March 26th. It was thought that the matter of cost could be explained in such a manner as to win votes for the measure, and that more voters could be induced to be present, and the result at the second meet- ing proved the truth of these predictions. The proposition to build was amended so that the house would not cost over $650 and the old house, and in this form it was carried. The Bolster's Mills district had formerly been united with one in Otisfield, the old house being on the Harrison side of the river, and Otisfield, desiring that this union should continue, asked that the house should be made larger than was originally intended, and that they might be allowed to contribute the extra amount that the enlargement upon the original plans might cost. This request was granted by Harrison at a third special meeting, without opposition. The new schoolhouse was built, the tax was paid without distressing any one, and there were very few in town who were not at heart pleased at the result.
But the district people were just as determined as ever, and only waited for the expiration of the allotted three years before making a most determined effort to re-establish their much beloved old system. They kept up the fight
175
TOWN OF HARRISON.
right along, keeping their forces at "white heat" as far as possible, keeping alive the old prejudice by belittling the new system in every possible way. If it was pointed out that none of the terrible things that had been predicted had come to pass, the answer would be that the Town System folks were just waiting until the scheme was firmly estab- lished, and, "then you will see."
The three years of probation ended in 1890, and the dis- trict forces were promptly in the field with an article in the warrant to see if the town would vote to change back to the old system once more. The contest resulted in the re- tention of the Town System, and the district people retired from the field, disheartened to such an extent that the next annual meeting was suffered to pass without any attempt to disturb the existing system. The friends of the Town System now fondly hoped that there was to be no further disturbance and uncertainty, but they underrated the per- severance of their opponents. In 1892, the regulation article was again in the warrant, and such had been the work put in by the district forces that they elected their candidate for Supervisor of Schools by a fair majority, and the Town System went down to defeat, the District System being again re-established.
But the end was not yet. The district people, fearing that the article was not quite broad enough to enable them to pass the votes necessary to transfer the school property from the town to the districts, halted in their work for consultation. The other side was quick to seize upon the chance to stop the work when it was but half done, and helped to their utmost to convince their wavering oppo- nents that they could legally go no further, and very soon it was decided to call a special meeting to complete the work. The district people were the ones that called it, but the other side made good use of it by having an article inserted in the warrant, "To see if the Town will vote to abolish the District System of managing our common schools, and adopt
176
A HISTORY OF THE
the Town System in its place," and this was the last article, the first ones being those which were to enable the district men to complete the work which they were scared out of at the annual meeting. And then was work begun by both sides, which was kept up without ceasing until the day of trial arrived. The Town System forces claimed that they had been caught napping at the annual meeting, and that their men would be all there at the special meeting.
Such a gathering is seldom seen in a Harrison town meeting as that which filled the Town Hall when Town Clerk Sampson called the meeting to order on March 19th. It was very evident that very few besides the women and children had been left at home. The warrant was read, and Charles E. Stuart was elected Moderator. He was a district man, but the other side had full confidence in his integrity and impartiality, and no votes were cast against him. A motion was made to pass over all intervening ar- ticles for the time, and to proceed at once to the considera- tion of the last one. As the vote on this article was really to decide the whole matter, there was no opposition to the motion. The article was taken up, and then began one of the most exciting battles at the polls, which ever took place in Harrison.
A motion was made that the town abolish the District System of managing the common schools and adopt the Town System in its place, and thus was the vital question brought squarely before the house. Both sides were fully trained, and not a word was said either for or against the proposition, but there was sharp "skirmishing for position." A motion was made that the vote be taken by "polling the house," it being made from the district side. The other side did not care to trust their case to the decision of a "rush" vote, but wanted every man to have a chance to speak for himself without let or hindrance; therefore they called for the check list - demanding it as a right. The district forces fought this with all of their power, but the
177
TOWN OF HARRISON.
Moderator decided that he should be obliged to grant the request, and all acquiesced in his decision.
The latest revised check list was produced, a teller from each side was placed in the desk to make an official record of the result as the Clerk called the roll. All were seated, and unusual quiet for such a place prevailed. The roll- call began, and more than a dozen volunteer tellers through- out the audience were keeping unofficial record of the yeas and nays. The sides were quite evenly divided at the first, but soon the district forces began to gain, and slowly but surely that gain kept up as the alphabetical call proceeded. Further and further ahead did that side go until it was sixteen in the lead when the Clerk had reached T, and the district forces saw almost sure victory ahead. Their jubi- lance could not be repressed, and the other side was some- what depressed, though not wholly devoid of hope. They knew that the remainder of the roll-call would help them somewhat, but had but little hope that it would place them in the lead. T and U helped them slightly. There was a long list of names in W, and when the Clerk reached this letter there was a "hush of expectancy" throughout the crowd of voters, and the few spectators who were present. The call began, and one after another came the response, "yes," "yes," with an occasional "no" to break the monotony. The tide had changed, and steadily did the Town System gain until the sides were abreast. It goes ahead; it is gaining as the call progresses toward the end; and those who were so nearly beaten see sure victory perched upon their standard. When the end is reached, the only question is in regard to the size of the majority, for all know which side has won. The tellers announce the result, and it shows that considerably over three hundred votes have been cast, and the Town System is again adopted by a majority of eight votes. The contest was ended, and during its progress both sides had had occasion to laugh, but the Town System people had the good fortune to laugh last.
178
A HISTORY OF THE
There was no exulting over a fallen foe. Nearly all felt that the time had come to call a truce, and put a stop to all further uncertainties in regard to the management of the schools; that it was now the duty for all friends of education to work for the success of that system which had been in force for six years, and which had now been en- dorsed by a clear majority in one of the heaviest votes ever thrown in the town. The new Superintendent of Schools was opposed to the prevailing system of management, and he had been elected largely upon that issue, but he was a patriotic and honorable citizen, and a true friend to educa- tion. He threw no obstacles in the way of the Town Sys- tem, but did his best to make the schools of the utmost possible benefit to the scholars.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.