This page needs to be proofread.

474

TTNITED STATES : — MAINE

MAINE.

Governineilt. — There is a Legislature of two Houses, the Senate, con- sisting of 31 members, and the House of Representatives with 151 members, both Houses being elected at the same time for two years. The suffrage is possessed by all registered male citizens of the United States, 21 years of age, who can read English and A^o-ite his own name ; but paupers and un-taxed Indians have no vote.

Governor. ~-^yi\\isim T. Haines 1913-15 (3,000 dollars).

Secretary of State. — Cyrus W. Davis.

For local government the State is divided into 16 counties, subdivided into towns, cities, plantations and various unincorporated places. The State Capital is Augusta.

Area, Population, Education.— Area, 33,040 square, miles of which 29,895 square miles is land.

Years

Population

Total Per sq. mile

628,279 21-0 648,936 21-7

Years

1900 1 1910 I

Population

Total

694,466 742,371

Per sq. mile

1860

1880

23-2 24-8

In 1910 the population consisted of 740,017 white and 1,364 coloured persons, and 990 others ; total, 742,371. There were 377,053 males, and 365,318 females. The foreign-born population numbered 93,330, of whom 36,169 were English Canadian, 30,908 French Canadian, 10,159 Irish, and 4,793 English, Within the State, especially in the north, there is a strong French and French-speaking element. The largest cit}^ in the State is Portland Avith a population of 58,571 in 1910. Other cities and towns (with population in 1910) are: Lewiston, 26,247; Bangor, 24,803; Biddeford, 17,079 ; Auburn, 15,064 ; Augusta, 13,211 ; Bath, 9,376 ; Waterville, 11,458.

The largest religious body is Roman Catholic ; then come Baptists, Con- gregationalists, Methodists, and Protestant Episcopalians.

Education is free for pupils from 5 to 21 years of age, and compulsory from 5 to 14. The State Superintendent has general supervision over education ; there are no county superintendents. Cities and towns have elective school attendance committees. In 1911 the 4,645 public elementary schools had 6,932 teachers and 132,823 enrolled pupils. The 183 ])ublic high schools had 565 teachers and 11,759 pupils ; 46 acatlernies, institutes, and seminaries had 236 teachers and 4,055 pupils. For the training of teachers in 1911 there were six public Normal Schools with 49 teachers and 673 students. The University of Maine, founded in 1868 at Orono, has 112 professors and teachers and 772 students. It is endowed by and receives large appro- priations from the State. Bowdoin College, founded in 1794 at Brunswick, has 73 professors and 409 students. Bates College at Lewiston has 29 professors and 483 students, and Colby College at Waterville has 21 i)ro- fessors and 298 students.

Public scliools are mainly ^i]iported by appropriations from the towns or cities and from the State, and by the income from school funds.

Charity- — Apart from almshouses and asylums for the insane, &c., there