St. Paul weekly Minnesotian. (St. Paul) 1860-1861, 1860-11-09
Norm al school Hoard.

Normal school Hoard.
ST. PAUL, Nov. /, 1860.
Board met pursuant to a call of the |
Secretary, at the Office of Public Instruc-
ton in the Capitol, at II A. NJ.
Present DR.. A. e. Ames, of Henuepin
county DR.. Bray, of Carver county; DR.
j.. d Ford, Of Winona county; James w
Taylor, of Ramsey county; Edward D.
Neill, Secretary er eticio.
Minutes Of last meeting read and APP
proved. The office of President being
vacant by the expiration of the term of
office of the late President, Lit. Gov. Hol
combe, DIR. j. D. Ford was called to the
chair
On motion of Dr. Ames, DIR. j. D. Ford
was elected President, to fill the vacancy
caused by the expiration Of the late Presi
| dents term of Office.
E. d. Neill offered the following pre-
anble and resolution, which were adopted
Whereas, The Board has been informed
that the Rev. j. A. Russell, of Saltwater,
elected as director from the First judicial
District, has removed from the State,
Resolced, That VIM Holcolnbe, of said
! District, be appointed to ill the vacancy
occasioned by the removal from the State
of j. A. Russell
On motion Of DR.. Ames,
Resolced, That the text books of the
Normal School be the same as those re-
commended by the State Superintendent
of Public instruction.
VIM. Holcombe, Of the First Judicial
District, being informed of his election, ap-
peared and took his seat.
Recess until three and a half clock, I'm.
THREE AND H,LF o CLOCK, Pm
Board met pursuant to adjournment
The report IF the Committee on organiza-
ton Of the Normal School and course of
instruction was read and accepted
REPORT
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE NORMAL
SCHOOL AND COURSE or INSTRUCTION.
An act of the Legislature passed in the
Session Of 1858, directed the Governor to
appoint Normal Board of Instruction,
! consisting Of a Director in each Of the six
Judicial districts Of the State, to whom
was intrusted, under certain restrictions,
the establishment Of three State Normal
Schools By reason of the financial de-
preston, caused by the Revision of 1857,
the Normal Board did not convene until
August l6, 1859. At that meeting held
at the Capitol, the six Judicial districts,
| according to the provision of the statute,
| were formed into three Normal Districts,
! uniting in the formation of the first, two
contiguous judicial districts of the second,
two; and of the third, two. BY this ar
rangernent the third and fifth judicial dis
tricts were constituted into the First Nor
NAL District, EN- bsacing a large portion Of
IhiiIliSSold. plU-
vided:
There shall be established within five
years, after the passage OF this act, an in
stitution to educate and prepare teachers
for teaching in the common schools Of this
State, to be called State Normal School,
and also within ten years second Normal
| School. and within fifteen years third,
| ,rnu,l,i hat thor, i,l In Oh
| to establish either of the three schools, un.
| til the sum OF five thousand dollars is do
mated TO the State in money and lands, CT
| in money alone, for the erection of the nee
essary buildings, and for the support of
| the professors or teachers i'll such iusttu.
! tons but when such sum is donated for
such purpose, like sum of five thousand
dollars is appropriated by the State for
the use an benefit of such institutions
At this first meeting Of the Board, the
citizens of Winona m FL, through the
Director of that district, a subscription of
about ST 900 to the State, provided, that
State Normal School should be located
there. This liberal prOffer was accepted
by the Board, and the First State Normal
School was located at Winona, on condi-
ton the subscription was satisfactorily
made over to the State for the use contem-
plated in the act. A committee was ap
pointed to secure this donation, and to re-
port at a subsequent meeting. At the
next meeting Of the Board, held Nov. 9,
1869, this committee reported that they
had secured this donation Of $4,000 and
upwards, and On account Of the urgent
need Of such institution, immediate steps
were taken to organize the school The
Legislature of ls59-eo, passed an act de,
ferring the opening of the two other schools
for period of five years. A variety of
circumstances prevented the employment
Of principal until the summer Of 1860.
Atan adjourned meeting of the Board.
held June, 1860, Prof. John Ogden of Co.
lumbus, Ohio, was employed as Principal
Of the Schoo! for one year from July /,
1860.
The months Of July and August were
employed by the Principal, by direction Of
the Board, in visiting as many important
localities as possible in the State, and pre-
senting the necessity of Normal Schools TO
the permanent prosperity of tho State, and |
the desirableness of citizens demanding |
competent teachers for their children. The |
school was opened for the admission of pu-
pills on the first Monday of last September. !
A teachers Institute, the first ever held in |
this State, was made the commencement of |
the term. A goodly number Of teachers, |
from various parts of the State were pres
ent, and number OF distinguished gentle |
men, Including the Rev. E. D. Neill, Chan |
cellor Of the University, ex-ofiicio, Superin- |
tendent ofPublic Instruction of Minnesota,
Elk Lit. Gov. Hocombe,J. w. Taylor, Esq, |
Rev Mr.. Strong,and muny other. A large
number of letters were received and read |
from the Principals of cther Normal Schools |
and other noted educators throughout the /
country. On the evening Of the first day
Prof Ogden gave his Inaugural Discourse.
On the evening of the second day ,Superin-
tendent Nell delivered an address on edu-