Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-04-30
Report Of the Committee on Normal
School or Teachers Association.

@opurt OF tne Commlttee On NormaA
school or Teachers Association.
The following is the report of the conf
mittee appointed by the Board OF Educa-
tion to consider the propriety Of re-organiz-
ing the Normal School or Teachers
Association. The report was adopted
This Board. by the Act of its Incorpora-
ton. has W the charge of education in
Public Schools in the CITY of Wilmington
and is required to "increase their number
and improve their condition, till they shall
be sufficient to accommodate all the white
children aud minors, for whom parents.
guardians. or masters desire the benefit
From the commencement of its operations,
the number of scholars has been on the in
crease; attributable to two causes-lst.
growth of population ID, the wearing away
OF prejudice against public schools, and
bringing them into favor, through expert
cuce and observation. The Board now
employs forty.one teachers, seven principals
and thirty-tour assistants instrnctin.. IN.
ward of two thousand pupils.
It is using moderate terms, to say-the
employment of these teachers and superin
tendcncc Of the schools taught by them.
involve weighty responsibility. In what
trust conRded to men will consequences
prove more serious The qualifications
aud qualities Of teachers, deeply affect
scholars. Whether child will love or hate
exercises unfolding and cultiyatine mind.
depends much on the Teacher and even
more important, teacher will have no
small agency in determining practically
what habit Of mind shall be formed. and
what qualities of disposition and temper
shall be brought out and fostered. or ,cpol-
led and stiied.
There is an incidental matter of DuJIjc
concern; for there will be much difference
in results between having teachers raised
among ourselves and prepared in our
schools, or those procured from abroad.
We have been successful in rearing ouali-
fed teachers. Four Of our seven Princi.
nails and ali our Assistants are from our
own people and twentv.six of tbe thirty.
four Assistants have been educated in on,
Schools.
But IN imnrova onr Schools our Taach.
ers must be In a coprse az imnrovement
This cannot he exnected witbout Tho vso Of
appropriate means Teachers IN tbeir
al
below the standard 10 which tbev have
attained. can NOT improve: TO advance
themselves they must devote leisure fine
to study: but npder the weorvinr effect of
school iabors thev will not do iris nnless
under some Arrangement MAKING Il a duty.
necessary IN fnI6l the demands Of ,he;r
place On tbis nr;ncinle tb;s Roord bere.
tofore estahlished tbe rreachars, Associa.
ton; reauirino tbe Teachers IN attend
every Saturday. in term time from nine
O'Clock in the morning. until noon. for
exercises in different branches under the
male Teacher as Principol and the suner-
intendence of a Committee Of the Board.
When the condition of the schools made il
expediept TO disnense with Male Teacher.
until we could enlarge our school accom-.
modation, with building afFording a room
for a class of bows. above tbe Primary
grade, this Association was discontinued.
The measure, however. was deemed vital in
our system; and repeated efforts have been
made to find accommodation for school of
boys in which it would be profitable to
employ male teacher. These efforts hay
ing proved unavailing, it remains for the
Board to determine. whether the state of
our teachers with no regulation for i'm
shall be allowed to continue;
or whether an attempt shall be made to
attain, in some measure. the object aimed
at in the Teachers Association.
The committee propose the following
resolution
ResDIred, That the Teachers in the Pub.
lie Schools. PRINCIPALS and Assistants he
invited to meet committee of this Board