The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1862-07-25
From the Portland Advertiser.
Normal Schools.

EDs. ADVERTISER Gentlemen - am glad
10 notice the recent contribution OF your
correspondent, 'MAsLlus,' ON the subject of
Normal Schools. or the sundry topics which
YOU now have room to discuss in your en-
larged columns, there Is none, surely, out
side of the great theme of all patriots-fhe
rebellion, and hor 10 crush if-morc worthy
of earnest attention than that Of popular
education. The snbject Of Normal Schools
is too little understood in our community,
aud ask further attention to this subject, il
you can afford space for the discussion.
Your correspondent Manlius,- personally
unknown to me,--alluded to the attempt OF
the Legislature to do something in this di.
rcction, by the Normal School act of 1860.
My own views of the ineficiency of that sys.
TEN. in connection with the meagrc appro-
priation made to sustain it, and the need of
something quite different to meet the wants
OF the State, are briefly given in my last An.
nual Reports t;--irom which you will excuse
me IL | transcribc a few paragraphs:
While the scheme of County, Academic
Normal Schools need not be pronounced
wholly worthless, it may be safely charged
with u fatal incapacity tO meet the demands
OF the age and the State. The appropra-
ton, when divided among so many Counties.
is not sufficient to employ the teachers and
furnish ihc other means which are essential
to full success. And il the State were dis.
posed to quadruplc the amount appropriated
to each County. there would not DO for u
long time to come, in most Of the Counties,
sufficient number of Normal pupils to give
such schools the highest yigor and efficiency.
We need, then, institutions OF amplcr means
and more commanding character TO educate
the teachers Of our public sthools. Many
of our young men and women who have
chosen this important sphere OF labor, anx.
ious to secure most thorough preparation Tor
their duties, have left the State to find iacil.
tiles for this purpose, which they connd not
find at home. In visiting various Normal
institutions in New England the last summer.
| found pupils from Maine in each ot the
four Massachusetts, schools. by recent in.
quiry find that there have been connected
with those schools alone, during the past
year, thirty Normal pupils from Maine and
that too In face Of the fact that wc have had
fifteen Normal Schools at home The aggre-
gate cost of supporting the students abroad,
during ono year, is not far from $iOOO,O 90,
which might have been saved within the
State, had wc schools OF u similar kind with
in our own borders. Another disadvantage
which arises from the necessity OF their 60.
ing abroad, appears in tho fact that fayora.
bio situations to teach In other States are
opened to them through their connection
with these schools. Thus VIC lose the ad.
vantage of their newly acquired professional
Neutrality-suspicious. To supply the demands OF
foreign market. How long shall Maine
continue to be u mere Province OF Massa-
chusetts' in this respect? With the North
star emblazoned upon our Coat OF Arms,
how long shall we grope our way without
the best guiding lights of the age to direct
our educational system? Within the last
fifteen years, the Canadas have caught the
spirit Of New England's free school system.
and, with marvellous stride forward, have
established schools for the training Of teachers,
which surpass most Oi our Normal Schools
in the magnitude and libcrality OF their ma.
teral arrangements. The new States In the
West, - even Iowa and California, - are
practically alive to this grand necessity and
our children on the prairies and across the
mountains arc becoming in thisrcspect wiser
than their fathers A generous and lar.
seeing policy will secure for our own State
like advantages in due season.
how MAY 1T DIX DONE?
The general features of the plan suggested
in my last Report still believe to DO practi.
cable, economical, and well adopted to our
wants and circumstances. lf our treasury
were full, and the means ut hand for erecting
such institutions as We need, upon entirely
new uni independent foundations, there
might be some advantages in 80 doing. But
in our present circumstances there is u better
way TO secure the desired end. We have IN
different parts Of the State institutions al-
ready established and partially endowed.
which in years past have rendered important
service in the education Of teachers, and
need only moderate addition to their means
to do it thoroughly and we'll. On the one
hand, the State has claim upon these insii-
tutions to perform such service as the public
most requires. On the other hand, the
Trustees of these schoOls.--in sufficient mum.
Der and suitably located can doubtless he
induced by the offer of proper assistance
from the State. to put them on an exact and
definite basis, rs Normal Schools; to abin.
don their miscellaneous character. and adopt
such u system of education ~ has been found
best suited to the pratical training and men.
tai discipline of teachers. Their buildings,
apparatus, and income Of funds, may bc put
under the control OF the Normal School
authorities, for period OF years and on
reasonable conditions. The selection OF
schools for this purpose, not less than two
nor morc than five in number, may be made
by poperly constituted commission, who
shall have regard To location, amount Of aid
which the several institutions can furnish
for the support Of the schools, and the fairly
ascertained public sentiment and public me-
costly. II the citizens or any suitable place
where there is no institution at present, can
offer more liberal inducements than tue
Trustees Of such institutions can DO, ie'
such offers be considered with the rrst.
The course Of study in these schools should
occupy at least two years; such quaiihca-
lions Tor admission being required, that the
subsequent progress Of the classes should
not bn impeded by improper delay in acquir-
iny knowledge OF elementary branches.
The-c classes should be under the direct
training OF professor Of public school in.
struction, whose experience in practical
teaching and school management, and whose
familiarity with the best methods Of insruc-
ton, old and new, would command the con
fdencc OF pupils and the community. lie
should be aided bv scienti6c and classical