The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-12-15
State Normal School.
Rspsrt Of the Board q Visitors for 1855.

! Inc unoSretgEo0s the beard OF 1elsoIe
Of the State Normal School, at Emporia.
for The year 1866. respectfully submit
the following report. which is made in
compliance with section 10 of the act of
1864. entitled, San act to Organize the
State Normal SCHOOL, >
We visited the school on Tuesday and.
Wednesday, the 4th and 9Th of Decom-
Der, 1866. We preferred to inepect the
daily drill and routine of school work.
rather than the closing examination, as
giving q better insight into the actual
process of Normal training. No change
ID the usual programme was made on our.
account. Is.
According to the provisions of the SEQ.
ton above referred to, it, is our duty to
Examine thoroughly into the affairs Of
the school" and report to you our ''VieWs
in regard TO its condition, success, and
asefnluess.'' ~, rz
One of your Committee has visited the
school on previous occasions, and can
speak from actual observation when as
ssrting that il is in better condition now
thai At any former time. The number of
papls enrolled for the present term IS
seventy five. Now. As heretofors, che
order and discipline Of the school was
above all criticism. The utmost quiet
and decorum prevailed throughout.
Teachers and Pupils appeared thoroughly
in earnest. All things moved with abso-
lutte mechanical precision. There was no
visible trace of the spirit Of. mischief, dis
order, and Incidence, which SO mars and
belittles the great majority of our educa-
tionsl institutions. Regarded merely as
q model for the other schools of the State,
q means for melting other teachers to like
triumphs in order and educational excel
lence, our Normal School is worth ten
times over all that it has cost Us. The
school is now approaching the compile
ton Gifts second year. Many of the pu
pills have been in attendance during the
greater part of this time, and the effect of
these years of training is Shown in
steady development of all the elements of
scholarly excellence. There was great
er Freedom of speech than formerly,
keeper and subtler appreciation Of OBJ
ecurs and difficult topics; more vigorous
and original thought; and better mas
terry of eye and hand in all The depart
meuts of graphical illustration.
The following classes recitsd during
our visit: -..
Arithmetic, Sections A, B, and G. ..
Grammar, Section A. 10 ia eli. p. I'll.
Geography, Sections A, and B. ...
Reading. Sections A. AID B. e.. SOAR
Ancient History. I a..ss
Geology. ~. ea 5.as.ar. sr.u
Vocal Music. 10 s.a.E, eEs, o. .. .
Nat. Philosophy. 7r.as.I sIl p. lsr-
In speaking of these exercises, it is but
fair to premise that almost all of the Nor
NAL students have been FOR some time
residents of this State.9 where they had
grown up with sadly limited means of
education. Their previous training had
at the best, been conined to such scanty
instruction as they mightga from few
months spent in the school houses of the
border. They were almost totally desti-
tute of the discipline which children &C.
quire at an early age. in the graded
schools of the East. The Faculty were
obliged to conmsnee at the very founda-
lions. "a sroa ga1 la9 - ..s
One of the most Immediately noticeable
points was the rigid persistence with
which the topical system of recitation
was enforced. The old stereOtyped sys-
tenn of Questions and answers" was ut
terIy. discarded. Topics, oftener than
otherwise consisting Of a single word,
were assigned to the pupils and each
Without.the slightest reference to, text
books. or memoranda, was required to
rise and develop the leading points of it
in his own language, and in proper con-
seeutive order, with constant and copi-
GUS blackboard illustrations. Thus, the
topic assigned to pupil might be ''The
Apdes.'' He was required to sketch up
on the board q eemplste map of that sys
tam of mountains. With all their impOrs
taut .rami6oations, the valleys, plateaux'
aud lakssthey iuclOse. and the rivers f9w-
ing from them; to describe the hight of
all the different. chains, and principal
peaks, tolgive the local names, latitude
and Longitude, altitude. climate. and spe-
cial characteristics, of all the different
points of the map. When all this has
been dqnsyths topagr ply of the region
in question is liked in bold indelibIe re-
lief upon the mind of the pupil: In like
manner. .ths. pupils in Physical Gsogra-
ply were rec uired to illustrate and de-
scribe the Ocsan currents. the winds,
volcanic and tidal action; those 10 History