The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-01-19
GOV. CRAWFORD VS.. THE NORMAL
SCHOOL.

Gov. Crawford's message. which We
publish entire in the present number, is
a sensible and able document. as a whole.
Much Of surprise and regret, however, is
manifested by the many friends of Gov.
Crawford ia this vicinity, concerning that
portion of his message which relates to
the Normal School. The State Univers
ity at Lawrence and the Agricultural
C1llsse at Manhattan receive the blandest
of Executive compliments ard smiles.
OF the latter he says:
"The institution is in successful opsr-
alton, and is under the control of those
Who will make it meet the highest expec-
tations of its projectors"
Of the Normal School he speaks in the
following words:
at has been in operation for two years,
but under many disadvantages. The new
building is Low completed; and it will
now doubtless be made what its founders
desired it Should be. IF the
ends aimed at, in the establishment of
this school, are in a fair aOay Of being re-
allied, it should then receive the fostering
care of the State
The contrast between these passages
is TOO marked to escape notice. The
Leavenwor,h Bulletin, With perhaps an
over.hasty. but certainly net unnatural
judgment, at once remarks, 'There is
evidently screw loose in the Normal
School" and calls the attention of the
Legislature to the fact.
Gov. Crawford is er o5fcio a member
of the Normal School Board of Directors,
As such he fully endorsed the action of
Executive Committee OF the Board, dur
ing its recent session at Topeka. Thus
far, the press Of official duties has pre-
vented him from visiting the school.
When BIS passed through the town during
the recent guhsrna.oral Canvas, the
school was not 10 session. His only
means of Intelligence concerning it are
the hearsay OF newspapers aud chance
visitors. and the various official reports
As to the former, We cannot call 10 mind a
single instance in which it has been spo-
ken Of in any but the most compliment
airy terms. All have borne singularly
uniform testimony in favor of its high
standard Of scholarship, its perfect dis
cipline, and its earnest aud vigorous work.
From the few official reports which
have thus far appeared. we will make
few quotations.
Hon. I. T. Goodnow. Superintendent
of Public Instruction. reports to the Leg
isla!ure as follows:
The school opsned as an experime nj
and is demonstrated success
We have Dot teacher 10 the State IN
instructed in a normal school but m light
be bene6 ted by attending at least one
term. Several oil teachers of high stand
ing are now pursuing the regular course
ia this institution. For the education
of teachers better school does not ex
list west of the Mississippi" Report
for 1865.
At the State Teachers Convention held
last year at Lawrence. the following res,
olution was adopted by the one hundred
and fifty nine delegates in attendance, as
an expression on the subject:
RESOLVED. That tie great educational
need Of oar State is larger number of
teachers fitted for their ,Oork be- thoros0h
mental and moral development. and 6y
epeciat professional study; and that zoe re
joice an The abundant evidence zoe have
that our State Normal School at EnaOoria
by the energy and ability Of us principal
and teachers. as laying the foundation of
a noble aOoTk; and that Il has our most
hearty sympathy and support.
From the report of the Hon. Id
Bailey, w. A. McCullum, and w. A.
Ela' Board of Visitors for tie year 1865.
We make the following extract:
ut may safely be said that the most
saDguine expectations of the friends of
sc hool are fully realized. The exercises
from the 6rst TO last were a complete sue
cess"
From the corresponding report for
1866. made by Ed. H. D Fisher, of
Lawrence. Judge Andrew Akin, of Coun-
Gil Grove. and S. S. Prouty, of the Burl-
iugIon Patriot, we quote the following:
Zone of your Committee has visited
the school on previous occasions, and can
speak from actual observation when as
sorting that il is in better condition now
than at any former time The number
of pupils enrolled for the present term is
seventy FIVE. Now, as heretofore, the
order and discipline of the school vas
above all criticism. The utmost quiet
and decorum prevailed throughout. Teach
ers and pupils appeared thoroughly in
earnest. All things moved With abso
lutte mechanical precision. There was
no visible trace of the spirit of mischief
disorder. and Incidence, which so mars
and belittles the great majority of our
educational institutions. Regarded mere
ly as q model for the other schools of the
State. means for melting other teachers
to like triumphs 10 order and educational
excellence. our Normal School is worth
ten times over sIl that it has cost us
The school is now approaching the COM
Pletion of it's second year. Many pupils
have been in attendance during this period.
The effect of these years of training is
shown in 3 steady development of the ele
ments ofschoIarly excellence. There was