The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-11-27

! Editors Intettige'tceT
what Is a Normal School? Answer
| a school where persons are taught how
| 10 teach and whenever they fail IN
This, they fail in that for which they
were Intended. Our law makers have
provided for u Normal School in our
State. Great care should be taken In
it's organization, SO as TO make the best
use OF the appropriation that has been
made for that purpose. The head OF
that school, as well as all OF the subor-
| inmates, should be men of common
school experience; men who know how
10 teach children, as well hs hose OF
mature age. What position should the
Normal School hold in our general
system of popular education? Ihey
should, from their constitution, be re-
gardeds in this nature as speciaIlty.
They do not occupy the place OF our
Common Free Schools. Neither should
they occupy the place OF our Academies
or private SeminRries, in furnishing
the broader or more liberal Culture
which these are expected 10 provide
the purpose they have TO serve, is
special and peculiar one, and the time
that is allotted i'll them generally, IN
which pupils are expected to accom-
plish that purpose is the shortest III
Which il can be reasonably done. Inc
great necessity for good teachers IN our
young State, demands that the time De
al kHAbL Two IGNIS- &NuA ~ IL AAN
pose of these schools SO much TO con-
tribute u given amount OF learning, as
ii Is to give to their teaching such II
practical character that II may IN turn
act upon others, through the agency Oh
their own pupils. WHAT pupils nc
quirs in the Normal School, can harulS
inil 10 WELD Ihs fruits OF liberal Gull
Eure in their minds, although the in
sIrucIiou they receive IS designed TO
have AN Interior bearing upon those
whom they are themselves to teach. 1t
Il, therefore, not only TO communicate
useful and valuable learning TO their
pupils, that these schools are maintain
ed, but to explain TO them practically
the best mode of doing this, that
they, in turn, may know how best
to apply the processes of educating
others, by knowing how they them
selves have acquired the knowledge
they possess. There is nothing In AL
this incompatible with the CULTIVATION
of science or literature, Tor their sa uta-
~ effect upon the individual pupil,
or with the development of refined
taste, or any OF those qualities which
give ease and grace in the amenities OF
social intercourse, These are among
the legitimate fruits of any well-dtrect-
ed intellectual culture. What mean
by this is, that while the scheme of in
struction which should be prescribed
In these schools tends almost, as mat
ter OF course, to the attainment OF the
gruceS and accomplishments OF schol-
Arsbip, II kas wider aim and broader
purpose i'll its practical bearing upon
the education of the children in the
State. This gives rise TO two inquiries
first, what are these pupils expected to
teach to others; and how is it to be
done? In answering the first we APP
proximate the solution of another in
quiry which becomes Important IN de-
Lerminlng the proper functions of Nor
NAL schools. For if il is their object to
teach pupils how To teach, it is obvious
that the things must first be taught TO
them which 1t will be in turn required
OF them to teach 10 others. If, therefore,
il should take two years. attention TO
these particular branches aud those I'M
mediately connected with them, TO fit a
pupil to become a teacher, 1t would GER
IainTy be uuwise-tO use no stronger
teTm-to divert the pupils attention
and occupy their time upon others,
however important they might other
wise be considered In the the light of
general culture. 1t would be wasting
time, for instance, for them 10 attempt
to master Greek or higher Mathe.
malics, not because these are not i'm
porlant branches of education in them
selves, but because they can only do
this at the ex pense of what is indispen-
sA bic for them to know if they hope to
succeed III the profession they haVe
chosen.
This applies to any language or
accomplishment, the attainment Of
which requires The pupil TO sacrifice
any of the qualifications which are es-
sential 10 success. Nor does the prOpo-
sition lose any force, aithough:here and
there there may be ii pupil whose taste
or superior advancement might seem to
call for more extended course OF in
struction. 1t is not possible 10 afford
the extra instruction required in such
case, without having "a large corps of
instructors. The objection to n large
corps of teachers is that our people are
not sufficiently educated to the impOr-
lance OF these schools to be willing TO
appropriate money whereby such extra
teachers can be procured or paid. The
true policy, therefore, i'll respect to the
number of subjects to be studied in
these Normal schools, is to limit them
to what can be fully, thoroughly aud
accurately taught by such corps of
teachers rs can be employed ana rea-
sonably paid. bid you
Bonus VEsPER.
WetLsGurg, ". Va.