The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-12-03
VISITORS REPORT.
EAIPoRIA, KAN. Nov

EMPoR1A, KAN. Nov. %, 1859.
Hon. p. nc Vicar, State Superintendent
Of Public Instruction, Topeka, Kan,
SIR: The undersigned having been
appointed by you the official Board of
Visitors to examine the State Normal
School, would respectfully submit the
following report:
On the I'd inst. the Board visited said
school, and after thorough and careful
examination of the same, take pleasure
in saying that il is in every way what its
founders intended-a first class institu-
ton.
The school was opened, under many
disadvantages, OH the l4th day of Feb
ruary, 1866. with eighteen pupils in at
tendance, since which time, under the
careful management of its present eff
cient Professors, it has greatly increased,
until it now numbers one hundred and
twenty-seven students in actual attend
ance this current term. BY consulting
| the records of the school, we found the
| names of one hundred and ninety-eight
students. admitted during the year. OF
| this number, we were informed by the
Faculty, 40 have entered into written
agreement with the State by which they
| are pledged to become teachers in the
public schools.
In this connection, the Board are hap
py to state that, so far as they had oppor-
tunity to judge, the Normal School is adj
| herring closely TO its legitimate work
| the education and professional training
of teachers. In all the classes, frequent
references are made, and discussions en-
| tered into, respecting the best methods
of imparting instruction to children on
| the topics suggested by the daily lessons.
| OF the l27 now belonging to- the
school, 30 are attending the Preparatory
and Model Department: and 80 are in
the Normal School proper.
| The classes, though large from neces-
sity, are well organized, with Professors
at the head of each who have proved
| themselves eminently worthy of, and
well qualified for, their respective posi-
| TONS.
The Board were fayorabIy impressed
with the neat, bright, bealthfui appear
/ ance of the students, together with the
prompt manner in which they responded
| to all questions asked. The quiet, sehoI-
arly behavior of the pupils, the evident
| devotion of both sexes TO study, and the
refinement of manners charact erizing
the social intercourse of the pupils, suf-
| feed to show us that good order and
! strict discipline are enforced, and that
| the elements of good citizenship are
here acquired.
Students in the Normal School are at
present trained up only TO teach in the
common schools, which is in itself OF
vast importance to the students, as well
as to the people of the whole State; but,
in our Judgment, the school would be of
still greater importance, if there could
be added another PTofessorship, or de-
partment in which the German, Latin,
and other languages might be taught,
and such special training given as would
fit Normal graduates TO take charge OF
academies and high schools.
In looking over the apparatus, library
and other school appliances belonging to
the college, we found a good supply of
text books, gazettees, dictionaries, and a
complete set of the new American Cy-
clopedia, ali I'm excellent condition. We
found also full supply of maps and
charts. There were, on the shelves,
comparatively few standard profession
al works on education and teaching. We
were informed that the deficiency here
Is seriously felt by each successive class
in Theory and art of Teaching
The Normal School is also greatly in
|, need of chemical apparatus. Professor
Norton, who has charge of the Depart
s ment of Natural Science, tells US that
the expenditure here does not need to be
large, to enable him to secure satisfac-
tory results from his classes. One or
two hundred dollars viii supply the
. need.
II It is our Judgment that the school
fought to be supplied with larger and
) more appropriate books OF permanent
. Irecord than it now has. At present the
statistics of the school are crowded to-