The Evansville journal., 1869-02-15
MONDAY .-..-.-.....-..... * kfEBRUARY 10, 1853.
State Normal School and Evansville
Teachers,

MONDAY -..........-..... FEBRUARY IS, 1869. |
State Normal School and Evansville |
Teachers.
The Terre Haute Erpress is not
well pleased with our remarks upon
the application Of the State Normal
School Board for an appropriation Of
500, 900 to complete building upon
which $135 900 has already been ex-
pended, aud comments as follows:
The Evansville JOURNAL is guilty
OF gross Injustice in speaking OF the
State Normal School as an institution
"which is to consume some 500. .OOO
of the State funds" It ought to
know that but half that sum is called
for. As the President of the Board
of Trustees resides in Evansville,
we suggest TO the JOURNAL the pro-
priety Of applying to him for more
accurate information than 1t seems 10
possess. If we are not mistaken,
Evansville now imports n large pro-
portion of her teachers from the
Eastern States, because this state
has no institution for the proper edu-
cation of teaohers. When the Normal
School IL in operation, the JOURNAL
will not have to spare one of its editors
--as it has in one instance-to go to
New York for the purpose of procur-
ing teachers for the public schools of
that city. Then the smart girls and
boys of the Pocket, after graduating
from their home schools, will come
up here and be trained in the theory
and practice of teaching. and will be-
come much better instructors of
HOosier children than any teachers
we can import. They will not re-
quire the long process of acclimating,
and will not have to pass through the
longer process of training In the
habits, :ustoms, etc., OF "a peculiar
people,"
We are under sufficient bondage to
the East already In the matter of inn
ports. Let US try to raise our own
teachers, since we have an abundant
supply of the best material. and have
no other earthly use for it.
list. Our gross injustice" consists
In the declaration that the " Instltu-
tion is to consume some 100000 of
the State funds" The State has
already appropriated $4,000, and the
people of Terre Haute $50, 900; and
the State is now asked for an addi-
tional appropriation of 100000 10
complete The building. When COM
pleted it must be furnished, faculty
of instructors provided, library, ap-
paratus, and the necessary append
ages of such an institution supplied.
We leave it to our legislators to de-
eide whether an outlay Of $780, 900 will
cover all these extra expenditures.
The great mistake was in erecting
such an expensive building. One
costing $50, 900 would have answered
all the present wants of State Nor
NAL School. But we suppose the
State will now be compelled to make
heavy appropriation to complete the
edifce.
2d. Evansville does not now i'm
port large proportion Of her teach
ers from the Eastern States" The
majority Of the present corps are grad
mates of our Ol0R ercellent High School
or former pxpils of oar city schools,
and but few of them came to this
city from the Eastern States. The
West has been, not under bondage" !"
but under great obligations to the
East for the great service it has rem
dered it in past years In the cause of
education, and many of its best teach
ers have come from that section; but
it is matter of congratulation that
we are becoming year by year less de-
pendent upon it. We have heartily
endorsed the establishment Of the
State Normal School, and would do
nothing to impair its efficiency; but
do think il very bad policy to spend
100000 in brick and mortar alone.
1t is true that one of the Trustees of
our city schools did visit the New
York Normal School at Oswego two
years ago, but it was specially to ex-
anime into the Object Methods Of
instruction there taught; just such a
visit as has been made from the cities
of indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Cincin-
natl, Chicago, Louisville and st. Louis
The editor of the Express will
doubtless make amends for the gross
injustice he has done the Evansville
schools in asserting that large propor-
ton of their teachers are imported
from the Eastern States" 1t would
be well enough, we cautiously suggest
In this connection, for our brother
editor at Terre Haute not to increase
any prejudice which may exist in the
West against the peculiar people, /"
(ineluding Yankee school teachers,
from among whom he emigrated.