Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-08-11
State Normal School.

In the current issue of The IoVd
Schoo, Journal, the editor, Mr.. James
Ellis, has an able, we'll considered,
and well presented article in discus
sion of the necessities of our State as
concerns state Normal School,
Did our space admit, we would give
the article in full. We would call to
it the attention of the working
friends of education.
This question will probably occupy
the attention of the Legislature the
approaching winter. In view of
this, ID is for every public spirited
citizen to be prepared to give his or
her opinion, as the members of that
body will be largely Influenced as to
their action in regard to it by the
drift of popular expression. It is
generally agreed among the leading
spirits in our educational circles that
such q School it is vital for our State
to have. Perhaps large majority of
this class are in favor of the State
Immediately providing itself with
such an institution. how the major
lily of the people and the taxpayers,
who constitute the power to make or
forbid the improvement, will regard
the proposition remains to be SEEM
1t is for the friends of it to produce
the arguments wherewith to con-
vince the people. Our citizens are of
that intelligence which renders them
open to conviction on all questions or
propositions affecting the public veal
and proposing to promote the public
good.
Togive to the public proper inform
alton is, we presume, the object of
the Journal in opening the discussion
thus early. To that end we quote
from Its article some Of its leading
points. 1t states the general situa-
ton at present in the following man.
ner: ...
According to the last report of the
Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton, there are six thousand six hum
dred and fifty,one scheol-houses In
the State; attending these schools
there are two hundred and seventy
nine thousand children, to teach
whom there are ten thousand nine
hundred and sixty-nine teachers en-
ployed, at an aggregate cost per year
to the people of the State, of one mill
lion three hundred and thirty thou
sand, eight hundred and twenty
three dollars. However excessive
this large expenditure may appear, it
Is notoriously evident that there are
a great many persons engaged as
teachers, who were never fitted for
the profession, either by nature or
education. Others there are who fol-
low it merely as temporary employ
ment, or as matter of money maxi
ing.
Those who follow it as profession
and have love for their work, are
laboring under many disadvantages
and difficulties from the lack OF
knowing "How to Teach"
In the great body of our eleven thou.
sand teachers there are very few well
qualified teachers, and the majority
of these are from Eastern schools
1t is true that large body of our
teachers can keep school," but are
they educators Is it not essential
that the State should do something
by which this evil can be remedied.
Every man and woman
throughout the State should feel this
individual ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS feel
that upon them rests the response
bility that the three hundred thou.
sand children of the State should be
educated by we'll qualified teachers.
1t Is the duty of the State to educate
its children, is it not also its duty to
see that her teachers have all the APP
planes by which they can be made
competent? Iowa is as able to edu'
cate her teachers as any other State
but we find in the Cincinnati report
of its Normal School, the following
1T Is no mean compliment to the
Normal School of Cincinnati, and te
those who have them in their charge
ceived applications from four differ
emit States, viz: West Virginia, Ten.
nessee, Indiana, and Iowa, for teach.
ers who have been educated in ouI
Schools" Now, we ask the friends
of education throughout the State, Ii
this state of things to continue? Art
you content to trust the education o
your three hundred thousand chill
dren to teachers, great proportion
of whom are undisciplined and un'
fitted, educationally, for the position
of educators ?-Stdte Register.