The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-07-05
|EMPORIA NEW S.
FRIDAY, JULY 5. 1872.
From the Chetopa Advanced
THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1872.
: From the Chetopa Advanced
THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
We had the pleasure of attending,
last week, the examinations in part
and the closing exercises of the
State Normal school at Emporia.
and take pleasure in being able to
speak in terms of commentator OF
the present condition and admins
tration of the school. Pres. Hoss
has fully demonstrated his admins
trative ability in the conduct and
management of the school. Weno-
ted pervading spirit of ready and
cheerful compliance with rules and
regulations. Indeed in the two
days we were present we heard no
reference to rules or requirements.
Everything moved with the precIs-
ion of clock work, discipline appar-
emily proceeding from an intelligent
and conscientious sense of proprie-
ty in the pupils than as an inforced
compliance with the requirements OF
the faculty. That is the most per-
feet discipline which is founded in a
cultivated and delicate sense of hon
or in the pupil.
EXAMINATIONS.
We connot speak approvingly of
the examination under the exclu-
sively written methods adopted by
the faculty. They arc two superb
cial IN their character and arc really
no test of the proficiency of The
class. The system is constant
temptation to the teacher to resort
to the process of examining. Ex-
aminations never will be an honest
test of the proficiency of classes till
they are taken entirely or at least in
part out of the hands of teachers
and placed in the hands of an exam
lining board. We saw classes pass
ed on three questions to which
written answers were required. In
the time allowed for answering fifty
questions might have been orally
propounded to each pupil in the
class. A purely written examina-
ton is devoid of all interest to the
public. Visitors pronounce it a
bore and never go but once.
1t encourages sluggishness of
thought and does not cultivate that
quickness comprehension and read
mess of reply which are no less es-
sential than a correct knowledge of
facts.
COURSE OF STUDY.
Two courses of study have been
adopted-one embracing two years
and the other four. 1t is to be hop
ed that but few will be content to
take the shorter course. The ad-
vance course embraces Latin as a
required study and Greek, German
and French as optional studies. We
think the Greek and the French
would better have been omitted.
THE FACULTY.
Prof Hoss, the Principal, is man
oflarge and liberal culture, through
ly enthusiastic in his work and is en-
dowed with that happy tempera-
ment essential 10 an executive Off
Ger in such an institution. He
brings to the Institution long and
successful experience as an educa-
tor.
Prof. r. B. Dilworth has charge
of the department of Physical Sci
ence and as an instructor has no SUI
perior in the State. He has gone on
vacation visit TO the Boston school,
and hence we heard mono ofhis clas-
ses examined.
Miss Brewer in the capacity of
Preceptress is doing an excellent
work and we are happy to notice
in the school far less of that stiffness
and awkwardness in manners and
carelessness in dress which we once
observed in the Normal girls which
had come to be matter of remark.
Mrs. A. M. Philbrick enjoys the
reputation of an excellent teacher.
She instructs in gymnastics, rheto-
ric and common school branches"
whatever that is.
Mr.. Il. G. Jones is instructor in
music, penmanseip and drawing in
which branches we had occasion to
notice marked improvement since
our last visit.
Mr.. M. G. Lamprey is professor
of English Grammar and Ancient
Languages, and is popular among
the students. We find the old Eng
Ii sh pronunciation of Latin still in
use here notwithstanding it has been
discarded in every college in the
country. From the very meagre
written examination we could form
no correct estimate of the thorough
ness of the instruction,
NEW BUILDING.
A new building estimated to cost
sixty thousand dollars is in process
of erection. The foundation is al
ready laid. The dimension stone
of which the lower story is to be
built is hard and almost purely
white magnezian and is quarried on
the line of the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe railroad. The building
will be ready for occupancy by the
commencement of the second term
of the ensuing year.
-s3 BOARDING HOUSES.
For the first time we learned thai
the city of Empo-ia is collecting
: rent from the Normal students fol
the use of the two old dilapidateG
: boarding houses connected will
the school. This Is all wrong. a
nominal rent should be charged fol
T the rooms furnished to student
and the proceeds applied to repair
ing the buildings which need PAINT