The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-12-20
EDUCATIONAL.
CONDUCTED By PROF. 8. $. sABCoCK.
The other Side.


! The Other Side.
Sometime ago we noticed an ar
tiele in the Educational Journal of
this State, alleging that Normal
Schools in general were a failure,
and citing as proof of the statement
the Normal School of Michigan.
In Michigan, where the aRimuS
which led to the article is well
known, the vindication of the
School, and the demonstration of
the utter falsity of the article In
question have both been most COM
pletely accomplished and we have
waited with the hope and belief that
the journal would make haste to
correct the error to which it gave
publicity ; but our hope has been in
vain, and our belief seems to have
had but a sandy foundation. We
have been asked by many if the
statements contained in the Journal
are true, aud to save further ques-
tioning, and at the same time vim
dictate, not only the character of
the Michigan State Normal, bat also
that of Normal Schools in general,
we have from the limited material
in our hands, and from our personal
knowledge of the School, extending
through the past sixteen years, pre-
pared the following statement
which is efficient in that we have
not been able to obtain a personal
history of all its graduates.
No name has, however, been
counted twice except in the few
cases where one individual has been
SUCCESSFULLY Principal of High |
School, Superintendent of City
Schools, and the occupant of chair
in some University, College, or
Normal School. Such cases, how
ever, are few-not amounting, we |
think, to more than ten, or a dozen,
at most. Very many of those |
counted have taught constantly |
since graduating; some taught till |
they died; others till lost health |
compelled them them to stop. A
few taught for while and then took
q law, theological, or me dical course
of study, and have been doing good
work i'll one or the other of these
professions ever since.
The State Normal School of Mich
igan has graduated students who
have filled, or are now filling, the
following situations:
One President of University, five
superintendent of City Schools,
fifty-nine Principals of High
Schools, six heads of Academies,
sixteen heads of Departments in
Universities, Colleges, and Normal
Schools sixty seven teachers in de-
partments in Graded Schools,
seven County Superintendent, and
twenty-four Preceptresses of High
Schools. Now when it is remem-
bered that we have here accounted
for less than 175, (thus making al
lowance for any who have been
twice counted,) out of about go
graduates, it will be seen that an
estimate based upon the whole num-
Der of her graduates, would show q
record of which the Michigan State
Normal School, or any other School,
might well be proud. But the work
done by her graduates, honorable
and excellent as it undoubtedly has
been, is, if possible, more than equal
ed by the work done by her under
graduates-the many hundreds who
hold her training certificate, and
who have for these many years
been doing q work in her District
Schools, that is beyond estimate.
It is perfectly safe to say that of the
II 800 teachers In Michigan, more
than one-half have received their
training directly through the Nor
NAL School, or indirectly, through
the graduates or undergraduates of
the School. The Professors of the
School also spend several weeks each
year in different parts of the State
giving instruction, Independent of
their regular work, SO that truth
would bear us out in the statement
that in all the public schools of
Michigan, there are but few teachers
who have not been brought under
the instruction of some one con-
nected with the Normal School.
1t is true that all the graduates of
this school did not obtain their
entire education within her halls.
On the contrary, very many COM
pleted liberal course of study be-
fore going there, but all did OBJ
tain what she professed to give, a
thorough knowledge Of the science
and art of teaching, and that Michi-
gan to-day stands second to no State
as regards her educational interests,
10 largely due to the influences that
have spread from the doors of her
Normal School, conducted, as it has
been, and still is, by some of the
ablest educators of the times.
Nor does her influence cease with
the boundary of her own State.
Her graduates fill stations from that
of University President all the way
up to that of the primary grade in
the public schools, and they are
scattered throughout the whole
western two-thirds of the continent.
Let it be hoped then that Normal
Schools shall not cease to be, be-
cause they are traduced by the
ignorant, the UindicttUe, and the I'M.
principled.
The Value Of Education.