, 1873-03-10
COOK COUNTY NORMAL SCHOOL,

70 he Ea1foT u 1he Chicago Tribune:
sR: Where public money is being expended
1t ID natural and proper tia: tsz-p1yers shoald
know for what purpose it ia used, and yhetbe,
an adequate return is realized or is lilelr to he
eventually made. Much interest has been AZ
pressed in this county, end especially in tho ctv
III regard to the appropriation for the Cook
county Normal School. Now, hare taken soms
pains, OF late, to post myself in regard TO thst
matter, and learn, from reliable data, the fol-
lowing facts:
There are IN the Normal Department 116 pu
plis IN attendance. with ages ranging from 18 to
soyears- In the Preparatory Department there
are 20; and, in the Training and Model Depart
ments, 120 more.
The school was established in 1867, but it haa
enjoyed its present facilities only about two and
a half years. The entire number Of students
entered to the present time, s 403, all OF whom.
On entering, gave pledges for teaching. Ninety
five Of these have completed full course .nd
graduated, and 81 more hare gone forth to teach
after receiving more or less instruction and
training. slxty-nine Of the graduates are nos
teaching in tho county.
The great majority OF the students in tia
Normal Department are from the rural di.tricta
OF Tue county and from this city: OF the latter,
! there are at present in attendance about 81
Fully IS per cent Of all that have attended tha
Normal are dependent tor their sunnort 49,.
their own personal efforts, or the cid OF thosa
unable, in most cases. to lend thom apY materis7
assistance The necessity for the etricfcst
apparent.
The great need Of the school, as I learn. isa
eomnlodious boarding -house, where tho rrnn;ls
can be accommodated With suitable rooms s4t; ~
steep and study, and where board, at moderate
price, can be had. plain, but substantial.
building, With about 50 rooms Tor students i
1mpeEauVely needed, where at least LOU students
can have home.
Ihe private boarding house accommodations,
Afforded BY Prof. D. s. Wentworth, are wholIy
inadequate, and unsuited to the health and
9a1ety 9!ty OF the lev, even. who are accommodated
done what he could to aid the school 4 moder-
ate outlay by the county for suitable boarI
ing-house will greatly enhance ths utility Of The
institution: a l trust this subject will RECEIVE
that the Board Of County Commissioners. by the
1udlcious expenditure Of few thousand dollars
Tor this object. will greatly increase the benafta
OF the sums already expended by the county:
learn that the graduates Of this school are
By far the most successful teachers Of the
county, outside OF the city, as rule, and, as q
result, the schools are greatly improved
, 1t is seen, think, that the coGaty Is reapinz
1 2es.dad oenetit l from its outlay for the County
1p to the promise Of its friends and that the
pledges given by the students, on enterinp. ara
althfully kept; and 7 an satisfied thot The
ourse Of instruction given, with the driu tba
,npus get n the Training and Model Depart
nents, enables the graduates to take q hieliv
rank "a teachers. I have learnei'
nth some pride, that some Of them who hava
oRe from the Normal to the Cornell Uniyersity.
o perfect higher course, have taken high
ank there on entering, especially in the natural
c3ences; ci and that, in two instances, they have
aken the prizes.
hare thought much upon this subject of
'ormal Schools. We have Schools Of Law. and
cioo1s of Medicine. and We have Commercial
colleges Those WHO aim to influence courts
~ nm 1anes, les, or their felow-nen, by public dis
purse, by the persuasion OF words or the msg-
power OF look or gesture, or BY the zen.
lake poor headway without due preparation =
he sharp pettlfogger, the mischief making gos-
'per, tho attfn intEiguer, the vena1 politician,
weu az 3 the wise counsellor, the inspiring
aent preacher, open up the fountains Of their
SEPARATION to evil or to good, jGrsf, By thorough
u training.
No one is qualified to teach who has not this
aiming 1t ls as essential to her who commu-
cates to the infant the first elements Of 1ts
az to him Who tolls With bis
), though scanty, audience, along the 1oftiest
,lghts OF philosophical thinking.
Ihe successful teacher must be able to i'm
'rt,--f. e., awaken in the mind Of the pupil the
oughts which exist in Lis Own. and cause them
be recalEed BY tho pupil and also to kuoH
at they nre adapted to the condition, wants,
ID capacity Of the recipient. This cannot ba
ne without the trimming which it is tie prov
e. Of the Normal School to gire.
lhe present age demands improvement in
pular education. Il should keap mace with
r political and material progress. t bespeak
r the Cook County Normal tho liberal foster
care Of our County Boards. Yours,
CHICAGO, March 8, 1878. 1T.