The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-12-10

xOt0A on
Of the pupils in the Normal Department,
Benton county has 7, Carver l, Chisago 2,
Douglas 6, Hennepin 4, Kandiyohi 8, Nc
Leod 2, Meeker 4, Mile Laos /, Morrison
7, Olmsted 2, Otter Tail l, Pope l, Stearns
Is, Wright 6, State Of Illinois l, Wisconsin
8. One class of fifteen has completed the
prescribed course of study and discipline
during the year and gone out to their cho-
sen work. This school, the youngest of the
three normal schools of the State, has just
entered upon the sixth year of its work.
The whole number who have signed the
pledge to teach and availed themselves OF
the advantages of the school is 238. OF
these, sixty have graduated, seventy-eight
are still in the school. One hundred have
attended for one term or more and left with
out completing the course. A very large
part of them are now teaching with good
success in the mixed country schools
Within the present year the new building
has been completed, and we are now upon
the term of its first occupancy. In conven-
fence and comfort it proves all that could
be desired. There is ample room for two
hundred normal and one hundred model
students. The admission of new class in
January next will probably raise the At
tendance in the normal department to at
least one hundred. Attendance in the mod.
Ell school is not likely tobs largely increased
with the present excellent system Of graded
schools in the town. :,..
The total amount of appropriation made
by the State for building and furnishing
the normal building here il fifty thousand
dollars. OF this $40, 900 va. expended up
on the granite basement. No building in
the State can boast a finer basement than
this.
The report goes into detail at some
length about the building. The determine
ton Of the Normal Board not to allow the
expenditure to exceed the amount .pproPri-
ated has been carefully adhered to by the
resident member, J. G. Smith, Esq, and
not dollar of debt rests upon the institu-
ton.
The teaching force remains about the
same as last year, and the work of the
school is of much the same character. A
large amount Of successful practice work
in the model school is insisted on as a
requisite for graduation. Two hours prac-
tice teaching per day for FIVE weeks is con-
aidered sufficient if the student be apt if
not he il kept at the work longer. This
is under the direct supervision of Miss
McCumber, the trainer in methods, in
stead Of the Principal of the model school
~ heretofore. The change seems to be q
good one.
The next class to graduate il at the close
Of the present school year, in May, 1875
1t has now 81 members, large number of
whom have taught, and bids fair to 60 out
in some respects better fitted than the av-
erage classes since the school was COM
menced. Special care has been taken to
fit them for purely professional work-the
special province of normal schools, which
fail in everything if in this.
The Library has thus far consisted of text
books, and some books of reference. The
need of professional library, one adapted
to the wants of tho teachers, has long been
felt. Such library has been carefully Sc
lected and is on the way to US At this time.
We look upon this as the necleus Of library
that will in time meet all the needs of
large institution such as this is destined to
become.
Very respectfully submitted,
IRA MOORE,
PRINCIPAL.