Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1875-02-04
Our State Normal Schools.
W1NoNA, MINI, Jan. 80,

EDITOR TRANSCRIPT! copy of your
excellent paper Of the 23th Of January,
containing an editorial on the Normal
School question has hcen kindly sent to
me, and beg permission to occupy a
portion of your space with few obscrva-
tons thereon. Well knowing your firm
and consistent friendship for these insti-
tutions from the first, and feeling that
your aim is to represent the exact truth
concerning them, feel assured that you
will accord to my suggestions Il hospita.
bic reception and candid consideration
Yonr first proposition IS that 1.-The Nor
NAL Schools have, and can have only a
limited capacity, and they are employed
now to their fullest extent, or nearly So"
In this statement there is a slight error
which know you will be glad TO correct.
So far from these schools being employ
ed to their fullest extent, the fact is, that
they arc not now and never have been
more than half filled. The total number
Of students in the three Normal Schools
exclusive of the model classes, does not
now exceed 800. It probably falls short
of that figure. But when filed to their
fall capacity, at least 600 can be accom-
madated. The school at Winona alone,
is capable Of giving instruction to 800
students, while those at Mankato and St.
Cloud ought to he ablc to receive 200 and
$50 respectively. These figures will give
total Of $50 students. That they are not
thus full is no fault of their own, nor of
the system; nor is it because there is not
demand for qualified teachers. On the
| contrary, these schools belong to the peo
pie, They are established for the sole
benefit Of the people and they arc capable
of comforting greater blessings upon the
people than any and all other institutions
which the State has established, because
every neighborhood and every family
needs thorough teachers for it's children
more than it needs anything else. Why
then, should not these schools be full, and
why should they not be kept full: L
they are for the people, and if the people
need competent teachers, why should no
the people become interested in them
Why should they not encourage and sup
port them? Why should they oppose ane
embarrass them: BY so doing, they ar
simply warning against their own inter
csts and against the best interests Of thei
children. No system of common school
can be efficient without supply Of goo'
teachers, and all experience has showl
that supply OF good teachers must b
crested. twill not come spontaneously
1t can be secured only by such spccia
agencies As Normal Schools furnish.
y Your second proposition rccites tina,
"The the number Of their graduates rcti
ing annually from the work Of the pre-
fcssion, is as great as that Of persons CT
tering upon the Normal course, and tli
equilibrium of approach and withdraw
will never be disturbed materially"
The error involved in this statemer
will be apparent when We reflect that tt,
number Of persons entering the norm,
schools each year, is ut least five time
: the number graduated. The average nun
}. Der Of graduates from the State Norm;
School at Winona since its re-establisl
, incnt in 1865, has been twenty-onc ann
E ally. The total number Of students r
: ccivcd has been about one thousand
Tic first class graduated in 1866. Itnuu
! bcred fourteen. During the wear 1877
+ four Of the number were still teachin
and two of them were teaching teacher
e In the , ca 1862, the scloo! under N
a Ogden's administration, had .cnrollt
about sixty students. Some four or &,
+ E0fthis number are kilownto be still teat
9 ing in this State IN important position
e after i lapse Of twelve years: Two :
# teaching teachers III normal schools.
* There may be, there undoubtedly are, IN
ny others engaged ii the. wort, !,
. known "a. the writer. OF The two Inn
: Ired and nine graduates Of the norm
school at Winona since 1866, I feel j,
pared to :tate Tommy best informatio
- that at lcast, sixty per cent ar. now &C,
~ ~ .sAE - ~ y