The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-07-01

said that. "while it is doubtless true that
the special training of teachers in the art
of teaching is desirable it is not absolutely
essential" The education OF the masses IN
a free government is "absolutely essential
because upon the enlightened judgment Of
the people rests the hope of continued lib
ertv. And it would be 'sdesrable' that the
whole people should be thoroughly educated
in literature, art, science, philosophy, etc.
The standard of public intelligence can
scarcely be too high. But it may be that
a people are too poor, and population too
sparse, to enable the taxable property to
give this high degree Of education to their
children. 1t is manlestly so in Minnesota
to-day, for as we have shown, there are
many hundred school districts where there
are no schools, and many others where the
school fund will furnish but three months
schooling in the year.
Again; if we were overfowing with
wealth it would be desirable that every
teacher should be perfect scholar; but as
tits, we are compelled to put up with teach
ers possessing an ordinary English educa-
ton; for the education in reading, writing
and arithmetic, the people must have, 1t is
s'absolutely essental' to the safety of society
A man may be good citizen and a judicious
voter without knowing anything about Latin
N.oo1, 1J,,;, Aotroromv or Mathematics ).
but community of men who do not know
how to read and write, cannot be safely
trusted, for any great length of time, to
maintain free institutions. Here then is
the distinction we seek to make between
desirable" thing and an ''essentiap' one.
We hold that public schools affording an or
binary English education are essential;
while Normal schools to train teachers in
the art of teaching are simply desirable. >
For it must not be forgotten that the Nor
NAL School does not pretend to educdt
teachers but simply to train them IN thu
most improved methods of tmpartlng the an
formation they already possess. If young
girl receives a fair education in one Of oul
graded schools and understands the highel
branches of learning taught therein, sh
will soon learn, bypractice, the best ways o
reaching the minds of her pupils. Should
we then spend $4,000 per year to teacl
her some little new tricks of this art o
teaching? 1t might be desirable" tina
she should have all the new methods, bu
she can do without them; and whether o
not she should possess them becomes
question merely of expediency, dependin
on how far the community are able to pa
for them.
But if it is conceded that the State is abb
to spend $50, 900 per year to train teacher
in the art of teaching, then the questio
arises in what way can that money be mo:
judiciously spent. We hold that it woul
be better to abolish two of our Norm'
schools and divide what they receive. sa
$40, 900 per year among the high an
graded schools of the State. If the obje'
is to bring to the people knowledge of Il
! new tricks in the art of teaching. tn
= would bring them to one hundred whel
they are now brought to ten. If the obje
is to turn out teachers. possessed of a
these improved methods, our plan wou
I turn out one hundred teachers where Il
: present plan turns out ten.
. En-. ANTI -MoNoPoLIsT.
# ITO be continued next week.