The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-05-05
wORD.

1 desire, through your paper, TO
say few words to those especi-
ally interested in securing good
teachers for our common schools,
viz, County superintendent and
school MISUNDERSTANDING teach
ers who go out from our Normal
School. 81
We are mutually aiming to at
tain the same greatly needed re-
sult-wen qualified teachers-and
they have q right to look to the
Normal School for model teachers.
On our part we are willing and de-
slrous that the value of our work
should be tested by the character
OF the teachers whom we send
forth. But in this testing, we
wish for "fair play" and the ex-
ercise, on the part of our judg es,
of that same practical, good com
mon sense which they employ in
testing the merits. OF other profess
sional schools, and OF analogous
organizations. 4
In the exercise Of this enlight-
ened and impartial judgment, sew
eral facts are to be duly consider
ed: e<.- f--tE7
1st. A large number of students
come TO the Normal with very linn
tied and incorrect education.
They have studied in the home
district school, the elementary
branches usually taught, but we
find upon examination that this
foundation work, in nine-tenths of
the cases which come before us,
has been imperfectly acquired, an d
is connected with so many vicious
scholarly habits that not only
must the pupils be required to
commence back at the beginning,
but must be kept back for two or
three terms, before we can pass
them to higher studies and pro-
nounce them competent to teach
correctly these lower branches.
Yet o large number of these in
mature, unframed pupils go out
FROM the Normal after spending
only two or three terms in this
work OF reconstruction, and apply
for and obtain schools. They
announce that they have been at
the Normal Sch0ol-Very likely
many Of them assume airs of su-
periOrity on this account. School
officers and parents are under the
impression that these teachers
represent the Normal School.
They consequntly judge the Nor
NAL by these undeVeloped and i'm
perfectly educated teachers. Right
here l desire to enter an emphatic
protest. We do not endorse the
qualifications or work of this class
Of Normal scholars. They must
stand or fall upon their own mer-
its. They are oftentimes of IN
ripe age, OF entirely defective ed
ucation, with inadequate concep-
tions of the the nature and respon-
sibllies of the teachers vocation,
they haYe had no experience and
no professional culture and train
Ing at the Normal. We cannot
and do not recommend them as
competent to teach q good COM
mon school. II County Superin-
tendents give certificates to this
GLASS of Normal scholars we de-
sire it to be distinctly understood
that they and not the Normal
School are responsible for the
character of the work done. We
do the best we can in the time
and under the circumstances, for
these pupils. We insist on thor
oughness, and urge the necessity
Of q longer and fuller preparation,
but frequently fail of convincing
them. The fact that school di-
rectors will employ them, because
they can be had cheap is one of the
chief reasons why SO many third
grade teachers abound. They are
not the products of Normal
training and culture.
I'd. There is another large in
termediate class-pupils who have
attended the Normal three, four or
more terms, who have advan-
ced into, and perhaps compile
ted the first year of the
elementary course-who have
some professional training in OBJ
servation, and practice in the
Training School, and have gather
ed many correct ideas of teaching
from the classroom work and gen,
nj exercises and management of the
Normal. Many of these pupils
when possessing sufficient matur
ity Of age and having natural abil-
ity to teach and govern, can teach
very fair common schools. To 8
certain extent, they represent the
results OF Normal instruction..
They ought to teach and manage
Q common school far better thar
those of equal natural ability
who have not enjoyd the advanta
ges Of the Normal. To this ex
tent we heartily endorse and com
mend them. n Yet the County Su
perintendent should in all thes,
cases, rely chiefly upon the indi
cations Of the written examina
= ton. They do not go forth will
I the ENDORSEMENT and legal qnalifi
cation which the Normal Diplomi
confers. = - vi 4
8. This includes the graduate
o of the Normal. We--dO endOrs
these, as competent to teach sucl
grade of'schools,as are included il
the course of study, in which the,
have graduated. Their diploma
are legal certificates of qualities
tioRs, and as the County Super
fintendent cannot compel sue
graduates to be tested by their ex
aminations, it is right that tn
Normal School should be respoI
sible for the excellence of thei
work.
At the same time, every on
knows, who is in any manner a.
quinted with school life an