The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-06-09
The State Normal School.

lhc Stute NOrIlal SCHOOL.
The dedication of the State Normal School,
located in the city of Baltimore, which took
place on Friday, the I'd inst, was an event
OF great interest to the friends of public edu-
cation and the ceremonies, attendant upon it
were most appropriate and interesting The
addresses of Governor Carroll, Mayor La
trobe, State Treasurer Compton, Principal
Newell and President Gilman of the Johns
Hopkins University, were received with evil
dent satisfaction by the large and appreca-
tive audience in attendance. That of Gov
ernor Carroll particularly so. During its
delivery he was repeatedly applauded
lie said the board of public works were
here to present, through the mayor, their
congratulations to the citizens of Baltimore
upon the completion of noble edifce, and
to turn 1t over to those who are acting their
part in the perpctualion Off system of free
| education in the State. The commanding
and beautiful situation of the building and
It's architecture and interior arrangements
gave promise that the enterprise would be
success. The State had extended its bounty
to the Normal School in its difficulties and
had brought it through them, and to day
there was no man to be found to raise his
voice against the erection of this building.
The public schools of the land were sustain
cd by the taxation of a free people, and had
$4,000 schools with 5000, 900 ofpupils. No
other nation has made such advances in
civilization, etthcrc are over 5, 900 900 of UNI
learned and ignorant youths in the country
from 10 TO 90 years of age, warning us that
there is yet much to be done
Since the 1o WIN nj "a rnpuI1in bn vet ON nf
education had been encouraged by statesmen,
insisted upon by the masses, and fostered by
the intelligent until has become so interwo-
ven with our government that it was the pride
and hope OF every community, and whatever
retrenchments were popularity demanded, no
one would weaken this bulwark of our free
dom. The very form and complication of
our government necessitates public education
and its progress had gone hand in hand with
| civil and religious liberty. Applause
There had ever been a contest between those
who advocate freedom and education of the
people on one hand and those who would
repress and restrain them on the other. The
champions of the popular will have been
distinguished by enlightenment for ages,
and at last Western Europe, at least in part,
has achieved q mighty conquest against the
feudal system which, with its tyranny, cor
ruption and ignorance has been swept away,
and crowned heads have been forced to sub
NIT to the voice of the people, as powerful
as 1t is just which is enabled to say, "Thus far
shalt thou come and no further" And what
Europe has only acquired through centuries
OF suffering and war we acquired at once by
the formation of institutions that recognized
intelligence and the will of the people.
Applause. TO the board of education we
look for the realization of hopes that they
would guard the trust with jealous care, and
with their principal he felt sure no narrow
policy would obtain, and above all that
no sectarian prcjudices would ever find adj
mission within these walls. Applause |
The Governor presented the keys of the
building to Prot. Newell, as secretary of the
board of education.
The valedctory of Miss Marshall, of
Prince Georges county, one of the graduates
was a remarkably well written address, and
was delivered in most feeling and eloquent
manner.
What rendered the occasion more particu.
lary gratifying to us, was the fact of four OF
the most prominent graduates being fair
daughters of Hartford, namely, Misses Minnie
N. Robinson and Laura Thomas, with per.
mnnent license to teach, and Misses SalliC
X. Smith and Annie Amber Our gratifi
cation was very much enhanced by the grace
full manner in which our young friends re.
ceived their diplomas from the hands of oul
handsome and dignifed Governor
While there are some portions of our sys
tenn of public education which do not meet
our approval, still we believe there is no fea
turc Oft which, if properly conducted, will
he of more real and permanent benefit to The
educational interests of the community than
the State Normal School. Its opening has
been most successful, and we trust will
Governor Carroll that its future may be al
its friends so confidently anticipate