Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-02

PERRY CENTRE, N. y. April II.
To the Eiitor oi the Fee Press AMI Times
Among the objects of interest that have
come under my notice since leaving Yer
mont, the State Normal School, at Oswego,
i specially worthy Of mention. Its history.
its growth and its present status serve to
illustrate principle in education which
constitutes the true secret of progress in the
growth OF any system. An institution of
learning is thing of life. There must be
well-iefned, animaling prHnpie in 1t,
corresponding TO leayen Ia the meal, which
vi;alizes the whole mass. That principle,
whatever it be, gains expression through
some person, who, by his own individuality
and mental grasp, combines ideas and in
s.rumentalities into system, OF which his
own geniuI i the animating power. This
principle - clearly -. n ~ tAs history of the
University OF Vermont Tue system OF met
sphysicI by which that school is distin-
guished owes its peculiar methods 10 the
mental characteristics Of one man, who,
by his personal inspiration. bresthed into it
the life by which it still lives. If it were
possible to eliminate from the University
of Vermont the philosophy Of James
Mfrsh, the school would be as empty
of vital power as Christianity would
be without the Sermon on the Mount.
The Oswego Normal Schco! illustrates the
same principle, though in different way
and on different plan. 1t has grown to
its present dignity and magnitude BY rea-
son Of principle IN the mind OF its found
er, OF which itself Is the outer expression.
lie began bis work 10 Oswego as an educa-
tor. in 1919, among the poor of the city.
Organizing a charity school, be experiment.
ed upon a method OF instruction peculiarly
his own, aud proved 10 his own satisfaction
the entire practieability OF that method.
The Distinguishing feature OF il is TO first
acquaint the mind OF the learner with
things, and by the help OF thlngs draw out
his thoughts, then put the things and
thoughts into language and teach tin the
OrthOgraphy and the chirography of the
OBJECTS studied lie lust reversed the old
method of learning words first, and the idea
of tjects and their relations afterwards
His experiment was so signally successful
and 30 popular, that in 1851 he was elected
superintendent OF schools in the city Of
Syracuse. But in two years he was called
bacS to Oswego to superIntend the public
schools there, and to establish training
school for tho benefit OF the teachers of
the city, some of whom constituted
his first class. These had increased
IN lsGi to 80 in number, when an appropri-
alton of 50 900 was made by the State to
aid the enterprise. Tho following year
suitable builjiDg was bought by the city
and given TO the State for a normal school
From that time - the present the school
has advanced in reputation and usefulness.
until 1t now contains an average of three
hundred pupils, IS per cent OF whom are
ladies preparing to become teachers in the
public schools Of the State. Those who have
already gone forth a. graduates number
l,eJS. Inc orig inal buildings have now
become too straig htened, and an appropria- |
ton OF S5G, 900 Is being expended in recon- |
struetion and engagements. When the |
work is completed the building will present |
a front of lsS feet. varying in depth from 50 |
to LIT feet, of three stories above the base |
ment. with external finish and internal |
appointments after the most approved style |
In the growth of this work the original |
idea OF the founder has ever been kept |
prominent. His own mind has been the |
animns of the whole enterprise. His original
conception IN primary Instruction, and |
his original method OF training teachers |
has been the seed which terminated in the |
charity school and which has continued to |
grow, as o tree grows, by the vital force |
that resides in its heart, until it has deyel-
oped a system that is copied by all the Nor
NAL Schools OF this. and by many in other
States, and until it has reyolutionizsd to a
great extent the methods in all the public
schools OF this region. In the practice
school OF the institution, the central idea Of
the institution Is best illustrated Into
these apartments large primary classes are
received from the city TOR gratuitous in
struetion, which is given by the Normal
pupils who are there drilled in the practice
Of teaching. and taught to carry out in de-
tail the object method, and the kindergarten
method. The same central idea runs up
through all departments of instruction. so
far as it is practicable. Botany, Zoology,
anatomy and mechanics. are
taught upon the same plan, while at the
same time modern and ancient languages
are pursued extensively according to the
choice OF pupils. Fifteen teachers are en-
ployed in the school with salaries varying
rom $500 to $1,000 per annum. The
annual appropriation for the support OF the
chJol is eighteen thousand dollars.
The principal OF the school was pupil in
ny school at this place when | was an
forty years ago and COM
lleted his studies with me preparatory to
,ntering Hamilton College in l544. He
net me at Rome, n Y, on my way to this
place, and accompanied mo to 0swegp
where | tarried several days spending the
line with great pleasure which was
by visit with my old friend
md ciassmate. Z j. Hamilton, who Is
ctupyIng an euTiable position 10 Oswegc,
10Th a. a teacher and business man. His
PARENTS in law, the venerable father Palm
&c. now 81 years Old. and his aged wife,
W years younger, have pleasant and COM
Jrtable quarters in his own beautiful
ZONE. AltOs ther my visit in Oswego was
ne OF the srecnest spots in my lite.
q 4 IlTSTIsGT -