The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-02-28
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

We copy the following sensible talk
about Normal schools in general, and
our Normal school in particular, by State
Superintendent Lennon, from his re-
Gently issued biennial report:
At this place | shall speak of the State
Normal school alone, because it is the
only one of these institutions about whose
future there is a question.
On the night of the Goth of last Octo-
Der, the beautiful building in which this
school has been conducted for several
years was destroyed by fire. An account
of the fire and Its causes, together with Il
statement of the present needs of the in
stitutiOn, is given in appendix Z, as sup
Elemental reports of its officers. With
some. the destruction Of this building
has raised the question of the best policy
to be pursued by the state in reference 20
the training of its teachers.
There is a large class of persons who
claim that the state should make no pro-
vision for special professional education.
They believe that the training of teach
ers, like the professional instruction of
candidates for the socalled learned pro
fessions, should be left t. private enter
prise.
Without admitting that the state should
do nothing for the special professional
education of its ministers, lawyers or
doctors, or attempting long argument
to prove my position, | shall state nv
conviction that the adoption of this the
DRY in reference to the training of teach
ers, would lead TO the most disastrous re-
suits.
Our state is not engaged in the bust
ness of preaching, nor the practice of law
or medicine. Ii assumes little RESPONSE
bility for any or all of these professions.
1t directly employs very few ministers,
attorneys or physicians. With educa-
tional matters it is different. The state
of Kansas is very extensively engaged in
the business of teaching school. 1t has
undertaken the educational training of
its growing army of boys and girls. To
do this work well, it must have Il large
corps of thoroughly qualified teachers.
Every year many of our best teachers
leave the school room to engage in some
other vocation. Others must be secured
to take their places. Our schools must
be supplied with teachers. If we cannot
secure good ones, we are certain 10 en-
plOy those of II lower grade. The mate
rial at hand has always been employed
in this and other states.
Now, the state cannot afford TO supply
its schools with poOrly-qualified teachers.
The interests at stake are too great for
this. Incompetency is more out of place
in the school room than anywhere else
The appointed leaders of our children
should be men and women of the highest
character They should thoroughly I'M
derstand, and be, in every respect, we'll
qualified for their work The teachers
must be secured in one of two WAYS :
They must either he educated at home or
imported from abroad, To secure the
best teachers of other states, we must pay
higher salaries than are received in those
states. This we have not done in the past,
and are not likely to do in the future.
An annual salary of $171.93, the average
now paid in this state, is not great in
ducement to the best teachers at other
places to come to Kansas. UnQuestion-
ably, the greater number of our common
school teachers will always be educated
| in our own state. Their character and
qualifications will depend in great part
on the provision made for their training
The experience of other states and
countries should be worth something to
us. Almost without exception, those
that have made the best progress in pub
lie education have done the most for the
professional training of their teachers
| In the most advanced countries of Eu
rope, the normal school is considered as
most essential part of their educational
system. Prussia has no less than one
hundred and six teachers seminaries, in
which are employed about seven hun
dred instructors. During 1877, seven
thousand one hundred and ninety-ninC
students were enrolled in these schools
Can we afford to reject the educational
agency that has made the name of Prus
STA synonymous with progress?
/ In establishing Our SvsfeOo Of norm n
institutes, we admit that the state should
and must do something for the training
of its teachers. That much good has
been and will continue to be accomplish
cd in these institutes, / firmly believe
but that they are sufficient for all the de
mands of the present, or will prove ade
quate for all the requirements of the flu
ture, cannot admit. To have success
full institutes, We must have well-ouali
ned leaders; and TO secure these, We
must make provision for their educa
tianal and professional training. Oul
school system will never be complete
satisfactory, perfect, without its normal
school.
The friends of normal schools are di
vided into two classes. First, those who
believe that these institutions should bt
confined to elementary work, and thai
they should be so distributed throughout
the state as to enable all teachers of com
mon schools to receive instruction il
them. Secondly, those who believe tina
in each state one central normal schoo
OF high character should be supported
in which teachers of all grades Should
be instructed; and, as rapidly as they
can be established and sustained, train
ing classes for teachers should be organ
lied In every county.
II The arguments in favor of each o
these plans were well stated two year
ago, by able articles by Professors Wher
rell and Pomeroy, and distributed
throughout the state-the former favor
ing the first, and the latter the SECOND
T scheme outlined above. 1t is now evi
dent that the aforementioned plan viii
not soon be adopted. Whatever may b
|, the arguments in its favor, the peopl
will not soon incur the expense of estab
fishing and maintaining q halfdoZel
normal schools. The school at Empori
has q land endowment that will sool
give IL a good support Had it not bee
for the loss OF its building, il could cor
Itinue to do good work without much as
; distance from the state. The school i