The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-02-22
Normal schoOls-A Public No.

Normal schoOls-A Public Need
nave been interested in the perm.
of memorial to the Legislatnro
Normal Schools by Rev. DR. II
F, 5cSnsOn, Principal Of Wbitvor,h
|, College. 1t has been distribnt.1
among Ne members of the Leo.
I islature wa 70 are the entrusted on.s
dams of the States concerns; and w.
. hope it has received the considerat;o,
that a paper SO well matured and 20 FIN
of valuable thoughts deserve. Evorr
philosophical citizen who listened :,
the very able and timely address of Hon
j. L. NJ. Curry before the I,egis.
ture, must have had his belief
strengthened in the necessity of a.
efficient public school system; nor conI5
his assertion that the cause of educotion
has never aourished in any State 70.
public nor nation, except when the school
system was managed and directed bv
the State itself fail to produce an i'm.
preston. The instances which he cited
were numerous, and his proposition was
fortified by an impregnable logic Of
facts which could not be overturned.
But system without competent
teachers, is worse than farce; it is an
unmitigated cheat. Mr.. Curry dealt
with force and imprisoned eloquence in
denouncing system which foists pre-.
tenders and quacks upon credulous
public to play the role Constructors, and
he said that there was no punishment too
severe for the person who imposes him.
self upon the public as teacher without
possessing the necessary qualifications
for that high trust.
To secure competent teachers for the
schools it undertakes to establish,
should be the prime duty of the Com
monwealth, and the attainment of this
end is the object of the memorial of DIR.
johnson, who was appointed by the
State Teachers Association to bring the
the subject to the notice of the Legisla-
ture.
Defining a Normal School, DIR. John
son says:
normal school is one which instructs
and trains teachers for their special work.
A teacher must have thorough and critical
knowledge of the branches taught, more
than is needed in the ordinary business of
life. 1t is not Sufficient that me knows the
rules and definitions Of one textbook on n
given subject; he must be the master, not of
a textbook, but of the subject itself Hence,
in the normal schools of this country. there
are thorough Views of the ordinary
branches of eS kolA such as Arithmetic,
Grammar, etc. ch the pupil becomes
more thoroughly critically acquainted
With them, anda aSses the very best
methods of inst and managing a
class. The co d study of these
branches in the schools, however, is
subordinate TOD dn idea, which is the
teaching Of Nience of teaching or
pedagogies. comprises the study Of
the ends and 4 OF education in general,
Tle um of instruction, Lam
guage and N. OF questioning, of the
methods of teach Of the history Of educa-
tIon-which RelS guard against mistakes
by showing ~ her teachers and schools
we talled( ~ eded, suggests new ideas
ldefhCle ds, etc.-Louis Sedan,
is Normal School. Mr..
same report (lS75-G,) in
reN mission of pupils: at
IS, 9p bic 10 have the highest
Brld ntS in the possession Of
they are admitted, but
lg.S. h scars over tho limits
OF sober As tits, normal schools
must sthose who have
just, sut Cit and adequate preparations
A nor1itd school, - one, then, whose aim is
to prepare persons to become successful
teachers.
After citing numerous authorities,
Owe can hardly see why so plain propo-
sition should need demonstrating, set
ting forth the absolute necessity of
normal schools, the writer of the men,
orial says
The fact is that all men who have direct
ed Their attention 10 this subject regard
normal seh0Gls as a necessary outgrowth Of
public free schools They arc the head di-
recting, methodizjng, guiding the great
work OF popular education. They are the
leart, pouring 4 current of vitality through
ihe whole common school system. They
ire the centre. radiating light and warmth
n every direction. They are TO our free
schools what the base of operations is to an
invading army; for from them are continu-
'liy drawn fresh supplies of wel-prepared.
eachers to sii the ever increasing demand
ne experience OF nations and States proves
heir necessity. The testimony of thou
ands OF educators shows conclusivelv that
hey are productive OF the best results. To
IL oppositions, doubts, cayils. obiectors
he unanswerable reply is, they have been
ried and they are a success If they are
lot important, yea, necessity to public
rec schools then the experience of a hun
red Years and the observation and ma
uFest reflections Of our wisest men must
& lor nought Il may be said that the
- fIi,-- r tutif DuSl-
& They nave under their care those
mo, " few years, will compose the great
aasS % oar population, and at time whenI
Rey are IN the formative state and, conse-I
uehtiy the most susceptible 10 good and
- t'PtC9oAVuo. At uQ AkftEf period OIL
heir lives can they he SO easily directed in
be path which will DO to their interest and
nat OF the whole community. Well train
teachers are necessary to this great
The Legislature has decided not to have
State Female College. May the hope
Ct pc INDUCED that the Importance of
Normal School system will not BID
verlooked-? Nothing will do more ia
clip on the cause of immigration and
lateral development than thorough
ublic school system. One of the frs
'qafries which will be made by people
no contemplate settling in our State
neither from the Northern States, OF
ON Europe, where efficient school sys
mr. IL -