The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-20
fFor the Dispatch.l
Normal SCHOOLS.

In submitting few thoughts on this very
important subject fear | shall incur the
reprimand which DR.. Whewell once gave
TO an antagonist in diSputation on archi-
lecture. Said the Master OF Trinity Col
lcge, Cambridge, 81 studied architecture
under Richman--a man who never eN-
pressed an opinion upon subject unless he
felt assured that he thoroughly understood
it, Risking the rcprimand, | wish 10 eau
attention TO some remarks OF Senator KID
dleberger, as reported in the Dispatch, on
his bill to give 100000 to normal school
for colored pupils.
Mr.. Riddlcberger said there was nothing in the
objection of Nh. Berry. As to establishing "a
comprehensive system" Of normal cducation' me
whites do not need normal schools. Ihey nave inc
University and the Military Institute ana num-
her Of denOmnatiOnal colleges. ON The 0,her
hand. the colorcd people do need this school 10
educate teachers
Normal schools are professional schools
for the training OF teachers. The first
school OF this kind in Europe was founded
at Halle. in Prussia, about the year 1104.
The success OF the experiment has been
such that all enlightened governments re-
cognized tile necessity OF such schools for
the special preparation OF teachers. Ger
many, which has the best system OF free
schools in the world, had in 1874 l69 nor
nal schools. Notwithstanding her gymnasia
and unveTsities furnish unparalleled higher
instruction. Similar schools exist in Bel
gium, France, switzerland, and through
out Europe, and are regarded as an eSsen-
tial part of every system OF pubic lnstruc-
ton, Horace Mann declared normal
schools "the one indispensable thing for
carving forward a system OF common
schools" and Massachusetts now has five
such schools, OF which one fifth OF her
teachers are graduates. New York, Penn
sylyaHia, Illinois, and the great majority OF
the States OF the Union have made liberal
appropriations for such approved agencies
for Misunderstanding. General Eaton. the
ACCOMPLISHED head OF the Bureau OF Edu-
cation, in every one OF his reports makes
4 specially OF these schools and urges their
/ establishment and Improvement. DIR. RUIZ
ner, to whom more than TO any fifty other
men in the State our public-school system
| is indebted for its success, began in his first
report to urge the necessity OF normal
schools, and has continued his recon-
mendation, without intermissiOn. to the
present day. In reference TO their value,
/ the most eminent educators in Europe and
/ i'm the United States hold but one opinion.
/
! do not require special preparatory train
! ing for their work. In every other pursuit
of life demanding skill and knowledge,
such as law, medicine, surgery, dentistry,
engineering, mechanics, cooking, tailoring,
| &C.. special preliminary preparation is de-
handed, and schools OF special training
and practice are established. Charles James
1 Fox took lessons IN carving As needful 10
4 a 10. to. al .a IL
vantage at dinner-tablc. Quite contrary
TO this erroneous and too widespread
opinion is the fact that Il sufficient number
of competent and efficient teachers cannot
be raised up and fitted for their delicate
and responsible duties without professional
/ training. Ii goes almost without saying
that there is a wide difference between
knowing thing and knowing hOp TO teach
| it.
Mr.. Riddleberger argues that the Uni
yersity, Military institute, and colleges are
quite sufficient to supply and prepare teach
ers for white schools. There is not school,
nor college. nor university in Virginia
where normal training is serious bust
ness; very few where it is even an orna-
mental appendagc. | query, moreover,
whether there is graduate OF the Uniyer-
! sity or Institute teaching puDlc school
within the limits OF the State. II our pub
lie schools rely on those institutions, or on
any ordinary school agencies. TO furnish a
supply OF qualified teachers, they rely on
prccari0us support.
In the public schools OF New England
large majority OF the teachers are women.
In Pennsylvania, outside OF Philadelphia,
there are 9,655 male teachers and $3.50
female teachers. In Virginia, OF the 5,392
teachers 2,l34 are women. In Richmond Il
very large majority are women. and the
dspror ortion will soon exist throughout
the entire State, and surely this superior
class OF teachers will get no benefit from
the instruction given at the University, the
Institute, or at Backsburg.
The only school In the State which gives
much attention TO Misunderstanding Is the
Agricultural and Normal School at Hamp-
ton, and that not enough. More viii be
done this year than ever before. so
here Is Il prosperous State institution, In
receipt Of a portion OF the land-scrip, re-
porting regularly to the State, Inspected by