The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-13
DR.. ROUNDS.
A Sketch Of the Career OF the Retiring
Principal of the Pennington Normal
School.

In view of the retirement of NJ. G. @.
Rounds from the principalshp of the Farming
ton Normal School after service of so many
years, an imperfect sketch of his educational
work may be of interest Mr.. Rounds is a
Maine man BY birth, a graduate of Dartmouth
College, printer by trade, teacher By pre-
fession, and an enthusiast in everything that
he undertakes by nature. His first teaching
of Importance was in Cleveland, Ohio, where
he was principal of grammar school for six
years. At the end of that time he was elected
principal of the Cleveland High School, but
owing TO family reasons, he declined that
position, returned to Maine, and took charge
of the Edward Little Institute at Auburn.
At about this time Maine experienced an
educational revival Gen. Chamberlain, a
scholar and an educator, was Governor. He
believed that the office of superintendent of
schools should be filled by teacher of ex-
perience, student of educational methods and
a man of power
He found such man in Warren johnson
The first and one of the most important acts
of MIR. Johnson's administration was to place
G. c. Rounds at the head Of the Pennington
Normal School. The school at the time was
young, without system, and without any re-
cords of the work previously accomplished. 1t
was in fact little more than an academy. MIR.
Rounds placed it upon a substantial basis and
made it, what it was designed to be, training
school, For fifteen years he has worked uu-
tiringly to keep the school abreast with the
best of similar institutions in the country.
He has spent much time in visiting schools
OF all grades and in studying the educational
systems Of all countries, and it is safe to say
that few men in the United States are his
supericrs in the department Of school methods.
Under his management the Pennington
Normal School has been a distinguished and,
in respect 20 the character of the work accom-
plished, a growing success. 1t is true that Of
late years the number OF students in at
tendance has not been large. This is in part
owing to the fact that the school has been
made each year more distinctly school for
teachers, and in part owing to its extremely
unfortunate location, But the school has
graduated a good number each year. Mr..
Rounds educational labors have BY no means
been confined to his school. There are few
localities in This State which have not been
reached by his voice or pen. Wherever or
whenever a word could be said or o thing be
done to advance the cause of public education,
there anu tn0u no uaS D6bn lOuHu AT the lrOnt.
be was twice president OF the State Educa-
tional Association. He did more than any Que
else to establish the Maine Pedagogical
Society. He has been president of the New
England Normal Association, twice president
of the National Normal Association, and is
now secretary of the National COUNCIL of
Education.
AS he leaves the State Mr.. Rounds may be
congratulated not only upon his deserved pro-
motions but upon the fact that he leaves hosts
OF friends in Maine who regret his going and
wish him full success. In an address at
Pennington last week he said that the change
he is TO make is not due to the recent trouble,
but that under any circumstances he would
have felt it to be his duty to accept the call to
the New Hamphire Normal School,
1t is pleasant TO know this. For feeling of
disgrace would have been added to regret, If it
had been thought thata puny and contempti-
BILE attack upon his professional methods and
bearing had bsen more effective than tho out
spoken support of the leading educators in the
State aud Of the alumni OF the school.
1t is also pleasant to feel that though Maine
is to lose the services OF Mr.. Rounds in the
future, she can not lose tho results of his
faithful labor il the past, f. e. G. Il.