The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-07-19
NEWTON NORMAL SCHOOL.
Glimpse of the Interesting Things
in Progressive Elementary Education.
Special Correspondence Of the Chronicle.

Special Correspondence Of the Chronicle.
NEWTON, n. c., July 1.-THE Normal
School at Newton is now in full blast. We
have the best faculty, some say, in the
State. All colleges of all parts of the
United States are represented. The great
Normal School of Pennsylvania has fur
nished us Phi. D., N. c. Shaffer, an
alumnus of the University of Berlin. He
lectures every day on school government
and methods of teaching. He is one of
the most interesting lecturers we ever
heard. His audience cheers him when
ever he appears, and cheers him when he
sits down. He is a full, a ready and eX-
act man, and among other virtues he is
q strong Democrat and low tariff man.
| noticed particularly the other day and
| counted no less than thirty-tive or forty
pupil teachers that asked questions and
joined in the discussions; and | noticed
also that the faculty were kept up to the
topmost notch Of alertnes by the fire of
questions and exchange Of opinions; and
a gentleman from New York said he had
no idea a normal school was such an in
tcresting place.
Now let us particularize. The faculty is
composed as follows: superintendent, NJ
C.S. Noble, Superintendent of Wilmington
Graded Schools; and if there is a liver,
we would like to see him-that's all.
The newest and most unique departure
so far is the organization of practice
class. 1t is managed in this way: The
pupil-teachers are teaching a class of chill
dren, under the supervision Of the faculty.
The way in which each recitation is con-
Quoted is criticised by the faculty, faults
corrected and suggestions made. Here
then we have the theory and practice of
methods under intelligent criticism, and
if a teacher does not learn how to con-
duct recitation, then that teacher ought
to sell his book and emigrate. This we
believe, as the boys say, ''takes the cake. :"
We have never heard of it before in the
State, and if the other normal schools
want to do good, effective work, let them
send delegates to the Newton Normal.
We have always thought we had the
best normal in the State-jhat in many
things it excelled all others-but now we
rose will furnish us space we will go to
the Exposition fully expecting the first
prize. Besides DR.. Shaffer's department,
and Prof. Mobiles work, we have Prof
Moses on arithmetic, and one old Dutch
man looking at him on Monday as he
tossed figures about in reckless manner
and wrote ''sums' upon the board with
astonishing rapidity exclaimed: ''Py
simminy. dot young man ish lightnin'. ."
Whether he is lightning or not we know
he is thoroughly posted" Aud he is
general-in-chie of the calisthenic battal-
ion. We have had calisthenics before; we
have had marchiag around before; but we
have never succeeded in creating such in
terest as now appears.
Then Prof. W. A. Blair is always pres
ent. Object lessons, development lessons,
language lessons, primary reading, fur
nish fields into which he leads the teach
ers day after day. He is live man, a
graduate of Harvard.
Prof. Scroggs carries us all over the
world in easy stages, and we stop here
and there to gather a papyrus a rosetta
stone, battle flag, and store of other
good things.
The school is success in every way.
The citizens take great interest, and visit
the school in crowds. We have the best
order, the most freedom, the least re-
straint that we have seen anywhere. 1t is
certainly model normal, and it certainly
teaches the teachers how to teach"
VJDI