The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-02-12
NORMAL SCHOOL, ron WHITES.
Addresses OF DR.. carry and Mr.. Me-
GiIvray Before ne Committees
or the TIVE 1Teuses.

or the TIVE 1Eeuses.
Rev. j. L. NJ. Curry. D. D., appeared
before the Educational Committees OF the
two houses OF the General Assembly yes
teiday afternoon, and addressed them on
the importance OF normal instruction In
general, and especially the need OF normal
school for the educafion Of white teachers
In virginip. Two normal schools for COL
ored teachers had been provided. This
was right, but there was need also for
normal instruction for white teachers. He
stated that every State in which any fair
proportion Of the people have been edu-
Gated has accomplished thy means Of pub
Tic schools. Virginia Is deliberately COM
mitted to the policy OF public schools
and for their maintenance pays in
the aggregate large sum OF mo-
ney. She practically compels most OF her
citizens to educate their children at these
schools. She is bound, then, to see to 1t
that good schools are provided. The
teacher makes the school; hence the way
to make good schools Is to make good
teachers. II The State. takes the. peoples
money for education it Is bound to see to 1t
that full value therefor Is received. III the
teacher Is worthless the investment Is lost.
II one well-educated and well-trained
teacher IS worth twice as much as one ig-
norant and unframed the State should take
proper and adequate means to prevent a
waste of the school money. AS matter
Of economy, then, schools for the training
of teachers should be provided. Skill and
knowledge are demanded in every pursuit
of life; how infinitely greater the need
when the material to be operated on is not
dead matter, but the human mind, which
is to be instructed, whose faculties are to
be trained. and whose influences for good
or i'll viii last throughout eternity. There
is a widespread and lamentable lack OF COM
petent teachers. There Is much hum
buggery about teaching; the solid and use
full is often sacrificed to the superficial
and ornamental. The ordinary school agen-
cies are inadequate to supply the need for
trained teachers. So far as Virginia Is
concerned, this is shown By the last report
OF the superintendent OF Public Instruc-
ton in the fact that out OF 5,07S teachers
in the public schools only 81 have been
educated at the State institutions. The
necessity and practicability OF special agen-
cies for the training OF teachers Is shown
by the establishment OF chairs Of peda-
gogics, teachers departments, and special
courses OF study for teachers I'm colleges;
by the holding OF teachers Institutes,
which Governor Cameron recently wisely
and properly commended to the atten-
ton OF the General Assembly, and by the
establishment OF normal schools. In Eu-
rope the normal school is regarded as a
necessary auxiliary to a system OF public
education. 1t was first established In Ger
many over 200 years ago, and Is now found
in nearly every State Of the United
States. In Massachusetts, over 40 per
cent. OF the teachers have had nor
NAL training. A normal school is de-
signed to train teachers, or to prepare
them to enter on their work. The pupils in
the normal school must show Q) that they
know the subjects taught, and (2) that they
can impart this knowledge to others. The
end OF school-wOrk is the education OF the
child-the impartiDg Of knowledge and
the drawing out and strengthening OF its
faculties. The object OF the normal school
is to make its pupil a skilled instrument for
the education of the child. Ii must there
fore give to them definite idea OF the
true object, principles, and methods OF
education; thorough knowledge OF the
subject he will need to teach, with such
facility and skill in the application OF these
principles and this knowledge as will en-
able him to organize, control, and classify
the school and educate the pupils. This
training is simply means to an end, and
all studies should be conducted with spe-
cial reference to the best ways OF teaching
them. The pupils, IN turn. are re-
quired 10 teach under the criticism OF
the teacher and of their fellow-students.
They are expected. therefore, to gain at
a normal school O thorough teaching
knowledge, (2) knowledge Of the guiding
principles OF the art, (3) best methods Of
instruction aud government, and (4) skill
In the art Of teaching by practice. The
normal school stands to-day unsurpassed as
an economical, well-tried, and approved
agency for the education and training Of
teachers. 1t is impossible to maintain an
efficient system OF public instruction with
out it. In conclusion he presented the
following recapitulation of the arguments
Of the address:
/. The education OF the young is so vital
10 the well-being OF society that the State
must attend to il az matter of sclf-pre-
servation; that this is the cheapest, best,
2. The proper preparation OF teachers is
essential to any system OF education.
3. Experience in this and other countries |
shows that teachers are not forthcoming In |
numbers and OF the right kind |
lnless the State makes provision for their |
4. Normal schools are the best means OF |
and hence are as truly and |
egitimately q part OF the public-school
ystem as any other part.
In conclusion, DR.. Curry urged the pas
age OF bill for the establishment OF
normal school for the education Of white
eachers. He said that it was only ques-
ion OF time; that il not passed now it
would be only few years before public
ointment would demand it. He promised
hat II such a school were established at
east third OF its current expenses would
'e betrayed by the Peabody Educational
Tund.
The committee passed resolution ask
ng DIR. Curry to draw up such bill as he
hought would accomplish the end aimed
for their consideration at an early meet
ng.
He was followed by Rev. W. b. McGil-
ray. who endorsed the position Of DR..
'urry, and urged also the need OF teachers
Institutes and the appointment OF State
,cturer, whose duty 1t shall be to hold
eachers' institutes In the various counties
the State.
/