The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-01-02
NORMAL SCHOOL NOTES.

ALhost every day brings new evi
dence Of the new life infused into the
working of our Normal School. 1t is
perhs. ps, true that no other school in
the state has a Board of Trustees who
are ever on the alert to discover the
needA of the school along any line
and to see any place for improvement
or any point of advantage is but the
index of its fulfillment. If any proof
were lIeeded, it is abundantly found
IN the elegant refirnishing of the stud
ents' looms, in the equipment of the
most complete Manual Training De
partmcnt of any Normal School in the
state, and in the recent prizes taken
in the line of progressive, thoughtful
teachers
The Principal, Prof J. p. Welsh, is
determined and the Board of Trus-
tees are giving him very loyal support,
that nothing shall be left undone that
shall place the school assuredly and
justly in the very front rank Of educa-
tional thought.
Two teachers have just been added
to the faculty, who give promise OF
grand results The one, Miss Melissa
S. Perley, a graduate OF the Oswego
Normal of New York, and who was
for ten years critic teacher in the
State Normal School of Dayton, Ohio,
comes to take charge of the upper
grade of the Model school. DR.. Shell
don, of Oswe5o, recommends her very
highly.
The other new member in the fac
ulty is Ex. Co. Supt. James NJ. Cough
lin of Luzerne County The securing
Of Prof. Coughlin on the teaching
force of our Normal School, is indeed
matter for profound self-congratula-
ton.
We have nottime nor space to notice
the important events in Mr.. Cough
Inns life since his birth in IS4S, nor
yet, since he began his career as a
teacher in 1868, but the steps Of pro-
gress that especially prepared and fit
ted him for the very prominent posi-
ton he occupies to-day among the
educators of our country, are plainly
apparent in his wonderful manage
ment of the public schools of Luzerne
county. He came to the Superinten-
dency of Luzerne county fresh from
the public schools of Kingston, Pa,
and previously was Senior Principal OF
the male and female academy at New
Columbus.
The Wilkes Barre Record, COM
mentng on his retirement from the
superintendcncy last June said: "The
county of Luzerne loses tried and
true public servant. For twelve years
he has made the rounds of this large
county and has brought the schools
up to high degree of proficiency.
He took his place when there was
confusion, he leaves splendid system.
The Ecening Leader, Wilkes
Barre, said at that time: "There are
more brilliant men, there are men
who flash and scintillate more, there
are men more deeply read, men whose
knowledge of things obstruse to the
ordinary mind, is deeper and more
profound, but there are few men
who have so wide an extent Of prac-
teal knowledge, or a better compre-
hension of how to impart it to others
there are few who have so thorough a
knowledge of our schools and of our
scholars. and there are absolutely none
SO completely wrapped up in his work.
One cannot know James NJ. Cough
lin week, nor day without seeing
that his thoughts are prolific Of good
fruit which the schools get, digest and
profit by
In addition to the above, it is gen.
orally acceded that Prof. Coughlin as
a Co, and State Inst. worker, is one
of the most acceptable in the
state. Beginning with the last week
of Aug. he has filled every week since
then in the counties of our own
state and of New Jersey and Delaware.
All things considered, then, the
securing of Prof. James NJ. Coughlin
on the Faculty of our Normal School
is real prize and should be source
of much qualification to every friend of
the school.
Lloyd p. Zaner at Tamison CITY has