The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-08
THE CITY NORMAL.
What r, E Lawrence Has to say About tn
Matter.
To tie Editor OF the Eagle.

| To the Editor OF the Eagle.
AS patron Of the practice department
of the City Normal school, / desire por
| ton Of your valuable space to correct some
| impressions that the statements of "Pater-
familias" make in yesterdays EAGLE.
have had two children in this department
of the Franklin school for the past year,
and have noted its workings carefully.
and in all my experience in school work,
as scholar teacher and patron of schools,
| have never seen such progress as these
children have made. When they COM
menced last September, at years of age,
they scarcely knew their letters, and in
the nine months have learned to read
quite well in the second reader; have
some knowledge of numbers; can write
better than this is written, Mr.. Editor
aud have good start in drawing aud sing
ing. l am not egotistical enough to be
lieve that they are more than ordinary
children in intelligence, and the average
pupil in the room has done equally Well,
and If additional testimony Is needed |
could refer TO Messrs. f. K. Blake, J. J.
Parkhurst, DR.. Littlefisld, Mr.. Rodoiph
Hatfield and others who have had children
III this school.
Now, what are the facts and conditions
in regard to this school?
l.. In the first place Miss Bryson
(dnd the same my be said OF
Miss Rowe of the Emerson SCHOOL, has
continual charge of these two rooms She
is believed by the board to be a thoroughly
competent primary teacher, second to none
In this, or any other city, as her record
previous to taking charge of the normal
department will prove. She divides her
time between the two rooms, and Is con-
stantly in charge throughout the year.
2 There is one of the teachers from the
normal school in each room all the time.
These are changed every three weeks, and
not every week as yesterdays article
states.
g. There is a second normal girl in each
room every afternoon, preparing 10 take
her three weeks course, when she will
take charge and another take her place,
and 50 on through the year. So there is
All average Of two teachers in each room
all the time.
Now who are these normal girls who
are "practicing" upon our children? Be-
fore entering the city normal they are
graduates OF our city high school, or some
other school equally good, and are fully
as well equipped for teaching, without
this extra normal training. us our new
teachers were before onr city normal was
established. And let me say in passing
that this arrangement enables our school
get those with experience, which they can
do in no other way They have one years
training and experience in teaching
under the very best talent the school
board Can procure. Now under these cir
Cumstances Is 1t not easy to see why pupils
in these practice schools should progress
faster than those under ordinary cOndi- |
tions? All educators recognize that with |
very small scho.ars,it needs personal work |
with the pupils to produce the best results. |
How can one teacher do this personal work |
with forty to sixty pupils? Call up class |
of fifty little tots" and go through reel |
tation, and what is the result? 4 few are |
benefited, the msjority not reached. The |
older the pupil. the more sue |
with the little ones, especially, the more |
teachers in room, the more personal work |
will the pupils receive and better results |
be obtained.
Why are parents in cities like Emporia, |
Or where any first class normal school is |
located, so anxious TO get their little chill
lren into he practice department of those |
schools? Simply because they have more |
,killful trainers and make better progress. |
Why are teachers of higher grades anxious
10 receive pupils who have been "prac
iced upon" by these normal teachers? |
IMPLY because they are better prepared
,or higher work
why are parents III tnlS Ward anxious 10
send their little children 10 the franklin
school? Simply to have them "practlced
lpon" by these normal teachers. / for one
would be glad, and | know of many others
Who would join me, in desiring TO have
10Th practice schools in the Frankli,
that we might have the adj
'autages OF its training through the fourth
grade.
Let critics visit these schools, observe
heir workings. and become posted rs TO
heir methods, and their articles will not
contain such reckless statements. With
tut wearying your readers furtlIer,it seems
O me we should continue the city normal
or the following reasons, which to my
mind are unanswerable.
l. (And chiefly.) For the superior train
ny it gives our home girls TO prepare for
eaching.
2. For the very superior advantages it
,IveS the pupils OF four rooms who are
enough TO be i'll the practice
department..
3 (And 10 my mind the least.l Because
lie taxpayers get these superior adyant-
geS absolutely without Cost.
Yours truly, Il Z. LAWRENCE.