Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-02-26
When Miss Cuddeback entered

training department the last week
in June 1889, she did so with her
usual zeal, energy and push. She
came Immediately to Alma spent two
weeks in getting out and mailing add
vertising literature. Two thousand
circulars were at that time folded and
addressed for mailing by Miss Cud-
deback. She next went to Bay View,
Mt. Pleasant, Ithaca, St. johns, Ionia,
Hastings and st. Joseph, places
where state institutes were in session
and personally scattered circulars
and catalogues for Alma College.
Before the first of September,
1890 Miss Cuddeback had placed
over five thousand circulars into the
hands of teachers.
Miss Cu1deback began her class
work on September IL, 1880 in the
tower room of the library building
which had been fitted up for class
room. This room was so small that
only three seats and desks could be
placed in it. Each seat comfortably
accommodating four pupils but class
of sixteen was necessarily crowded
into them.
There was no room for teachers
desk or chair and the temperature of
the room was often below 60o but
all worked with vim which must
produce results. Results were pro.
duced and Alma College may well
look back with pride to those who
graduated from that little room. AT
the State Teachers Association at
Lansing in December 1889, this class
made the finest display of kindergar
ten work that has ever been shown
in Michigan. The courses of study
were much broader than the one of
the preceding year and were especial
ly adopted to meet the needs of the
primary teachers of Michigan.
AS the principle of growth is the
great principle on which Miss Cud-
deback bases progress in educational
matters the course of study for the
following year 1890 and 81 were en-,
larged
The department now was named
the Normal Training Department.
These courses of study were provided
"a Normal extending through four
years, professional extending
through one year and kindergarten
or primary extending through one
term.
The northeast room on the third
floor of the main college building
was made Miss Cuddebeck's recita
ton room. This is large room,
well lighted with sufficient floor
space for some physical exercise.
The cry for elbow room was at an
end but when the winter months ar
rived it was found that here toe, heat
was at a premium. Nevertheless
work moved on with surprising pro-
gress.
What seems almost incredible is
the fact that Miss Cuddebeck carried
all the professional work of these
courses without any assistance ex-
cept what her brother boy of six
teen aided her in the mechanical and
office work. She personally attended
not only the professional work but
to the Advertising of the department.
Miss Cuddebeck was doing the work
of three or four teachers if we meas
ure what she did by what Miss Ross
did in hours work the first year, or
by what is done in hours, in kind or
in amount of work done by teachers
in many of the large training schools.
Another noticeable feature is the
fact that although the training work
when first put into Alma College
consisted only of brief course in
kindergarten training, it was now
enlarged to prepare not only kinder
garten teachers but teachers for any
grade of work in public school. Miss
Cuddeback was teacher of public
school and Normal school experience
before taking charge of the work at
Alma College.
The class of 81 received fifteen to