The state chronicle., 1893-05-27
The Normal and Industrial School.

|
GoLDsBoRo, N. G. May 26.
Col. Harrell in his recent COM
munication accuses me of dodging.
If it would not seem too much like ,
calling Col Harrell "another,' l !
should be tempted to say that he is I
without successful competitor In
North Carolina in this line, and, if
we had in The State one gifted with
Charles Dickens power of applying
appropriate names to characters,
the Colonel would surely be prom
inent candidate for the name OF
"Artful Dodger."
Col. Harrell also refers to me
with others, who happen to have
expressed opinions about the Nor
NAL and Industrial contrary to his
own, as interested persons" Ii
he means to imply by this that l
am interested in seeing justice done
to an institution which is doing |
much and gives promise of doing
much more for the profession OF
which 1 am member, and which L
love, and for the cause of education
to which am devoting my life, and
that I am interested in seeing that
such an institution shall not be
crippled, just as it is starting upon
it's career of usefulness, by the un-
just and misleading attacks and
criticisms of one who never studied
, law and does not seem to be able
to construe the law creating this in
stitution, either according to the
, letter or the evident spirit and in
, tent of that law, and one who never
> had either professional training or
l experience in teaching, then l plead
guilty to the charge and thank him
t for it.
r Mr.. Hsrrell says that I admit
: that the institution is not a Normal
/ and Industrial School by saying OF
it: ''No institution was ever full
grown at it's birth" This construc-
Q ton of this language is about as
4 reasonable as Col. Harrelrs con-
r struction of the law creating the
j. Normal and Industrial School, and
q about as erroneous as Col. Harrell' 8
q construction of normal school,
d as set forth III his articles.
r "Why is it not full grown Nor
st NAL SCHOOL," he asks. [ have not
Z intimated that it was not q full
t. grown Normal, but that it was no.
d yet ullgrown institution
9r Really if I believed that the institu
a ton was full grown during the first
10 eight months of its existence, anc
d was to grow no 1aore, I should be
s. strongly tempted to join Col, Har
~ rell in his TRADE against the Presi
al dent and Directors. Under the
ID circumstances | suppose ought no
D. to be surprised that Col. Harrel
sr seems to be entirely ignorant @
IN what every real teacher knows
TO namely, that two things are essen
es tial for successful teaching, thor
le ough knowledge of the subject tx
20 be taught and knowledge of tn
art and science of teaching it.
O. His idea of normal school seem
US to be rather that of a teacher
~ mill, turning out about one hundre,
ne full fedged teachers the first year
er Col. Harrell says that there wer
of but four graduates of the Norms
or. ar d Industrial School this year. A
an Of these, believe, were graduates c
its other institutions or had consider
RI able experience in teaching unde
lr- training teachers, thus making
IL possible for them TO complete th
,e- course and fit themselves for teacI
nd in one year.
in May | ask, Colonel, why the,
mt were not more graduates and pupi
for of female colleges and seminarit
g enrolled in the Greensboro school
;he We're not the doors of the instit,
at- ton open to all such and under tt
'ur system of competitive examination
| OF would not these educated gir,s ha,
the stood the best chance of securir
Us, the appointments from the couptie
md There being nothing in the law
lile prevent such girls from enterir
Use the Normal and Industrial Schot
md may we not presume that all SUI
the entered who desired to do so?
OF Now, Colonel, suppose the ins,
Tho tuition had reported to the last lie
us islatu1e an enrolment of four
the even Of twenty pupiis-all 1ucat,
ap~ girls, pupils of female colleges al
op- seminaries. Whist do you suppo
grit that sensible legislature would ha
-eet done with the institution? Real
for Colonel, don't you think that y,
nite have offered the strongest arg
OF ment that could possibly be offer
will against opening the institution
Dry. educated girls only-pupils E:
nee, gradustes of other institutions?
de- Now, Colonel, if you knew
much about the poor struggli
teachers of North Carolina as Y
profess to know, and as some
those who have lived and labor
4 of among these teachers in the
sec rious counties Of this Sta
stan do know you might understa
.rie- that the ranks of the teachers
this our State are not filed with
we'll pupils and graduates Of female c
Tres leges and seminaries who usua