Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09


ington Normal School. The work of this
branch of the public school system is, there
fore, highly important, and in order to in
crease the efficiency of those placed in
charge of the education of the children
here, it has been determined to extend the
term of the Normal School to two years
instead CT CT e, as is at present the case,
and the class to enter the Normal School
next fall will rot graduate until June,
1893.
The purpose of the Washington Normal
School is to supply the city with teachers
for it's primary schools, these primary
teachers gradually passing into higher
grades, aid thereby making room for the
later graduates of the Normal School, which
ultimately, in the manner cited, puts it's
stamp OF the work of the entire system.
Because of its far-Teaching effects, it is
thought that no home in the city can ra
tionaIly be free from interest in this nsti-
tuition.
The relation of the Normal School to the
superinteI cent of public schools is settled
and defined by its PurpC sc, furnishing the
superintendent with means to carry out his
educational plans. 1t is described as his
right hand. The school must be a perfect
exponent of his ideas, must serve as his
confidential agent and must have his en-
couragement ard support. The Normal
School is related to the board of education,
and through The beard to the public The
board of education, as a business head,
gives to the school such advantages in the
way of ma terial appliances, perfect organ
ization and skilled teachers that it may be-
come a perfect means to the desired end,
moving steadily AMI unrestrainedly toward
the front of practical efficiency.
What 1t Aims to Do.
The Normal School has the character of
a workshop, where material, crude from
i,1to
power and skill The work hinges on three
points: First. knowing facts or having an
education; second, knowing children, and
third. knowing how to make the former
ferye as a means of development for the
latter. To meet these points the school has
two parts, academic and practice.
The academic part, first of ALL strengthens
weak points in the educa ton of the normal
pupil, and, incidentally, these latter are not
few in number 1t is one thing to possess
information for general purpose and quite
another to hold it in mind sufficiently we'll
to teach il. So, therefore, the pupils of the
Normal School necessarily must study, and
study hard Then they get their knowledge
in shape, arranging and weighing it, to de-
termine just what is important and essential
and what, in this work-a-day world, would
better be Topped off as unimportant or
trivial.
In the practice department the normal
pupils study children, it being considered
impossible to instruct children until a |
thorough knowledge of the little ones is Sc
cured. So the children are studied as are
the lessons. The embryo teachers find out |
something of the temperament and the dis |
position, and the body is studied, too. An |
effort is made to discover how children |
come into possession of themselves and of
facts outside of themselves; what stands |
in the way and how best to help the child
to get over or around this obstacle so that
he may go on.
The coming teachers observe how trained
hos
the solution of them with minds that grow
steadily in the power. to estimate means
nationally. After awhile they take a hand, |
usually to fail, but 1T is a case of try try
again, until out of mistakes and despair
there dawns the light of efficiency and
power.
To guide the normal pupils wisely, to re-
duce error to a minimum to serve the
children of the District faithfully is no
small undertaking.
Work of Preparation.
The scholarship and mental discipline re-
sultiEg from course of instruction in the
graded schools, broadened by an additional
one OF three years in the High School, af-
fords generally satisfactory basis for pro-
1esslonal training However, a sufficient
amount of scholastic work is done during
the year by the principal of the Normal
School 10 insure accuracy and freshness of
knowledge For this purpose the subjects
comprising the curriculum of the public
schools are carefully reviewed Each is
considered also in the light of its origin
lhe causes and plan of its development, its
separation INTO parts, the contents and ma
ture or these parts with their relation TO
one another, as well as the relation of each
10 the whole. A generalization follows, by
Wnlch the whole is presented as a logical
unit; the purpose of each subject deter
mines It's Importance as an educationa
factor.
The work is rapid. since III, focts arc
liz
tie student ready and skillful in proc. ssas
and results.
In the construction or criticism of anv
unit, the pupil-teachers are ~euufrad TO
know lis purposes, IT'S parts, to disc: irnf-
nate against the essential and non-sSscn-
tlal points, and to properly balance those
with reference to the comparative amount
OF consideration due them. They are not
called upon TO watch the teaching of Ies
sons in the practice schools till they hava
acquired intelligence in making plans of
of criticisms
The practice schools furnish a field for
investigation and experimentation. The
two lines supply data with which To bI,iId
and test theories. Thus during the wear
there grows in the minds of the puDil-
teachers a philosophy of education based
upon personal research and experience To
test The general truth of this philosophy
II is compared with that already deyel-
oped and formulated by eminent educa-
tors.
In the Practice Schools.
To secure that intelligent and practical
professional ability resulting from expe-
rience alone, the pupil-teachers are in the
main required to assume the responsibility
OF carrying forward the work of the prac-
tice schools.
On the other hand, the faculty of the
Normal School is bound to secure for the
children in these schools advantages EQUIV
alent to those enjoyed by the best schools of
corresponding grades outside. To do this the
pupil-teachers are most carefully prepared
for their work; they are closely observed
and criticised, and occasionally supplied
with models and standards of lessons given
to the children from different members of
the faculty.
At the beginning of the school year two
pupil-teachers are assigned to each of the
ten practice schools. One, acting in the
capacity of principal, teaches all but the
-FOUR special subjects, music, drawing pen
manship and health, and assumes the re-
sponsibility of the progress of the school,
The other, the assistant, teaches the spe-
cial subjects and studies the nature and
possibilities OF the children as a prepara-
ton for her own prfncipalship. She is re-
quired also to do part of the work of the