The herald., 1897-08-08
DR.. G. c. VAN LEW
TO FILL PROF. DREsSLAR'S
PLACE
Prof. Pierce Tells of the other New
Members Of the Faculty, With
Their Qualifications

DR.. c. c. Van Liew will take the place
in the Los Angeles Normal school fac
ulty vacated by Prof. Dresslar. Prof.
Edward T. Pierce, principal of the Nor
NAL school, was seen last evening and
he stated that when the trustees COM
missioned him before he left for the
meeting of the National Educa tional as
sociation at Milwaukee, to find a man
to fill Prof Dresslars place, he realized
that the commission entailed serious
responsibility.
II had DR.. Van Liew in mind" said
Mr.. Pierce, before I left, but when I
got to Milwaukee l found it was not GO
ing to be an easy matter to persuade
him to come here. I saw him several
times and had long converse tions with
him on the subject, and finally by offer
ing him special inducements l succeeded
in gaining his consent to enter this field
of work.
"Dr. Van Liew has been for some time
leader of pedagogical thought in the
west. He studied for some years under
REIN at the great Pedagogical semi
nary at Jena, which Is the most noted
school for teachers in Europe. When
he came back to this country DR.. Van
Liew went first to the Normal school at
st. Cloud, Mimi; from there he was
called to take charge at Bloomington,
ILL.,, which is one of the four or five promi-
nent Normal schools in the United
States, and he has been there ever since.
Il found at Milwaukee that educators
are beginning to look to the Los Ange-
les Normal school as having already
taken rank in superiority over many of
the others in the United States. Every
body 1 talked with was very enthusias-
tic over the field here and the work that
has been accomplished and I think it
was because DR.. Van Liew realized the
possibilities in the field here that finally
induced him to come. They are mourn
ing his loss all over the middle west,
and we have reason to hope for great
things here with him as an educational
leader.
"He is a fluent and virile speaker,
forceful writer and an able translator
Of German educational works. He has
wonderful grasp of the whole field of
methods and ideas for educating teach
ologist, but is one of the four or five great
exponents of child study and the Ho-
bartian educational philosophy. The
others are DR.. De Garmo Of Swarth-
more who is perhaps the leader; Chas.
McMurray of Bloomington, ILL.,; Frank
McMurray of Buffalo; DR.. O'Shay of
the University Of Wisconsin; DR.. Seeley,
of the State Normal school in New
Jersey, and DR.. Brown of the State uni
versity at Berkeley.
DIR. Van Lew will direct the pedagog-
ical work at the Normal school, teach
ing the method and history of educa-
ton. He will direct and give his per-
sonal supervision over the training
school and work out problems of pub
lie school education We hope and be-
lieve his influence will be as great here
and as beneficial as it was in the Missis-
sippi valley. Prof Shepardson, who has
been here two years, will assist in the
higher psychology of the school, and
Miss Kate Brousseau has been engaged
as second assistant in the same depart
ment, and we hope is fine addition.
Miss Brousseau is a graduate of the Los
Angeles Normal school, and she has
been in France under Ribot for the past
three years; so we feel that the psyche
logical department is as efficiently
equipped as any in the United States.
There are two other new corners in
the faculty. Prof. B. M. Davis, who will
take the head Of the biology depart
ment. Prof. Davis has been connected
with the Butler college, Indiana, and a
special teacher In the Chicago univer-
sity. The other is Miss Mary E. Smith,
who has been with Pratt institute for
three years. Miss Smith will assist Miss
Laughlin and Mr.. Miller in the art and
manual training department with draw
ing and sloyd.
with this large and strong faculty"
said Mr. Pierce in conclusion, 1--WE feel
we have good reason to hope for great
achievement in various lines
The Normal school will open for the
examination and admission of stu
dents Thursday, September 2, and the
regular term will commence Monday,
September 6.