The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-10
RE- ORGANIZATION OF TRAINING
SCHOOL.

RE-ORGANIZATI TON OF TRAINING
SCHOOL.
The meeting of School Committee,
held last evening, was of exceptional
interest to this community. The most
important matter that claimed the at
tention of the members was the re-or-
ganization of the training school sys-
tenn. The action taken by the COM
mittee in this regard must he highly
pleasing to all citizens to whom the
welfare Of the city schools is a matter
of solicituous concern. We are not
among those who believe that every
change is synonymous with progress,
nor tina. every move is in the nature OF
advancement. But there comes time
when the old must be superseded by
the new, when that which is good must
give place to that which is better, when
the requirements of hew conditions and
the discoveries of advanced thought
demand, if not radical changes, at least
such notifications as will keep any
system in the van of the march OF pro-
gress. That this time is the present in
the history of our public schools cannot
he gainsaid. No one who knows the
trend of modern educational thought,
who is conversant with the evolution Of
methods, who is acquainted
with the recommendation contained in
the latest authorative statement of
of eminent educators, can
fail to acknowledge that the proposed
of the training school
system as evidenced by the action of
the committee last evening, is q meas
ure eminently wise, timely and calcu-
lated to subserve the best interests of
our school system.
The salient features OF the plan of
reorganization as outlined by Mr..
Cronin are these: First, the abolition
of the present Normal course rs given
by the city of Pawtucket, and the sub
stitution therefor of the special course
by the State Normal School offered to
students in preparation for city train
ing schools; second, the establishment
of training schools in the city of Paw
tncket, in which pnpil teachers shall be
trained under the supervision OF critic
teachers. The first of these provisions
saves to the city the expense Of main.
tanning a separate Normal School,
which we virtually have under the
present system No one, we believe,
will hazard the opinion that any city
can offer course of instruction in
Normal branches, equal in excellence
to that afforded by State institution.
In it's wealth, in its material equip.
ment, in the efficiency of its corps of
instructors, in its improved methods,
the State Normal School is capable of
effecting greater results than any local
institution can possibly hope to accom-
plish. The second of these provisions
secures for pupil teachers an extended
and uninterrupted course of training
in the actual work of the class room !;
this method Of training has been at
tended with marked success in the
schools OF Providence. This plan has,
therefore, two strong arguments in Its
favor which appeal powerfully to all
classes OF citizens, namely, economy
and efficiency. Increased efficiency
often warrants increased expense; the
better results obtained compensate for
the extra outlay. But when greater
efficiency is secured and when there is
not virtual but an actual saving,
then We have . condition of things
which is satisfactory to the candid
mind, and proof against the carping Of
captious criticism.
We may say in conclusion that the
excellence OF this plan is not merely
theoretical; its worth has been proven
by trial, and its merit shown by result.
II is not chimerical; il is not in the ma
ture Of a fad. 1t is based on principles
accepted by leading educators, and en-.
bodies features which the best thought
Of practical men have suggested.