The herald., 1897-09-06

tained At the normal school was estab-
garten teachers. The city board urged
the normal school to do this and offered
to cooperate in any way. The norma
school agreed to employ a kindergarten
trainer, to give room rent free, to put in a
piano, to furnish the rooms and to buy
all supplies. The director is paid $15Ot
yearly by the normal school. The city
was to pay the salaries of two assistants
500 per month, the regular salaries OF
the teachers in the other kindergarten
schools Of the city. Again, the only ex-
pense to the city is the single item oi
salary. Forty-five children Of the city
can attend this kindergarten at a much
less cost than in the other schools. The
above arrangement was carried out last
year. This year the trustees of the nor
NAL school asked that one teacher of
superior training be employed as an
assistant to the director, at no more cost
to the city than heretofore. The teacher
was employed, but the salary was re-
duced $35 per month, making the total
cost of the city kindergarten located in
the normal school only s675 for the entire
year, as agaist from $1,000 to $500 for the
other city kindergartens Of the same
size. These amounts are based on a
nine months session.
In the matter Of surplus in the normal
school funds, the report was also errone-
Gus. The normal school received no more
than the trustees asked the legislature
for. Owing to a failure of the governor
to sign bill of $4,000 for improvement,
and owing to the segregation of the
fund for support into salary fund anG'
supply fund, which has never been done
before. there may be small balance irI
the salary fund, due to the fact that an
other mistake was made by the finance
committee of the legislature in not prop
erly adjusting the amounts. AS the
salaries of some of the teachers and en-
ployes were not accounted for by mis-
take in the report, and as the salary
fund is but $4,000 yearly, which cor
rectly appears in one place. instead of
$52, 75o as stated in another place in the
papers, the possible balance will not ex-
ceed $4,000, instead of being $4,000 as re-
ported. If it is possible, as we hope it
is. to have this amount voted by the
legislature for the school, transferred to
a different account, there will be no bal
ance at all, since the money Is needed
for very necessary Improvements. But
even in case there were large balance,
this could not be used for the support of
one Of the city schools. The legislature
has never yet voted special appropria-
tions for the support of the schools in
any city in the state, and it is doubtful if
1t ever will.
In conclusion let us say that the fact
that the normal school is located in this
city is not sufficiently appreciated by
many. Nearly half of our students are
residents of this city and soon after
graduation are employed in the city as
teachers of superior training. Thus the
people Of the city individually and the
schools collectively are benefited at the
expense of the state. San Francisco has
been trying for years to have the state
establish a like school there and thus
save the city the expense of maintaining
a city training school for her young peo-
pie who wish to teach in the schools of
that city. A large number of cities in
the east maintain city training schools
for teachers at cost ranging from $4,000
to 100000 yearly, buildings and every
thing being furnished by such cities.
This Is not necessary in Los Angeles be-
cause so many Of her young people can
be educated in the State Normal school
and the city board Of education has the
opportunity of selecting the best of these
for their own schools. Can there be any
doubt, therefore, that from all points of
considerati ton, the city is a gamer in
stead of loser by the location Of the
State Normal school within her borders? +?
EDWARD T. PIERCE,
President of the Normal School.
PERCY r. WILSON,
A. E. POMEROY,
Members of the Executive Committee of
the Board Of Trustees.