The San Francisco call., 1898-02-27
 TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS.
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The first State normal school was or ganized about twenty-five years ago Tn this city and after a short time was re- moved to San Jose Some years later san Francisco re-established a normal TOT tne e purpose of preparing for her own tSacL- CTS the graduates from her nlgn Scho0l' and thus protecting the attendance at tne latter, for otherwise the graduates or tne city grammar schools would nave go1e directly to the normal school at oah'Jose' The San Francisco normal, then, was re- garded as a post graduate course to the high schools. In this way the students were enabled to remain at nome nome Hnoed Hnoed parental influence. rather than boaro away for three or four years while fitting themselves for their profession
 From time to time the San Francisco normal has passed through various peri ods of opposition, rising mainly through misconception of its aims and work.
 However, in spite, of this spirit the school has steadily progressed and proved Of great benefit to the city by rais- ing the standard of teachers require ments in the department and endeavoring to suppress the old custom of appointing teachers without merit through political influence.
 For the past ten years the Boards of Education have been in the habit of giv ing five or six positions to the highest pupils in the normal school. thus secur- ing the best material for the department. themselves highly successful in their work and a credit to their training. This year, however, the custom was with drawn.
 In 1889 Mrs Mary W. Kincaid, then act ing as principal of the school, was elected to the principalship of the Girls High . School. In her stead Miss Laura T. Fow- Ter one of our oldest and most practical 70 educators, was then placed in charge of the Normal department. Some four or five years ago the Normal severed its connection with the High School and be- came independent. Since then the school - has for short. periods been under the di- - rection of Albert Yoder and then of James G.. Kennedy, who was an able teacher, but unfortunately died after three months service Later Miss Fow- Ter became principal of the Normal, which position she has ever since held.
 Miss Laura T. Fowler graduated from Packer College in Brooklyn, N. Y. She has taught more than thirty-three years / in the San Francisco department, where she served faithfully In all the grades, first as a class teacher and then as in spectress and principal. Miss Fowler was one of, the first women principals in the city, The long list of able teachers all over the State whom she has trained and graduated bears witness to her thorough methods and the earnest character of her work
 Until the present year the attendance at the San Francisco Normal was limited to 100 pupils. but this year 1t was thought advisable to extend the number to 125. In speaking of the change Miss Fowler said: ''I do not agree with this decision, for hold that, if any change, the school
 
 cause better results can be obtained in individual training with a smaller num- Der of students. l think that a good work man of any kind cannot be produced by training in the mass, but only by sepa- 2 rate individual work Therefore I con- sider the average State Normal School too large to bring about the best results. . If the money for these normals could be used to establish more of these schools of less size the people would be better accommodated, students better trained and the State would certainly receive a greater return for its expenditure'
 The expense of the Normal is merely nominal, for not only is there a, certain , income from the tuition fees of High School graduates from other parts of the State. but also as a certain part of the school Is always engaged in practical outside work the faculty is necessarily small. All the students are divided into alternate months into the public schools Of the city, where they gain practical ex- perence as student teachers. As a rule the teachers and principals of the schools . enter into hearty cooperation with this plan. Thus during the years course each the real applied methods of pedagogy Miss Fowler considers this experience of immense advantage and superior to all other forms of training. because the young teachers are brought face to face with all phases of child life in various age training class of the other State Nor mals is apt to be an ideal one, and there fore the student teacher is restricted to one class Of children and to the same critic teaching throughout her course The principal of each school in which a student teaches sends a report of her work to the Superintendent, from which