Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-21
NORMAL-sCHOOL METHODS.
Nelghbor Jones Visits His Friend
Williams, and INDUCES i'm Criticism.


Jones: Good morning. Williams. Where
have you been for the last few weeks?
Williams: Good morning, Jones. Como
right in. am glad to see you. / am just
back from the normal and the eXamina-
tions You know we teachers are regard
ed as the most ignorant class of public
servants in the country so utterly devoid
of aspirations. and so i'll prepared for
our daily work, that we must be constant
ly looked after and instructed.
j.: Surely the State authorities do not
put such a low estimate on their teachers!
w: Then why these State normals.
which teachers are urged under threat to
attend and why these everlasting annual
examinations OH elementaries?
J:I thought the object of normals was
to introduce new and improved methods
of teaching
w. Some normals are called schools
Of methods" but this title is mainly a.
sugar-coating to a harmless pill, and costs
g.
j.: Are teachers at any other expense
I'm attending these normals?
w: Oh, yes. The average cost to each
teacher, during the term Of four weeks,
for board, railroad fare, etc. is not less
than s25.
j.: Can teachers afford this outlay from
their salaries?
w: OF course not. 1t consumes from
one fifth to one fourth of their entire sal
airy from teaching
j.: / suppose some OF these teachers
have families How do they live on this
sum and attend the normals?
w: l don't know. Perhaps, during the
seven months vacation the women take
In washing, and the men hire out as field
hands
j.: Are the normals Of so much practical
value that it pays teachers TO sacrifice
so much Of their incomes 10 attend them?
w: II pays the normals pretty well,
but I am not so sure as 10 the teachers.
About $500 a year is used In conducting
normals I'm this State $500 from the
Commonwealth and about $1,000 from tut
ton fees charged teachers.
j.: Where does this sum go?
w: The normal instructors absorb the
most OF it.
j.: What IS taught in the normals?
w: Oh, they teach arithmetic. gram
mar geography, spelling, history, and
other common branches.
j. thought teachers were acquainted
with all these things.
w. Well yes; but the authorities seem
to think not.
j.: Don't first-class certificates indicate
this knowledge?
w: No, indeed; not at all. They SIM !
ply credit the recipient with present |
knowledge of the subjects in which the
teachers are examined, but take for
4
rate during the year.
j.: You say the normals are failures /
as schools OF methodist
w: The so-called methods are those |
In constant use in the average school. !
Sometimes a new idea is sprung, but II |
generally pertains TO efforts for teach
ing 5-year-olds, by ingenious and labori- |
Gus processes what S-year-olds learn |
without difficulty. Philip or Macedon |
expected Aristotle TO find some short /
road for Alexander. He didn't even hunt /
for it. There is none said ne.
j.: And the teacher must pay out one /
fifth OF his salary for this information?
w: Yes; and he wonders the rest OF i
the year what has become OF the practi-
cal methods learned at the normals.
j.: Why are there so many examina-
lions?
w. On, Il Itchon lEr Dtdtt y N'ANh'in
are supposed to have only annual minds. 4
j.: on what are they examined?
w: on the subjects they are constantly
teaching OF course The longer they
teach these subjects the less teachers are
thought 10 know about them.
J.: This rule does not work that way !
with persons following other professions.
W: Certainly not; no one expects II 10
work so with any other class than pub
lic-schOol teachers.
j.: DO you mean TO say that teachers
II tried ability. OF successful experience +
n the sehool-room. and with hrst-class
certificates, are required TO submit 10 :
hese annual examinations?
w: Yes. indeed. however much they
nay object on the ground OF needless /
expense, and the reflection on their COM
)etency.
j.: We have no such annual examina-
ions OF lawyers, doctors, and preachers,
Dr. Of any other class. TO my knowledge.
W.: Oh, no. They would probably !
.emur and consider the idea belittling.