The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-04

better work with such classes. as it
| gives opportunity for special work and
| closer grading.
| The preparatory department offers
| advantages to those whose opportunity
| for advanced instruction is limited. 1t
! is proposed to admit pupils who have
| completed the eight grades of the COM
! mon schools. In this way many of the
| young people from the district schools
| may receive directly the benefit of state
| normal schools.
| The equipment, courses OF study and
| the faculty of the state normal school
are such as to make possible very
! high grade of work. The ideal Ct the
institution is high. It should, and
! doubtless will, meet the approval and
| earnest support of all who are l1'er-
| ested in the progress Of edlcatt2n.
| 1t may be wise to call special a,ten-
! ton to the prominence If the normal
| school-when the people pay taxes to
support an institution they shou!1 re
| fully assul ed Of it's necessity. Et u
| cation is the one thing IN which all the
| people believe They pay literally
| for the free schools. Enormous
amounts have been contributed in the
last decade to the private institute oa:s.
All this means much for the youth Of
| the future. It means a more .enera al
diffusion Of knowledge among the
| masses, higher ueSTep Ol lnlplllS 1lite
for the race. Now is there such a diff
ference in educational processes that
special effort should be directed TO the
preparation of teachers beyond that
instruction which the high school and
college may afford? If he normal
school offers instruction in academic
lines only, it has no special field.
All well informed people are agreed
that those who propose to teach in the
schools should have the following quail
if1cations: First. knowledge of the sub
jects to be taught and of correlated
subjects. in other words, special and
general knowledge.
Second-Peculiar fitness to teach, as
tact, kindly spirit, firmness. etc.
The high schools and colleges otter
abundant opportunity for the first;
the normal alone offers opportunity for
the second.
The normal school claims the follow
ing additional points are necessary to
the highest success in teaching:
First-Knowledge of child mind and
the best processes for its devel pm ent.
Second-That preparation which or-
sonal experience alone affCris.
The first point is of sufficient imror-
lance to form the basis for an insti-
| tuition. The second supplements the
first. The first affords knowledge; the
second skill The two taken together
lOIlh TIE OASIS 1Ct all lllStllullOn ludl,
in the not distant future, will be pro-
ductive of great progress in educa-
ton.
A few statements upon these two
points may serve to place the sub
ject of the normal school more closely
and definitely before those who are
interested in the education of the
youth. The first is recognized by lead
ing educators of the present as of par
amount Importance. All the reforms in
education have had their genesis in the
study of the child mind. Pestalozzi
and E'roebel gained their Inspiration
and ideas from this source. Those ideas
We're of such force that great nations
based their progress and supremacy
upon them. Statesmen have recognize
ed this truth to such an extent that
they have provided literally for insti-
tutions devoted to this work. and have
modified their systems of education in
accordance with the ideas advanced
by such institutions. The tendency to-
day in every phase of human endeav-
or is to leave nothing to chance. Why
should not the same tendency prevail
in the training of the youts of the
land?
The second point, that preparation
which personal experience alone at