The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-24
NO NEnp OF m.
Ar9umcrt Against an Additional
state Normal school.


state Normal school.
To the Editor OF Tho Post,
houston, Texas, March as.--Any plan to
sccsre an Increase OF educational facilities
In Texas should meet with the hearty APP
prevail Of the people, Just at this time
there seems 20 be revival OF interest il
educational matters throughout the state,
and the members of the legislature also
seem TO be inbued With feeling thas
Texas can wsll affosd TO show more en-
enlargement to bills and plans for snars-
ing this line of work.
While such sn awakenins of tho educa-
tional spirit should meet with appropriations
IL seoris TO me that our legislators should
proceed with extreme caution IN these
matters, and should be especially guarded
IN appronriating the Peoples money Tor
any educational innovation. In THE con-
ncctlon the following clipping from tho
Seguin Enterprise Is worthy OF eonsidera-
ton;
san Marcos and Denton sent up
delegation last week to the finance
committee OF the senate, PRAYING for
the establishment OF two more State
normals ut these two towns. When the
facts are known there is really no rea-
expense OF their establishment. The
superintendent of the Sam Houston
normal at Huntsville wrote letter
not long ago In which he stated there
is room now for $50 more scholars"
He further says that there always
has been room for this number which
can easily be accommodated and
taught" In view OF this fact the state
ought not TO go to the expense OF Si0.-
600 a year for each OF the proposed
State noImale. There are other more
pressing needs and necessities to be-
looked after There are 300 orphans
praying for admittance to the homo
at CorsicanR. There are 1850 insane
people In county jails in the State to-
day. There are over 800 blind, both
white and colored, applicants for adj
mlssion TO the asylums, and there are
$50 applicants for the Confederate
Home. The deaf and dumb asylum at
Austin has 262 applications on its
books. In order to furnish the en-
largcd facilities for the accommoda-
ton of these applicants the State Is
bound OF necessity To spend large
amount of money. and we would SOON
er see tho $4,000 which the two pro-
posed state normals Mt San Marcos
and Denton would cost, spent on the
Orphans Home, the insane asylum, tho
deaf and dumb institutions. and the
Confederate Home. No need has arisen
for mort state normal institutions,
While | do not care To be placed in ar
attitude of antagonizing any plan for In
creasing the States educational advan-
tages / really think the Enterprise ha'
taken the proper stand In this matter
In view OF all the circumstances, I do no
see how the State would be justified II
making an appropriation for an additional
| State normal school. Such a need ma,
arise in few years, but Just now Their,
| ie a far more pressing need for uppropria
| tons elsewhere.
| AS a graduate Of the State normal schoo
| at Huntsville. and one who has froquontl.
visited that place in recent years, | ca
| testify TO the fact. as stated by Superln
| tendont Pritchett. that this institute cal
| receive 200 additional students. ! ais
| know that there is room In the pedagog
| ical department of the State University a
| Austin for at least 200 students. All thes
could be instructed with an inconsidernbl
increase Of the appropriation heretofor
made for these institutions,
| ! really doubt, however. that there is an,
need for an increase OF normal schoo
students in this State 1t seems to m
that the University and the Huntsvin
normal are turning out teachers Just abou
as fast rs they are neaGed. Docs an
community in Texas find II a difficult mat
ter to secure the services OF n competen
teacher now? Such might have been tn
case a few years ago, but since the San
Houston normal has been giving the stat
200 or 300 graduates yearly with certiil
Gates to teach ranging for one year TO
lifetime, the supply OF teachers has peel
fully euual TO the demand Place an ad
vertisement In The Post tomorrow for
teacher and you will get anywhere from
fifty to 100 applications. Many OF then
| Will be men and women CT education an
talent. too--teachcrs fully competent 70
any class of educational work.
Therefore. considering the present imam
cial condition of the State, and the ap
preparations that Will be necessary 10
the asylums, the University. the Agricul
tural and Mechanical college. for pensions
for the Industrial school that should Ger
tainly be established, and for other mat
terg Of like character. II does seem tha
the Denton school bill ought TO be killed
There does not at this time exist neces
sty for mourning the large expense neces
sarily incident to the establishment OF
new institution OF this character, and cor
seuuently II would be waste OF none
TO authorize such a school.
understand that one reason urged Il
state normal In North Texas Is that
would be more accessible to n large pa
OF the state On the same theory theI
should be two or more agricultural 1r
mechanical colleges In the state, or w
medical colleges.
II would be safe TO estimate that tnel
arc ten times as many young men In II
state who desire. and who need. lnstru'
tion In agriculture mechanics, civil engiI
eering and other kindred subjects
there are students who desire norm
training. The college at Bryan has be-
crowded for years. and hundreds OF YOU
.. men are annually turned away for want
room.
: Let the state increase its education
facilities, but let the increase come whe
IL Is needed. To establish second norm
, school would merely have the effect
weakening this work In the STATE The
, would be two weak rival institutions bu
c iensome to the State. rather than o
strong and helpful normal school. as no
Tho Sam Houston normal has done
wonderful work for the State. and Is
great and strong institution. II has ney
been taxed to It's fnll capacity and C
MEF