Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-22
THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
Biennial report of the Institution
Received by the Governor.


Biennial report of the Institution
Received by the Governor.
Des Moines. Aug. 22.-There is no
longer any doubt that strong effort
will be made during the next winters
session of the legislature to secure APP
preparations to establish from two to
half dozen state normal schools. The
biennial report of the Cedar Falls in
stitution, the only normal college now
maintained in the state, shows that IN
six years it's attendance has more imam
doubled 1t has completely outgrown
the present facilities in all directlons.
There is no assembly room IN whlcn
more than one-thrd of the students
can meet at one time. At the opening
! of the fall term in September 1T Will be
found that there are not class rooms
enough to accommodate all the classes.
There are not teachers enough IN
number of departments New depart
ments are urgently needed, but cannot
4 be provided until more room Is sup
piled. A lar-,e building In which TO
4 house the lady students is needed, a I
chapel with large assembly hall, must
be provided, and, in snort, In every OIL
Lrection the institution must be expand
ed about 100 per cent unless new schools
are started and the attendance divided
! with these.
! The Cedar Falls people in their report
i do not suggest the propriety of starting
more schools. On the other hand they
make their statement of the institu-
tion's demands just as mild as possible
lin order to keep this idea in the back
c ground. But members of their board OF
trustees say it is true that the facilities
. are now utterly inadequate and must be
/ doubled or else the school must stop
receiving students before all appli-
Icants are admitted. In six years the
\ attendance has more than doubled; in
| that time very little has been added in
, the way of buildings and general IA
: cilities.
Algona and LeMars are two northern
2 Iowa towns that have long been
2 anxious to secure a state normal insti-
tuition. In the central part of the state
jefferson has been candidate and in
the southwest there are Corning, Red
Oak and Shenandoah all ready to give
site and other substantial induce
Inents to secure a state institution. In
the southeast half aozen towns are
. willing to do as much. 1t looks de-
cidedly as If the next legislature would
lbe compelled either to star new schools
or else provide for a great increase OF
! the facilities at Cedar Falls
The board of control has received
: from the trustees of the Cedar Falls
Normal College the biennial report of
e that institution. The school is not un-
$ der the control of the board. but tbs
law requires that all the educational in
stitutions shall report to the board in
e order that there may be a unity of sys-
q tenn in handling the reports.
The Cedar Falls institution is. in
: point of attendance, the largest educa-
tional establishment in Iowa. For 1899
e there was total enrolment of 1882
u There were 1872 graduates from the in
u stitution for the year. The remarkable
5 growth of the institution is Indicated by
u the following figures, as TO the number
$ of normal students in the years indi-
: Gated:
y 1894 ...... ..... 81:
= 1885,. ..... .. ..l,ots
1896 $50. 80. .... .. ..l,lo'
1884,. %. &C.,. 49,. =. .. 49, 20
1898 ........ .... 80. .. ..itos
1899 . 500. 80. l,so.
1t will be seen that the enrolment has
more than doubled in six years. AS the
= school is "A years old. the last perioe
appears to have been one of remarkable
. growth. More than one-third of the stu
- dents annually enrolled are experienced
teachers. The large majority are ma
. ture men and women. already self
E nortine who resort to the school in or
i der to perfect their preparation for thei1
=. work as teachers. They average oldel
y. than college students. The students
IN come from all parts of the state. The,
re are admitted If they have passed {
70 county superintendent's examinatio,
8, for a certificate, or if they are Gradu
3 ates of a high school; but none are ad
mitted who are not teachers or DESTROYS
u of entering that profession. The en-
l. rollment will be 1000 by the close Of tn
" biennial period. The school needs man.
$ additions to It's facilities. At the open
lie ing of the fall term in September Their
y will be nine teachers not provided Will
- class rooms, and this need will be EN-
~ phasized by a still larger attendanc
&c than that of the past year. The chape
will comfortably seat about 800. an
q therefore not more than one-third tn
ae entire enrolment can be gathered to
s. pether at one time. A large assembl
-. hall is asked from the state as soon a
ru possible, and meantime some arrange
nc ment for temporary chapel accommo
dations. New buildings and factlitie
p. are asked for the department of apple
Ut English, and gymnasium and dri
e hall for the men is greatly needed. TIL
u federal government maintains at TIL
school an army officer who has charg
of the organization and drilling OF tn
college battalion.
The departments of physics an
1T chemistry, and civics and economic
10 have entirely outgrown their space, an
tn, must be given new facilities. New ds
ID partments should be organized, as 70
he lows: kindergarten, German languag
he manual and industrial training.
be During the biennial period the inst
.ep futon has received from all source