The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-14

The normal schools of the state illus
trate the tendency of institutions to sub
ordinate purpose to method. to develop
that condition of generation for them
selves which has come to be termed insti-
tutionalism. We see it in medicine. with
its Schools" in theology, with it's dog
mas AMI creeds and in pedagogy, where
the mode of doing is apt to become of
more Importance than the thing to be
done The origin of the normals is in
our public school system, as our schools
of law and medicine in the public
recognition and regulation of those pro-
fessions. 1t logically followed that. if
the state were to maintain system of
schools, it must take steps to provide
competent instructors for them. This
became the more apparent education
assumed more and more the character
of a science and teaching became an art
instead of a handy makeshift for earn
ing money for some Interior purpose
The normal concept, in its origin, was
to take students who had acquired pro-
ficiency in the various studies of the
public schools and give them the tech
nicai training in the science OF education
and in the art of teaching 1t assumed
that these candidates for pedagogy had
the necessary preliminary requirements
ntque, Just as the naval and military
academies ascertain if candidates have
the preliminary education needed as a
basis for the technical training of those
SCHOOLS; or as our colleges and univer-
stiles examine matriculates to ascertain
if they are sufficiently grounded in foun-
dational studies. So the normals would.
if true to their concept, require anpli.
Giants Tor admission to undergo examina-
ton in the curricula of the primary and
secondary schools Our school svste,,
acts on this idea in requiring prelim-
mary examination of applicants for an
polntment as teachers, just as the civil
service ascertains the Qualifications
of applicant for the work to be done bv
an examination
But such policy, in the earlier stages
! vi lhe development of these essential
schools, would have failed for the sim.
pie reason that there were then no SEQ
ondary or high schools to furnish what
may be termed the raw material of tb.
normals. There was an imperative moab
OF teachers who had some training I'm
pedagogy. and. united with the natural
desire to magnify and expand. the Cur
rfcuium was modified to include Studies
properly within the province of IA.
grammar schools. But, whatever the
combination of causes may have been
the fact abides that academic and gram
mar school studies in all our normals
have much larger number OF studo,ts
pursuing them than are following the
strictly pedagogical course. For illustra-
uon' one of these schools. with an enroll
ment of LOO, has but 800 of them in
classes where pedagogy is taught and
OF these " are also in the ''B'' class tho
seuuies OF winch correspond to those of
the freshman year of our high schools.
were the normal concept strictly adher-
ed to, there would be but some two hum
cred students in this institution. In other
words the state is paying for the educa-
ton OF some 900 pupils who should hs
educated at the expense of their resnac-
i've towns No wonder there comes 10
the legislature biennial demand for in
crease of appropriations for support and
for increase in the number OF normal
schools.
supt- Lewis has submitted to the
normal board proposal to correct
this abuse. this growth of INSTITUTIONAL