The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-01
FUNCTION or THE NORMAL SCHOOL.
The Need Of Training IN E0cient
CORPS - Teacher.


The Need Of Tralning an E0cient
Corps - Teacher.
Seattle. April =, 1899.
To the Editor: That new era Is Open
ing In the educational affairs OF the state
Il apparent on every side. The new uniyer-
aity and ifs uncQusled location. the gener-
Gus appropriations OF the last legislature
for current expenses and the building OF
doFmitoTies. the new energy that has en-
thuoed the faculty since the Inauguration
OF Or. Graves. the broad curriculum Of
the institution. and the original work OF
It's studeufa all seem 10 assure q brilliant
future to the work Of higher education in
the state.
The high schools Of our cities equal thoss
OF cities Of equal size In tho East. while
excellent work In being done In the Pull
man school and the normal school At III
lensbufg.
A normal school is about to be opened In
our midst. The policy Of the school must
be- TO = great extent. shaped by she able
educator who has been called upon TO MI
the position Of principal DIR. Il. 7. Mathss.
OF the Idaho normal school at Lewiston.
but the sentiment and demands OF the COM
munity must largely determine the class
Of students who are TO derive benefits from
this school.
hoard OF higher education shall provide the
following courses for normal schools; O)
An elementary course Of three years. CD
An advanced course Of two years for
thuse who have completed the elementary
course C., An advanced course OF two
years for graduates from four-year hIgh
school accredited by the beard Of higher
education. 90 An advanced course of one
year for graduates from colleges and uni
yerSlsieS.
Ill will be readily seen that such a cur
rieulum requires a goody number OF In
s.ructors, while the legislature has given
the ssshooi a very aneager appropriation
with which to conduct Its affairs for the
next two years. Would I. not therefore be
better to put one course upon a nrrn
footing than "a attempt. with so few
Instructors. to give smsttersng in ALT
There should exist little doubt as to which
course should receive the lions share or at
sension when II Is remembered that the
high schools OF Western Washington grad
nate fully 20 students each year. Is per
cent. Of whom probably take Up the work
OF teaching
Under tn. system OF csdeilng adopted
by the Seattle schools graduates who are
especially fitted for the teachers profess
sion work for number ~ months with
the moAt cfYacien. teachers OF the city and
are then given schools as vacancies occur.
and they do excellent work; but how much
better their work might be Ii they entered
a normal school and devoted tao years
20 the serious study Of the profession they
have chosen. giving their sess energies
10 the practice teaching In the training
school under the supervision % those who
are making The hes, methods of teaching
life study.
Tacoma has undertaken 80 called
teachers training school which probably
fsxat - 80
srr Much may he done In this line with
sufscisn: funds but II Is hardly TcSsihie
sor city - less than $4,000 or 5se ore
Inhabitants 90 place II teachers training
schco, on ar equal footing with the pro
seseionas course az the best normal schools
Of The country. The last legislature evt
IDENTITY realized this when I: refused 70 az
cord % the graduates 81 the Tacoma schoos
the privileges accorded normal graduates.
Let sss rsresusns for tss sake 81 flftSssrs-
ton. ;fas % the 80 stst~nts who
graduate next June from the high schools
az Western Washington Is per cent. or
thirty students resolve To- take up and
rra,are pr thc teachers profession and
:, tina, end enter tHe whatcnna school
for the purpose - pursuing the two
xears' course especially designed FOR their
needs II the course or study prescribed
Par shss Whatcsssn schools ia n1gseled after
! that ~ normal schools ~ the country
recognized az the best tn@r VIII review
/ the subjects taught In IRE esrnrsnn schools
gtxtng special attention 90 methods ~
J reaching such Subjects They viii ssudy
exhaus.fve1y rsvaehnlaKg, pedagogy
! 4s.sas,, economy. history u esucastan ara
| PHILOSOPHY o. education Haas in hasoa
with lh~ practices work az The training
school tssy VIII pursue the Tssw science ~
/ ..ns1.f-xss;ssy. while fhts sssenoa + xtsil IN
! sts formative period. IL promises 20 -
one az sAs rscss hefpfai Subjects to which
! teachers can devote Themselves IL ~
mrtsese 81 the rscrsnHer. iN& Review -
Reviews. Prof. ksrkp&srsck. sAeu as fhe
state aornaai school ~ wsnesan MINI
{ says
*sfs ia now recognized by ire r7oss pre-
+ rwes#gve educators engaged ta the train
: srw ~ teachers .sat knowledge - SUR
ts~ts ~ RS taught anc krewsscSe ~
..ethssse OF teaching 50 nst 4 sufficient
3 r~sssa ration for s~achtsE hst sAat lae ore
Who IS TO se = Successful fsAss.eT Esust
sl..a know the child 10 ~ taasht. <cs
Yssr.ly must she know something ~ casaa
nature and cassd development as taught
a rxyeAalsSv. Hs,s she muse know ests-
ssve-s fro-s actual cesssave Nib taer. and
PRACTICE IN studying taese Iaaess size
knows her school asa every Individual IN
/ a. STE eantset ssN effectively TIRE Rest
methods ~ teaching and SIT s@ss ~t(9 SIRE
~ asslss 80 ansesssKwrssfy ssfrers tae neral
A. - =