The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-03

or does the State own the Normal
Schools? That is the question that is
puzzling the teachers of California and
those who wish to be teachers.
Is the ultimate result of the present
trend of legislation to be that the State
Normal Schools are to be a close cor
poration through which only there will
be an opportunity for young men and
women who wish to enter the profes-
sion of teaching to attain that end and
which will deprive those who are imam
cially or for other reasons unable to
spend the time and money necessary
in order to graduate from a Normal
School of an opportunity to earn al i've
lihood in the ranks of educators, no
matter how well qualified they may be
by natural fitness or liberal education
for the work? Are they to be trades
union of which only those bearing the
label will be allowed to work in the
vineyard?
These are questions that legislation,
attempted and accomplished, in the
past and bills before the Legislature
at present have forced upon the atten-
ton of many educators who have kept
an eye on the course of events. There
are at present three State Normal
eSchcols in this State, built with the
money of the whole people and support
ed by biennial appropriations OF the
money of the whole people. NO
body questions the fact that
they have been a benefit to
the State and have turned out many
EXCELLENT teachers, but their friends will
hardly claim for them that the only
good teachers are to be found in the
ranks of the Normal School graduates,
or deny that there are Others" AS
matter of fact, the greater percentage
OF the prominent educators of this State
are not Normal School graduates. and
many of them were prominent in edu-
cation circles before the State had
Normal School. Nor can it be denied
that there are at least fully as many sue
cessful teachers employed in the COM
mon schools and High Schools of the
State who never saw the inside of
Normal School as there are successful
teachers who have Normal School GER
tificates. Teachers, like artists, are
born not made, and a teacher who has
never attended Normal School is often
fitted by tact Judgment and fitness for
the profession. On the other hand, all
will not make a good teacher out of
person who is lacking in those qualifi-
cations Why, then, should the Nor
NAL School arrogate to itself all that
is good and effective in teaching and
show a disposition to crowd all except
its graduates to the wall
II those directly connected with the
schools are not instigating legislation
adverse to certificates from other
sources. they should pray to be deliv
cred from their friends. who have for
several years past been doing so.
WHAT THEY COST THE STATE.
With a view to ascertaining what the
State has been doing in the past decade
for the Normal Schools, the following
figures have been compiled, showing
the amounts appropriated to those now
in existence. 1t will be observed that
the San Diego Normal School only en-
tered the field two years and that the
only appropriation it has received is
$4,000 for construction. 1t will need
more this time. This leaves practically
three schools for the past eight years
and the appropriations, leaving out that
for San Diego, amount for eight years
to 81 ,06S, 900, and with San Diego, ST.,
$4,000 They will ask for additional
buildings too. at this session, and San
Diego asks for $4,000 more, to COM
pIere and fit its building.
Controller Colgan's report just issued,
makes the estimate that the support for
the four schools for the next two years
will be $34S. 800 making for the ten
years ST, ACC, 800, one of the schools
having just started. 1t will be easily
seen from the figures that the expense
OF maintaining the schools has steadily
Increased. until it is from 80 to 100 per
cent. greater than ten years ago. In
addition to this, three more schools are
to be asked for this session, if report is
to be believed. San Francisco has al
ready bill in for one, at cost of
SlhO,OO0, and other places would like
to have schools. Following are the fig
ures alluded to:
SAN JOSE NORMAL SCHOOL.
md