Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-06
Prominent Educational Men Pre-
pare an Address.
MORE INSTITUTIONS ARE URGED
Normal schools Are Not a New Idea
Duty of EquippIng Teachers for
Their Work Belongs Prim-
arIly to the Statee

conservative men in the state, has pre-
pared an address to the legislature re-
garding the necessity of providing adj
dirional normal school instruction for
the benefit of the schools of the state.
This address, prepared by Henry Sa-
bin, formerly state superintendent,who
is an authority on educational matters
recognized thruout the nation, will
have much weight with the members
of the legislature.
The address prepared by the legisla-
tive committee is in part as follows:
Our chief concern is with the chill
dren that they may have the benefit of
the best instructors that we can posi-
bly, provide for them. We desire addi-
tional means of training teachers, not
for the sake of the teachers, but for
the sake of the pupils under their
care.
The state association at it's late meet
4 gg put itself upon record, without a
dissenting voice, as being in the first
place, in favor of granting to the pres
ent state educational institutions such
generous appropriations as viii enable
them to do well the work which now
devolves upon them, and also to meet
the demands which will be forced up
IN them by the future growth of the
Itate.
In the second place the association
with equal unanimity and enthusiasm
i declared itself in favor of additional
s means of preparing our teachers for
their work. In order to make this
point clear, we quote from the report
of the committee as adopted by the
association.
'sWe must, if possible, induce the Leg
islature to commit the state to the
policy of establishing in each section,
now unprovided for, school for the
instruction of teachers.
What should be the scope of such
schools and how the sites are to be Sc
lected, what appropriations should be
made looking toward putting one. or
more such schools in working order,
may well be left to the Judgment and
pleasure of the legislature. The ne
cessities of the state are so great, how.
ever, that we urge the establishment
and opening of at least one such schoo
4 during the neXr biennial period. There
must be no division here. The mair
point will be accomplished when thu
state enters upon the permanent poll
cy of establishing such schools, ant
the act has been recorded as one O
the enactments of the nwenty-eight1
general assembly.
Ut is not the policy of the association
TO advocate any particular location
We must use every legitimate means
TO impress upon the legislature the es
tablished principle that as long as the
schools of the state are filled with
teachers of very limited scholastic abil
lty and with no special preparation for
their work, we are not meeting TIT
exigencies of the times as good citizens
should.
For the state to educate its teacher
is the surest and most economical way
looking to the education of the chill
dren.
What other states have done in the
work of preparing teachers, Iowa, ou
of debt, with full treasury, has nc
longer any excuse for not doing.
The state is rightly providing new
building in order to preserve the rec
ords of the earlier history of the state
Ought it not to provide with equal gen
tent teachers of those who are to make
the future history of Iowa
We ask your attention to the follow.
ing. statistics compiled in parn from
the report of the superintendent OF
public instruction, but all from most
reliable sources.
Massachusetts reports ten normal
schools at an annual cost of $266, 533. 66
The state has $2,1sS,O14 invested il
normal school plants.
Illinois sustains four schools and il
erecting fifth. The last legislator,
appropriated in the aggregate for nor
NAL school purposes 1869, 1893. The state
has $1,236 730 invested in norma
school property.
Wisconsin has seven schools. Theil
support costs the state according to the
y last report, 1922 ,524.73. She has oye1
S1,000,000 invested in these schools.
Minnesota sustains -four schools a,
an annual cost Of 100000. The valu
3 Of her normal school property is 5000,
900.
Z New York expends yearly for thi
purpose $511,7O0.
Pennsylvania, s573,e69. Missouri
$166,236.
Iowa with $4,000 teachers at work i,
her schools every day of the school yea
has one normal school, and appropriat
nId nhsRMrnpa