Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-27

ucaton was necessarily empirical The
same is true of all systems of method.
training OF practice, either, past or pres
ent. which does not recognize the intel
ligent comprehension of child nature in
Its genetic aspect as the only scientific
basis for the establishment Of peda-
gogical principles. The first great func-
ton of the normal school, therefore, is
the thorough and practical exposition
of every phase of child development and
nature in their physical as well as III
their psychcal aspects. THE proper
study of mankind is man." and the gulf
between youth and old age is SO great
that we are all in need of some artificial
briJse to carry us back to the realiza-
tion of the limitations that once were
ours. Child study or a knowledgei cf
chlld nature is the soul of teaching
The normal school which fails to provide
means for the practical requirement of
TINS requisite in those who are trained
under its guidance, leaves out the very
life of peda Sogical skill. The reason for
the but very Indifferent results of work
done in the pedagogical departments of
colleges and universities is found gen
orally in the omission of this feature
No matter how much the dry bones, of
theory are made to rattle they oan
never actually simulate the reality of
life.
While theory without practice is bad
practice without theory is even worse
Ihe two should not be separated The
IDEAL combination Of the theories obtain
ed in the model school. where well direct
eo observation of work done in all
grades, under sl0llful teaching, is at first
lffnrHa1 Nav
dent begins to review what is the true
nature and method of teaching and has
become acquainted with the children of
the model school, then ample practice
under competent supervision, should be
afforded. Theory with practice. there
fore, not the one without the other not
the one first and then the other. both di-
reeted toward an intelligent comprehen-
SION OF child nature and development as
well as the requirement of power on the
part OF the apprentice teacher, is an ideal
which every we'll appointed normal
school should strive to embOdy.
second proper function of the normal
Solooi ana necessarily portion of its
peculiar work. is the educational study
OF the main subjects in the school curr1-
culum, to the end that the student may
not only learn what the teaching pro-
cesses are, but also how these processes
are best applied to each topic In other
words. in the normal school the student
studies each subject for tea ching it, The
academic studies of the normal school,
then, are pursued not primarily and sole
ly as academic studies, but with regard
to their professional bearing on the
training of the true teacher. The utter
exclusion of academic studies from the
course WOnl1 a iS J1x,e,
ed, render the course more professional
put less so. Wherever this divorce of
the teaching and the learning processes
has been tried the results have been un-
satisfactory. Even the so-called profess
slonal subjects. psychology, history of
education, principles and methods of
teaching etc. are just as academic in
thelr nature as arithmetic or grammar or
Algebra II they are studied apart from
lnelf concrete application. The supDosi-
ton that we may supply student with a
knowledge of the abstract principles of
education and safely learn him to work
out their practical application, is no
more true than that we can teach a man
to swim by drilling him in the abstract
principles OF the art of swimming or
that one can learn blacksmithng by ac-
quiring the knowledge OF the properties
VI - oii anu llle laws governing the use OF
the bellows. Nevertheless, it is upon this
palpably erroneous principle that most
pedagogical departments of universities
and colleges through necessity, some
training schools and not a few normal
schools Intentionally base their plan of
work. The only explanation of this state
OF affairs is that it is one of those many
instances wherein practical ideas failed
to keep pace With theory and in whwich
there is acknowledged the famous con-
fession of st. Augustine: "Video, probo-7
que moteria. deterora. sequor" CT see
and approve of bitter things, follow the
WorSe)
1t was the recognition of the principle
OF teaching the methods in connection
with science of presenting each subject
studied in an orderly, concise and clear
way to class that first gave such i'm
petus to the normal school idea, as inter-
preted by Cyrus Pierce, principal of the
first normal school in America. that it
mas been comparatively easy since the
establishment of this first one in 1882
TO recognize the advantages of this
agency in advancing the cause of popu-
lar education. In letter to Dr. Henry
barnard then state superintendent of
Connecticut, Mr.. Pierce SAYS: Two
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