The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-01-01
Normals Don't Want to Be Crowded
Out Of Their Sphere.
Strong Plea Is Made BY the Board at
Yesterdays Meeting.
Committee Named to Confer With the
High School Trustees,
University Regents Looking to Har'
mcny.-.The Session.
From The ST. Paul Pioneer Press. ]

From The st. Paul Pioneer Press.]
Believing that the normal schools of
the state have to some extent been
crowded out of the state educational sys-
tenn by the predominance of the state
university and the high schools, the nor
NAL school board yesterday, after long
discussion, appointed a committee to con-
fer with the high school board and the
regents of the university with view to
bringing the normal schools in closer touch
with the other schools and restoring
them to their former position of pres
tige as educational factors of the state.
The committee consists of G. A.
Morey of Winona, president of the nor
NAL board, w. S. Hammond of st. James,
S. G. Comstock of Moorhead and ]. w.
Olsen, state superintendent of public
instruction.
To accomplish the same result, W. A.
Shoemaker, president of the st. Cloud
normal school, yesterday proposed plan
providing for post graduate course in
normal schools. The specific purpose of
a post graduate course is to train teach
ers for high school positions, from which
at present normal school graduates, even
those of the advanced course, are barred
by the state high school board. This plan
together with the resolution introduc-
ed in the high school board by C. A.
Morey of Winona, requiring high schools
to teach the common branches so as to
qualify for entrance to the normal
schools as well as the state university,
will be considered by the committee.
Mr.. Shoemaker's Plan.
Mr.. Shoemaker's plan is as follows:
SIN order to connect more closely the
work of our advanced graduates with the
high school system of the state, we IN
vite the normal board to consider the
plan of offering a post graduate course
for the advanced course graduates who
have had successful experience. As a
basis of discussion, 1 beg leave to sub
NIT the following plan:
"First That one years postgradu
ate course be permitted in any normal
school whenever ten advanced graduates
with one years successful experience
present themselves as candidates for the
course.
Second. That the course be determin
ed upon by a committee composed of
the presidents of the several schools"
The introduction of Mr.. Schoemaker's
resolution caused a, long discussion, in
which the presidents of the normal
schools as well as the members of the
board took part. 1t was pointed out
that since normal school graduates are
prohibited by the high school board from
teaching in high schools in favor of uni
versity graduates and are Disseminated
against in other ways, the normal
schools are losing in attendance as well
as in prestige. 1t was also intimated
that strenuous efforts have been made
to induce the state legislature to cut
down appropriations for normal schools
which discriminate against the normals
to the advantage of the university and
high schools.
Assert Their Rights.
''When it has come to a condition OF
affairs where city superintendent recon-
mend pupils to attend high schools or
the state university to the exclusion of
the normal Schools" said normal school
president, 81 believe that we should rise
up and assert our rights"
Suppose you were city superintend-
emit and were asked to recommend an
advanced school to a graduate of high
school," asked j. w. Olsen, superintend-
ent of public instruction, "would you re-
commend the university or the normal
schools"
s1 would first find out whether the
pupil intended to teach," replied the
normal president, "and if he did, /
would recommend that he attend the nor
NAL school. j WOulu HoC recomHehu Iua'
he attend the state university under any
circumstances"
President Frank A. Weld of the Moor
head normal maintained that neither the
normal schools nor the high schools prop
erly prepare graduates for active life
in the business world.
"The curriclla in the public graded
schools are framed with the idea in mind
that the subjects involved should pre-
pare students for the high school. The
majority of students who enter the pub
lie schools leave school during the sixth
seventh and eighth year. To what prom
inence is given the thought that the work
of these crucial years shall be of such
character that the student may leave ii
prepared to enter the bank or store as
clerk, the machine shop as an apprentice
and inspire his EMPLOYER with degree
of confidence in definite knowledge Sc
cured through the channels of the public
schools? / have long been of the opinion