The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-08-04
in SESSION
Opening of the Mahaska County
Normal Institute.

sMahaska county requires two hun
dred and thirty teachers to tll all OF
the positions in its separate districts,
country and city. The law requires
that those who fill these positlons
shall be specially qualified TOT tne
Mace. and that evidence of competen-
Nv shall be given. The state goes
farther than that. So important
thing is the education of the children
that the state or the county provides
means by which those desiring TO
teach may acquire the necessary de-
gree of proficiency in the art OF teach
ing and where they may themselves
learn that which they would impart
to others.
About three hundred persons in Ma
haska, during one term or another OF
the year, are engaged in teaching pu-
pills of one or another grade. Tae
majority of these teachers are now
gathered together at the annual coun-
ty Normal or Institute where they
have a review of the elementary
branches and where they learn how
TO teach. ne lupOA IebtSS ~ SAO
Normal Institute can scarcely be sx-
aggerated. 1t is a most potent factor
in our educational system and the
better we make the Normal, the bet
ter boys and girls will be the heritage
of the state.
Mahaska county Normal opened on
Monday morning with about an aver
age attendance in the several diVis-
ions. County superintendent J. 2.
Dodds has spared no pains in his
preparations for this annual conven-
ton of the teachers, and the best OF
talent has been secured. The work
that must be accomplished by the In
stitute is to be crowded into two busy
weeks and the school will close Fri
day, August 12 The institute is
held this year at Penn college, where,
the accommodations are perfect.
Work begins at $3.50 o'clock and
closes at 2:35 in the afternoon. Chap
ell exercises are programmed for $40
to $40. This is the hour for special
entertainments of the Normal and for
any features that are to be intro
duced. 1t is the hour when visitors
come from the city and when the spe,
cial talks and lectures are given.
The list of instructors this year is
the strongest that has ever been
brought together in the county, and
the work Monday started off with all
present excepting j. E. Cameron, who
had lecture date to fill Monday ev-
ening. He came today and is now in
charge of the work in his care.
| VIM. Radebaugh bar charge of the
-alaaaasu-ina.hiatasS did'aatiaa.o sns ApSsA
| chology.
A. H. Bigelow, who last year se-
cured such excellent results, is again
at the head Of the classes in arithme-
tic and geography.
L. G. Rusmisel is a new instructor
and has penmanship and drawing.
Mrs. A. P. Tucker, who has acnievd
wonderful success in her depart.
ments, is at the head of physical cul-
| ture, reading and literature. "%
| The classes in music are in most
competent hands in the person of
Prof. l.. F. Burnett, of Penn college.
| ]. E. Cameron has the divisions in
nature study, and the manner in
which he handles this department
make it one of the most interesting
branches to be taken up by the insti-
tute and productive of the best re-
suits.
Miss Maude Summers whosa vxorte,
has given satisfaction here before,nas
the classes in methods and language.
The enrolment is bit tardy for
some reason and many who will be in
| attendance did not enroll on the first
day The attendance will be about
the average, but not so great as in
some previous years. There are not
so many present from other counties.
Mahaska county is known to have one
OF the very best normals in the state,
and this fact attracts quite a number
from outside. County Superintend-
emit ]. P. Dodds and his able assistant,
Mrs. Dodds, are in charge of the in
stltute and are most successful in
their direction of the affairs Of the
school. Mr.. Dodds has been doing a
great work at the head of the coun-
tvs educational affairs, and no place
is this fact more patent than In the
county normal. He is setting a high
mark here and is building a IaSting
monument to himself in the STANDARD
Of work accomplished.
| 7. . f.