Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-09
Las VEGAS
SUMNER SCHOOL
President Vert Receives Much
Encouragement In Terrific.
rial Towns
NEED OF TRAINING
Prime Requirement Of New
Mexico Teachers ii Scientific
Training In Common
Branches

President u. j. Vert returned this
morning from trip through southern
New Mexico where no advanced the
claims or the Las Vegas Normal and
the proposed summer school.
In conversation with an Optic rep.
resentative this morning, Mr.. Vert
said:
u have spent a little more than q
week visiting schools In the south
ern and western part Of New Mexico.
ana everywhere. not only those en-.
gagged In educational work, but the
people generally, have heard about the
summer school. and all are OF the
opinion that 1t Is movement In the
fright direction. or course, II Ii too
early for any one to say anything
about the probable attendance. but no
division OF opinion exists as to the ed.
|ucational needs Of New Mexico. All
admit that the educational syakem
lis top-heavy, and that the masses OF
lthe children do not have competent
teachers and that no institution is Of
Ifering In proper form the kind Of m.
lstruction these teachers need. As a
consequence, the territorial institu,
Itions have been attempting 70 do so
called higher work with students.
lmany of whom have little or no sys-
ltematic preparation, and work Of the
lower grades has been done under
names for that Of the higher.
"All are looking to the normal
schools as the institutions which, In
conjunction with county superintend'
tents and county examining boards,
are to bring about better condition
of things. 1t is the peculiar province
Iof these schools to provide properly
educated teachers for the elementary
schools, and. II necessary, 70 offer IN
lstruction In the elementary branches
Ilt Is the unanimous opinion that what
lteachcrs In country AMI small town
Ischools need Is more systematic IN
Istrnction In the elementary branches
land that the establishment OF sum
liner school like that which we con
template ii cminentIy the proper
thing, and the first step looking 4
the realization Of this end. The mex
lsfep is 10 offer throughout the schoo
Iyear similar course and thus Ia,
. d foundation for more advanced work
4 County superlntendents are par
llticularly interested In this moyemen
land are giving II their heartiest sup
lpOrt. Many of them have been tryini
Ito improve the public school work II
their respective counties by refusinl
certificates 10 those whom they rs
gardcd as incompetent, but Whe
Teachers have inquired as to a schot
where they might get Just the brancf
les needed for the elementary worl
Ithe county superintendent has bee
Innable 10 help them. A particular di
Iheulty In this connection Is the fac
= that these teachers could not max
Infnpar preparation during the summo
months when their own schools ar
not in aession The teachers and th
county superlntendenis alike see |
tho summer school an opportnnit
which VIII make invalid amy excuse I
this kind for insufficient preparation
tThey are particularly pleased wit
!. 1.-The prospect OF getting not only th
branches which they need, but on III
count Or having several classes
each branch, OF getting the partlcuia
part Of the study which they nee,
Teachers have derived much bcnef
! from the summer normal institute
s but they are In session only tw
weeks, and those in vogue are NJ
= divided Into classes, thus placing theI
!, at d great disadvantage. In the lon
8 er session and the wide range Of elias
Lined work Of the summer school the
!. ". see an excellent opportunity TO pr
pare themselves thoroughly for the
work
g. II was much gratlfled at the inte
W est manifested generally In norm
u school education. No question exis
as to the demand for normal tralns