The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-02-26


TEACHERS TAUGHT.
This is one institution in Virginia
whose business il is 10 train young wo-
men 10 teach. Ii has sent out over
five hundred graduates, four hundred
OF whom are still teaching in the pub
lie schools; in addition TO these, there
are at work in the classroom six hun
dred and more young women who
have bad the advantage Of one or two
years Of training al Farmyille; so that
In all more than one thousand young
women now teaching in Virginia, and
al least thirty thousand children have
felt the Influence Of this school.
That the influence is mighty need
not be questioned, for it is the consen-
sus Of opinion among county superin-
tendents Of education that their best
teachers come from Farmyille.
LIVING SOURCE.
This school is, therefore, the vital
part Of the public school system. II
her growth be retarded by lack of
! funds, If her power be restricted by in-
adequate equipment, the whole system
must suffer without doubt. II, how
ever, the wealth would supply
/ her all her needs, encourage her growth
aud increase her efficiency by every
available means, what would be the
result? The whole public school sys-
/ tenn would feel 10 its very eXtremities
| the new and enriched life-blOOd from
/ the heart Of the system; the whole body
| polite would become stronger, sound
er, healthier. The Commonwealth
would then be her own greatest bene-
ticiaFy, and would reap in citizenship
what she had sown IN appropriations.
1t would thus clearly be false econo-
my on the part Of the State TO deprive
the State Female Normal School OF
any amount necessary TO meet its ac-
tual needs, which are, even now urgent,
though much has been done in the few
years past.
LACK OF BEAUTY.
An excellent new training school
has been built, but it Is still imperfectly
equipped; beautiful new library and
attractive reading room have been adj
ded, but many hundred volumes are
still needed for good working library.
The dining room has recently been
beautiied and enlarged to a seating
capacity Of four hundred, but the dor
mltory accommodations, providing
comfortably for about two hundred
and forty, have not kept pace with this
expansion. There is urgent need for
dormitories for at least four hundred
girls. The assembly hall is not large
enough for any pub ic function, aud
is very uuatlractive in appearance.
There are practically no laboratories
for physics and biology; there are not
enough cla-s-r00ms, and the Office ac-
cOmOdaiiOns are not nearly sufficient.
There Is not granOithic walk on the
place. The buildings-the old ones
certainly do not fulfill the conditions
usually required OF beauty unadorn-
ed, - perhaps because they have no
beauty to begin with. They are as
severe and forbidding in appearance as
traditional barracks.
BEAUTY SHOULD HAVE ITS CON-
CoMMITANTs.
Its firm belief in the mind Of the
present administration that the young
women teachers Of Virginia should be
trained in surroundings as beautiful as
any provided FOR the young men. En-
virOnment must, Of necessity, have
weight in training; therefore,
all the buildings here should be made
10 harmOnize, both inside and out,
with the new west wing, the only at
tractiye building in the entire plant.
These needs are not imaginary, but
actual aud pressing, as every visitor to
the Normal School can testify. Sixty
thousand dollars, the special appro-
priati0n asked Of the Legislature, is
sorely needed, and is little enough TO
effect so many improvements.
But there are even greater needs than
those enumerated. With one more
teacher in the kindergarten at the
Normal School, thorough two years
kindergarten training course may be
offered. There is now a call for man.
ual training IN some Of the schools.
One more teacher In the manual
training department at Farmville
will enable the institution 10 offer
two years course in that line OF work.
Another teacher is also needed to pro-
vide for similar course in domestic
science. The board Of trustees has re-
Gently authorized two years profess
teaching force will be necessary.
WHAT IS NEEDED.
The addition OF five thousand dol
lars 10 the present annuity would be
required to make possible these inn
perative changes.
The State should, and no doubt will,
cad the way in preparing for her own
needs along such lines. She should
not be forced to import kindergartners
aud teachers Of manual training; nor
should she be compelled TO send her
own daughters out OF the State for
such training. She should not allow
he public schools 10 call for such
teachers without being able TO meet
their demands; nor should she wait
until she n forced to such preparation2
She should voluntarily take the in
itiative.
The State Female Normal School IL
the one teachertraining institution
provided for young women. What at
titude will the mother State take to.
ward this dutiful, half-grown child2
VIII she abandon IL, crippliDg it for
life by refusing 10 complete what she
has begun? Or will she supply all its
needs, and bring ii 10 maturity, pre-
pared for efficient, powerful service to
the Staie2
DUTY or LEGISLATURE.
Let the present Legislature care for
her own by granting the special appro-
priation Of 10000, and increasing the
annuity by 5000. Such a provision
will increase the value Of her former
investment in the institution, and
make good her expenditure on the
public schools, which depend 30
largely upon the Normal School.
Looked at from a standpoint Of good
business principles merely, can the
Legislature afford 10 do otherwise ?
Viewed from the standpoint Of sound
pedag0gic principles, IL Is the only safe
course. The public school system Is
the foundation Of good citlzenship, as
well as Of all higher education. Make
tue foundation sound and secure II you
would have the superstTucture safe and
permanent.
We repeat that the teacher is the
.-ffaf afauuauf tho rQQl fprqa ia the nub-