The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-13
COLORED NORMALS
What the State Does to
Train Teachers for Me-
gro Schools.
The Number Has Been Reduced and
The Reduction viii Make Them
More Useful.

BY an act of the Legislature of 1876
~, there was established at Fayette-
vile a State Colored Normal School
for the training of teachers for tha
colored public schools. Only $4,000
annually was appropriated for the
running expenses of the school, which
left nothing, or very little, for build
ings and other permanent equipment
This school was conducted under rules,
regulations, and course Of study pre-
scribed by the State Board of Educa-
ton. The entrance requirements We're
about what is now required for pro-
motion to the fifth grade of the ele-
mentary school, and a four years
course was prescribed.
The Legislature of 1881 established
four additional colored normal schools
at Plymouth, Franklinton, Salisbury
and New Bern. The total annual ap
preparation for these five So-called
normal schools from 1881-'S1 was $4.-
90, 81, 900 of which was annually spent
at Fayetteville and $500 annually was
spent in conducting each of the four
other schools.
The Legislature of 1887 increased
the annual appropriation to the col
ored normal schools from $4,000 to
$4,000, providing that $4,000 year
should be spent at Fayetteville and
$500 a year at each of the other
four schools. The entrance require
ments of the schools remained prac-
tically the same during all these years.
being about what could reasonably be
expected to be known by a 4th grade
pupil. But the four years course of
study included such subjects as Latin,
rhetoric, astronomy. physics chemis-
try, bookkeeping. political economy.
zoology, Greek. natural history, and
the like And each of the schools
claimed to be lone of the best schools
in the State" 1t is quite unnecessary
to say that such course of study as
was pretended to be given could not
be given in the fifth grade.
During the summer of 1881 the
normal school at New Bern was re-
moved to Goldsboro. In 1891 the Leg
islature removed the school at Frank
linton to Warrenton, established an
other normal school at Elizabeth City
and provided that the $4,000 annual
appropriation should be equally divld-
ed among the six then existing colored
normal schools. In 1893 the Legisla-
ture removed, the school from War
renton to Franklinton. By an act of
the Legislature of 1895 another col
ored normal school was established
priated for it's maintenance. provided
the local board of trustees should an
nually raise an equal amount. The
State now had seven colored normal
schools on an annual appropriation of
about $4,000, or about $1,000 for
each school It is easy to see how
| this amount was totally inadequate to
provide suitable teachers. buildings
and necessary equipment for seven
schools DR.. j. l.. M. Curry, agent of
the Peabody Fund, withdrew the
small annual appropriation the Pea
body Board had been giving the
schools for several years and urged
the consolidation of the schools, as
did State superintendent Mebane. But
! the seven schools were all continued.
no attention being given to Dr. Cur
rvs recommendation and that of Supt.
| Mebane.
The Legislature of 1897 increased
! the annual appropriation to these col
ored normal schools from $4,000 to
! $4,000, which appropriation was con-
tinued. as we'll as the seven schools.
| up to the year 1903 During the year
1903, the State Board of Education.
acting upon the recommendation Of
! the State Board of Examiners an