The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-04-28
CORRESPONDENCE.
ditor TRUE DEMOCRAT:

EOlUOf lhUE uEMOShATs
The last issue of your delightful paper
contains several articles regarding
State educational institutions which,
while doubtless well-meant, are apt to
be misunderstood. / am sure you will
be glad to allow corrections.
Under the title 1.-The State College"
you saw many complimentary things re-
garding that splendid school to which
cordially say amen" It deserves
your highest praise. You say that the
State College, the University Of Flor
ida and tie East Florida Seminary stand
on constitutional foundations, and hence
are not subject to Adjustment or dim
mutton" You then appear to class all
other State schools as creatures of
legislative enactment, which derive
their only or chief reason for existence
from the ability of their personal friends
and promoters TO secure legislative APP
preparations for their support" AS a
matter of fact, the constitution does
not refer to any one of the institutions
named by you but does provide for the
establishment and maintenance of two
normal schools" These are the State
Normal at DeFuniak Springs and the
COlored Normal of your city.
There is no constitutional reason why
all three of the institutions you named
might not be combined or abolished
should the Legislature so decide. Their
right to continuance and liberal en-
enlargement rests upon a much more
satisfactory basis-theiT educational inn
portance and intrinsic excellence. In
your estimate of the reasons for the ex-
istence of the other State schools you
probably did not intend to include the
State Normal though this has been in
ferred from the article. Besides the
constitutional necessity for its exist
ence, please note that it is the only
school established by the State for the
training of white teachers Has a
more important treason for existence
ever been found for any school? A
State Normal school is the fountain
head from which flow the ideals which
shall prevail in popular education. 1t is
the one school in the State whose stu
dents are trained not only with refer
ence to their own betterment but espec-
tally for the uplifting of the many
thousands whom they annually instruct
in the town and country schools Of
every portion of the State
Elsewhere you quote and appear 20 en-
dOrse editorially a statement that 1--WE
have six Scholastic most Of them
having a beggarly attendance Of so or
100 students and sad TO relate a large
portion Of them in the sub, fresh or
preparatory classes or else taking bust
ness courses. - Only one of the six
schools has an attendance of less than
100 which is ascribed to most Of
them.
AS none of the remarks apply in the
slightest degree to the Normal School,
kindly make it clear to your readers
that they we're not so intended The
Normal gives absolutely no instruction
except that arranged for teachers No
student can enter the school who has
not already a teachers certificate or
who passes an examination sufficient TO
secure one. This is the requirement
for the Sub-Normal class, which is COM
posed largely of secOnd-gTade certif-
cate holders and mostly of actual teach
ers. For entrance TO the Freshman
class years study additional is requir
ed The average age of the students
is about Fl years and none under is are
admitted
Only % per cent of the enrolment is
of local students and these are prepar-
ing to go out and teach elsewhere. The
other az per cent come from and return
to every section of the State. Recent
students are teaching tens of thousands
of children in schools Of every grade
and in every portion of Florida. Among
these recent students and graduates
are many superintendent and high
school principals.
We hope, Mr.. Editor, that the press
Of Florida will use it's whole power to
remove all sham and 'shoddy from Flor
ida schools, and bring about the most
economical reform in their organization
and maintenance. The more you pub
lish the facts, the more you will help
them and the State. If any school or
any part of any school cannot bear the
Of truth, it's adjustment or
should be demanded.
To borrow your own expression, the
fact that the Normal School rests on
''solid constitutional foundation takes
il from the realm Of speculative prOpo-
sitions, looking toward its adjustment
or elimination, A" but in dealing with ali
the schools, let the diagnosis be made
before the remedy is applied.
Much more will be found TO commend
than TO condemn. Respectfully.
n. E. BENNETT.
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