The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-12-28
BereaT eachers' ;:
~ I A sat rrFRs !
Club Sof b 'i Isai. Ssas 80 ky.
Normal schools.

Normal schools.
As it il likely that the question Of
establishing one or more Normal
Schools for the State will come up
during the coming session of the
Legislature, it has seemed that IL
might be Of interest TO briefly discuss
the question of the desirablity Of
such schools in the columns OF the
Citizen. There is no doubt that a
good Normal School. properly con
Quoted, is Of inestimable benefit 10 a
state. The question then resolves
itself into several. One Of these is as
TO whether Kentucky is prepared 20
support and conduct a good Normal
School or good Normal Schools. A
school that should become the prey
of the man with political pull is
not needed here. Rather let things
continue AZ they are.
Another question arises from the
first II is M to what kind OF a
Normal School the friends Of this
movement wish 10 see established.
In most Of the western states there
are Que or more Normal Schools.
The writer has one such la mind IL
is an overgrown school with some.
thing like two thousand students IL
is the rival Of every high school aud
academy in the State and soliciis
pupils, they cannot be called stu.
dents. from even the common schools.
With the great number Of it, former
students il conducts a formidable
lobby at every session Of the legis
lature aud openly deiies not only
competition but opposition. II is
supposed 10 furnish teachers Tor the
common schools Of the state, IL does
not do il. The average teaching life
Of teacher in that state is little
over three years. The Normal School
trains it, pupils 10 pass an eSamina
ton for a certificate, il does not edu
cate them, at an expense 10 the state
Of not less than three hundred thou
sand dollars year, in order that
these pupils may teach something
like three years. Does the superior.
ity Of the work done by the teachers
thus trained warrant this expendi-
tureY He would be brave aud
somewhat credulous man who should
assert that they do.
But what kind Of Normal School
is needed in Kentucky Surely not
such an one as has been described
There is need here aud elsewhere Of
Normal Schools that viii train teach
ers and not become rivals Of every
school in the State above the grade
of the primary school A Normal
School should not be a place 90 get
an education. II should be a place
20 learn a trade as much as IL a
school for carpenters OF book keepers
or doctors. Do such schools call
themselves educational establish.
meutsy They have no right 90 do 80
even II they do. Think Of a school
Of Medicine teaching Grammar or
Arithmetic. So Normal School
should not be and should not claim
10 be an educational institution, but
should be simply what il purporis 10
be, an institution for training teach
ers in pedagogy after they have
secured their proper education some
where else. II should be an instiiu.
tion, entrance 10 which should de
pend on the possession Of sufficient
education 10 enable those who come
10 il 10 pursue their technical studies
10 good advantage. Otherwise a
Normal School is only an excuse for
the establishment Of a secondary
school in some favored locality at the
state expense.
Now II Kentucky is ready to es-
tablish and support one OF more such
Normal Schools and keep il or them
clear Of political and sectarian in
huences, the time has come 10 begin
TO build up "a system Of Normal
Schools" slowly and wisely, aud If
not, not l.. +. L,