The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-05-31
aAsMUcH ABUSED TeRM.
good deal mas been said recon

III MUCH ABUSED TERM.
vs. a good deal;has been said recently
about Normal Schools in West vlr,
\ ginia and u anybody Is growing tired
SofI the discussion he had better cheer
up and get ready for a siege as what
n has been said is only the beginning
iof what will be said before this nor.
2 nal school question has. been solved
z toSthe general satisfaction Of the PEG.
z ple. The term Normal School, has
been one to con1ure with for many
years in West Virginia. Because the
State chose to name the academies It
established some forty years ago "Nor.
NAL Schools normal school courses
4 have become fad, and we have with
J. JUS the Summer Normal" in almost ev.
cry county, Of the State as by,product,
X The State Normal Schools have never
4 claimed to do anything but give one
year In text book, theoretical instruc!
u ton on subjects generally classed III.
sder!the head Of Education and they
have had some sharp competitors In
this work. We have on our desk
copy Of the Baptist Banner OF this
z week which contains an advertisement
Of Broaddus Institute at Clarksburg
Among other things 1t speaks Of "a
strong Normal course" The West
Virginia Conference Seminary years
\ ago caught on" to this method Of bid.
ding for teachers and provided NOR.
NAL course" comforting the degree 4
Bachelor Of Pedagogy on those who
took the Diploma in that course. So.
lem College was shrewd enough to 20
after business in the same way. The
editor OF this paper holds the degree
Of Bachelor Of Pedagogy from the
&s:BI3nckhannon school and the snperln.
.5tendent Of Public Schools in this CITY
has the same degree from Salem Col.
glege. We both know that these
schools Just went the State Normal
: Schools one better on their own game
and conferred degrees for practically
!; the same work done In the STATE
schools. The Legislature to further
along thesgood work allowed State Ger
ftlfcates to be granted 10 these dc.
nominational and other schools of like
character which had normal course.
y soEinstend Of six Normal Schools" In
West Virginia we have nearer twenty
us sits any wonder the State Normal
Schools have not come TIP TO the ey.
pectations Of their friends who had
mapped out wonderful careers for
them Z Just think OF the competition
and all recognized by enactment oil
the State Legislature. And yet We
are not complaining. These schools
ought to have been recognized for
y they were doing Normal work as
much asthe State Normal Schools and
were getting no State aid, so surrey
the State could afford to rccognfz , |
4 them: But the time for this "playin;
\ Normal School" in our opinion has
reached the limit Of forbearance. Year
after year the demands for money At
These State schools have been grow.
1sing and the work has only been In.
y creased not changed in accordance
with the design OF real Normal Schools
The demand for specially trained
teachers Is very great and yet we
have no schools In the State that can
lay claim TO giving the desired prep.
I aration. The department Of ednca.
.5tion3 at the University is not attempt.
ing such work except for few weeks
at the summer school when special.
lists. like Miss Griswold, Of Chicago.
4 are called In for brief period. The
High Schools are getting able to do
academic work which gets credit along
with that done at the State Normal
Schools, so the usefulness Of these
" - NJ.
schools along that line is not apparent,
hence their only excuse for existence
as State schools Is on the ground Of
5real Normal schools. Shall We try TO
maintain six full fledged institutions
OF this character with training de.
partments and model schools win
real children 10 be taught by the
young men and women who are pre-.
pairing % stedch?E Most people know
how: much money that would take and
say no, even II the six schools were
so located that such departments
could he maintained. We believe the |
h people when once thoroughly inform.