The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-12-11
NORMAL SCHOOL FACTS
IneffiCienCy and InadequaCy of
Present System
Graduates Of Vermont Schools Must
Take TWO Years Course for In
stitutions in Other States.

normal schools, the greater becomes
the wonder that our people have toler
ated the existing state Of affairs for
so long a period, says the Burlington
Free Press. It is humiliating, for ex-
ample, to discover that Vermont's
three normal schools are to all prac-
tical intents and purposes merely low
grade high schools. serving many if
the pupils in their immediate vicinity
in that capacity, The chief differ
enoe is that the normal schools which
admit pupils directly from the com
mon schools, require only two years,
whereas a high school insists upon a
course of four years.
If we are not satisfied with this de-
monstration of the inefficiency and
inadequacy of our present system Of
maintaining three so called normal
schools for the benefit largely Of the
immediate sections in which they are
located, instead Of building up cen
trail institution which will give Yer
mont the modern teachers to whom
It Is entitled, then let us compare the
situation here with that prevailing
in other states
The startling discovery is made
that a graduate of Vermont normal
school entering from a elementary
school would be obliged to study two
years in some preparatory school be-
fore he or she could be admitted to a
New York normal school, or sim
liar school in Massachusetts, or in
fact in any other state outside OF Yer
mont. The normal schools of those
states admit only graduates OF high
schools and academies that require
four years of study. whereas our nor
NAL schools admit pupils from the
common schools and require only two
years Of study.
The question naturally arises, why
has Vermont tolerated this condition
of affairs so long? The most plausl-
bic explanation is that our people
have not known - facts of the case.
This ignorance Cannot be attributed
to lack Of salient facts. but to utter
absence OF attention on the part OF
our people to numerous reports and
recommendations some of which en-
anated from the authorities OF the
very normal schools which now ask
for continued support in oppc ,tion
to the central normal school idea.
In 1870 for example Capt Abel r.
Leavenworth at that time superin-
tendent of New Haven and afterwards
principal at Randolph and at Castle
ton. stated in his report
Il would encourage the normal
schools, and yet fail to see how they
can be much better than our graded
schools and academies until they are
endowed by the state. One good nor
NAL school, amply endowed and pro
vided with a full corps Of competent
instructors, would serve a good pur-
pose for finishing OF teachers and we
ought to have such a school
In June. 1870, the trustees of the
Randolph normal school unanimously
passed the following resolutions
Resolved. that we rejoice at the
prospect of an early establishment Of
one normal school for Vermont on a
permanent basis, and that we will use
what Influence we possess in favor of
such a result, only desiring that the
school be placed on a foundation wor-
thy OF the state and in location con
yenient to the people thereof
These two opinions are pertinent to
the discussion, but the school that
Capt. Leayenworth and the Randolph
trustees desired is still a dream.
In 1856, a commission composed OF
Hon. Loyeland Munson. president Ez
IA Bramerd and Principal s, w Ian
don was created to draft a school code
for Vermont and II inserted section
which was evidently intended to carry
into effect the report of the commits
sion on normal schools, created'by the
same legislature. The section is as
follows:
sec 81 There shall be normal
school for the free instruction and
training of teachers for the mblic
schools It shall be established. sup
ported and controlled by the state and
shall not be connected with amy pri-
waite institution of learning
The state Is able to do something
aud the opportunity is favorable and
the matter rests with the present leg
islamre. Perhaps Superintendent
stone is right In asking for the reten-
ton of the present Institutions, es.
pecially at Johnson and Castleton, for
the purpose OF providing for the elem
entary girl, who wishes to teach but
who cannot afford four years In a high
school But that does not relieve the
situation The high school graduate
cannot find in the present normal In