The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-11-19

day In the dying wall Of Dido. Rahab
was in a sense q revival Of the scenic
play, since the Moorhead production
of DR.. Burton's drama put much en-
phasis on the stage pictures. When
the great miracle play Eyeryman. was
under consideration, the class debated
between this and a musical play as
possibilities for novelty and serious
artistic effect. The class chose Every
man because the singing talent of the
| seniors was hardly equal to presenting
an opera. The present senior class,
however, seems to have as good mus
ical talent as the school could usually
expect in band of $50 young people.
Add to this the fact that their coun-
selor is himself the head of the music
department. In the school, and it would
seem that the class of 1911 has UNI
usual inducements to choose a musical
play 1t would surely be an expert
ment worth trying.
At the morning assembly on Tues
day President Weld explained to the
school the significance of the action
of the normal board regarding the in
PRODUCTION of new courses for the
training of teachers. This action he
regarded as one of the most moment
Gus steps toward educational progress
| that has ever been taken in Mime
sofa. When the plan involved is com
pleted 1t will mean pronounced up
lift in the professional qualifications
OF teachers and a distinct improve
ment in public school work. The plan
Involves, first, courses to fit students
to teach domestic art and manual
training in public schools, and to act
as supervisors Of these subjects Both
| these courses will require three years
of study on the part of the high school
graduates and six years OF study on
the part of eighth grade graduates.
The work will be offered in the Moor
head school at once, plans having al
ready been inaugurated whereby the
new course will be evolved very soon.
This advance work will articulate, of
course, with the elementary courses
already offered in the school. The ma
terial equipment being new and first
class, is entirely adequate to meet the
present needs of the new courses. The
second feature of the plan provides
for courses to train teachers as super
visors of music, drawing, physical ed
ucation, and rural school supervision.
These courses will be established as
the facilities of the schools permit,
legislative appropriations being neces-
sary in most instances to provide both
the equipment and additional instruct
ors. Another important provision of
the boards action is that agriculture
shall ha 70 urI n rnUt4Inr npy1
of study on the same basis as history,
geography or science. Three of the
normal schools are authorized to UNI
dertake this work, and win establish
courses as soon as the preliminarieS
can be arranged. At the Moorhead
school a special instructor will be en-
gagged, land acquired, and course of
study in operation, 1t is hoped, by the
beginning of the summer term of 1911.
The object of this work is not to train
specialists. 1t is designed simply to
qualify teachers to handle the subject
of agriculture as they handle arith-
metic or grammar or science in their
work in the public schools. 1t does
not encroach upon the special field of
the agricultural college or the special
agricultural schools. 1t recognizes the
general demand for sound elementary
instruction in agriculture in the pub
lie schools and aims to satisfy it by
training teachers to teach it. Still
another provision of the plan adopted
by the board is that which recon-
mends the introduction of an extended
course of study to fit teachers for gem
eral supervision, principalships, coun-
ty superintendencies, and other high
er educational work in the pubic
schools. This course will require four
years of work beyond the high school
and seven years of work beyond the
Clgf tn grade. II will carry with II
as q recognition of it's advanced char
acter degree of education, having
the legal value of state professional
certificate. These notable provisions
and recommendations Of the normal
BOARD are the result Of at least two
years of consultation and thought on
the art of he presidents of the nor
mil schools, the members of their
their faculties and the members Of the
normal board. President Weld, him
self has been one of the strongest
factors in initiating and executing the
movement. The progress of the plan
is matter of general rejoicing at the
normal.