Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-02-03
DEPARTMENTS WORK
THOUGH HAMPERED FOR ROOM
INSTITUTION is GIVING STU
DENTS MANY ADVANTAGES
COURSES HAVEBEEN CHANGED
UNDER NEW ARRANGEMENT NEW
MEXICO NORMAL Is RATED AS
STANDARD SCHOOL

That the New Mexico Normal Uni
versity has made remarkable strides
forward in the past two years ia
shown by the report which the board
of regents of that institution has sent
to Governor William C. Mcdonald at
his request. On October 3, 1898 the
school began it's work with a faculty
OF four and an enrolment OF SO stu
dents. This enrolment was increased
to 1876 before the close of the school
year. For 1911-12 the Normal has a
faculty of Fl and on enrolment OF
474. To show the increase in attend
ance in the past few years, it may be
stated that the number of students
whose names we're on the books of
1909-10 was 1913 and for 1901, $50.
The remarkable increase in the sum-
mer school enrolment last year SWELL
ed the total considerably, there being
27 students in attendance in 1911 as
against SO in 1910.
The institution has graduated 124
students since 1t began conferring dii
plomas and the graduating classes
have been growing in size during the
past few school years. During last
year students were enrolled from 90
counties in New Mexico, eight states
and one foreign country, showing the
broad character of the work that is
being done. The courses of study
have been changed and made to con-
'orm to the requirements of a first
class normal school, SO that students
the Normal are aware of
he fact that their credits will be re-
;ognized as standard no matter where
hey are presented. The report shows
! healthy increase in efficiency by ev-
'ry department.
Little is being done by the instltu-
ions of learning in this state as in
many others, for the good of the
ountry schools. The regents have
commended to the governor that the
legislature should make it possible
or the Normal to create department
or third grade teachers. This de-
artment, in addition to instrrlcting
he teachers in the knowledge neces-
ary for their calling along common
ines, would enable them to learn
much of gardening, poultry raising,
airying, home conveniences and
Of rural life. With pedago-
y and school government, these sub
ects should prove OF value to the
oung instructors and their pupils
Last year the Normal was obliged
} turn away over SO students and
MS year II because of the lack of
lcilities for properly caring for them.
hat it may exercise all the func-
ons of state institution of the ma
ire for which the Normal Univer-
ty was created, the regents have
ecided to recommend the construe-
on of the following buildings: prac-
ce training school, manual training
;hool, gymnasium, presidents house.
oys' dormitory. an additional girls
ormitory and central heating plant.
All of these things are badly need
if the Normal is to continue to grow
Id keep pace with the intellectual
ivancement Of the state. Most of
le persons who seek to enter the
ormal practice training school are
oung men from IA to 20 years of age,
mixing with fourth to seventh grade
lpils. That the New Mexico Nor
al University might serve as many
J possible of these people. the board
regents employed an additional
'itic teacher and in spite of that
lct, bright young men who were
in their early education
I'D are now anxious to complete their
lucation sufficiently that they may
ecome third grade teachers are turn