The Forrest City times., 1912-07-19
Little Rock High School Students Have Honor of Being First
 In State
itACHERS ARE IN DEMAND
Need Is Felt for Trained Ins.ruc+o,. TOT Country Schools-Result
 of New Plan.

i"iiiihe c4dss ever graQu- ated from high school in Arkansas. received their diplomas when the graduating exercises of the normal tralhlhg department of the Little Rock High Schol were held
 Those prominent in scholastic o,. ialfs regard this as little less than an epoch-making event in the history ol educatlon in Arkansas, They he iieFe that 1t is the first step toward tue installation of trained teachers in most of the country schools of tba S'aee' just as special preparation is now required before teacher can secure position in the schools of the cI's. only when this is done, declar. es state Superintendent of Public In. struetlon George B. Cook. will the boys and girls of the country schools receive square deal"
 Eleven high schools in Arkansas es. tabllshed normal training departments durings the year that has just closed ms was accomplished through the assistance given under the law enact. ed by the last legislature providing state aid for high schools.
 The normal training course requires two years Of special professional work put ar the request of the students in the normal department of the Little ROCK high school, additional hours were added to the regular days work during the year and the school was continued after the close of the regu. lar session in order to permit the students to complete the required two year s work in one year. As a result. 70 students graduated and are ready to take up the work of teaching when the next school session opens. The teachers in the normal departments or the other high schools will not graduate until next spring.
 The graduates of the high school normal departments receive temporary certificates which entities them to teach for period of two years, with out taking the regular examinations At the end of that time they may he given the full normal training school certificate, which is equal to the regu. lar professional license.
 State Superintendent Cook and other educators believe that the estab lishment of these normal departments Will, within the next few years, bring about new era in the rural schools. In the past the supply of trained teach. CTS has been so limited that the gradu. ates of the established normal schools have been drawn immediately into the city schools. As a consequence few trained teachers have been avail. able for the country schools. In many instances. 1t Is said, teachers in the rural schools have not only lacked professional tsrining but have not even had the advantage of a standard high school course.
 The graduation of the 25 students in the normal department of the Little Rock high school must be regarded as having great significance" said State Superintendent Cook. Tt marks the beginning of a new era in the public schools of the state. The full results of the work in the high school normal training departments will not become apparent for several years. but the ef- feet will soon be seen. The remainder ol the 324 students enrolled last year in these departments will graduate next year and practically all of them will go into the schools of this state Within few years the number of trained teachers will be greatly in- creased and it will be the rule, rather than the exception. to find trained teachers in the rural schools of the state. It can easily be seen how quick ly this will raise the standard in our public schools.
 Normal departments were maintain ed last year by the high schools at Little Rock, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Pine Bluff, Bentonyille, Mountain Home, Mena. Hope. Camden, Para gould and Russellville. It is thought this number may be increased next year. The apportionment of the state aid fund for the coming year has not yet been made by the state board of education.
 The cost to the state of maintaining the high school training departments last year was $s,900 and with 344 stu dents enrolled the average cost to the state for the years training for each student was approximately s29