The Nevada County picayune., 1912-07-19
NORMAL TRAINING
 GLASS GRADUATED
Little Rock High School Students Have Honor of Being First
 In State
TEACHERS ARE IN DEMAND
Need Is Felt for Trained Instructors for Country Schools-Resuit
 cf New Plan.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
 Little Rock.-The members of tke first normal training class ever gr&da, ated rom a high school in Arkansas, received their diplomas when the graduating exercises of the normal training department of the Little Rock High schol were held.
 Those prominent in scholastic af. fairs regard this as little less than an epoeh-makiHg event in the history of education in Arkansas. They be- lieve taat 1t is the first step toward the installation of trained teachers in most of the country schools of the state, just as special preparation is now required before q teacher can secure a position in the schools of the city only when this is done, declar- es state Superintendent of Public h. strHeti0n George 5. Cook, will the boys and girls of the country schools receive square deal
 Eleven high schools in Arkansas es- tabIished normal training departments during the year that has just closed. This was accomplished through the assistance given under the law enact cd by he last legislature providing state aid for high schools.
 The normal raining course requires two years of special professional work but at the request of the students in the normal department Of the Little Rock high school. additional hours Were added 10 the regular days work during the year and the school Was continued after the Ciose Of the reEu- lar session iH ora.r 70 permit the students to complete tae required two years work in one year As a result, 25 students graduated and are ready to take=Gp the Horh of teaching when the naXt school session opens. The teachers in the normal departments of the other bish schools will not graduate unEit Hext spring
 The graduates Of the high school normal departments receive temporary certificates which entities them to teach for period of fwo years, with. out taking the regular examinations At the end of that time they may be given the full normal training school certificate, which is equal 10 the reeu- lar professional Iieen.e.
 State Superintendent Cook and other educators believe that the es.ah- lishment of these normal department s 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 q consequence few trained teachers have been avail able for the country schools. In many instances, it is said, teachers in the rural schools have not only lacked professional tarining but have not even had the advantage of a standard high school course.
 The graduation of the 25 students fin the normal department of the Little Rock high school must be regarded as having great significance" said State Superintendent Cook. It 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 O. the a2t students enrol led last year in these departments Will graduate next year and practically all of them will go into the schools of this state Within q few years Che number of trained teachers will b. greatly in- creased and it will he IHe rule. rather than the exception ta find trained teachers in the rural schools of tHa state l. can easily he seen how qa.eR- ly this will raise the standard in our public schools
 Normal departments wera maintain cd last wear by the hla schools at Little Rock. Port smith Hot Springs. Pine Bluff HeuIouyille. Mountain Home, Hena, Hope, Camden. Para gould and RGssellyille Ii is thought this number may he increased naxt year. The apporlionment of the stato- aid fund for the coming year has not vet heen made by the state board of oducaton
 The cost to the state of maintaining tho hieh school training departments last year was S9.90o and with 3fi stu dents enrolled tbe average cost to tae state for the years training for each student was approximately S29.