The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-11-15


lhsi oar nprmals .n Oklahoma are Ho
confinlns their activities @ their irnl
sphere that thaF are admitting im
mature students ana that they art
doing Nork ihai ought to be done bs
oAE igeal high schools This ia doubt
less true. bit Il should b rememberes
that our law permits boys and girls
I 70 enter the teaching profession at the
age o. le years and that the demand
I for teachers IN Oklahoma has been SO
great tAat the immature and the ia.
prepared have always been able to
secure position in our public schools.
10 meet this condition ii has seemed
advisable to maintain preparatory de-
( nartments in all Of our normal schools
we admit that sucl conditions are far
from ideaE but w should bear in
mind that educational Ills are Of such
nature that they cannot be cured ia
day Az a matter Of fact, educa.
tional conditions similar to these ex.
ist IN all Of the Older states, and have
existed, in a greater or less degree,
for years and similar provisions win
be found In almost all 81 our state
normals to bring about the needed
relief It is to be hoped that there
nay come time when We can com
mand the services OF more mature
men and women in an our schools and
demand a professional standard equiv.
aient 70 normal school graduation. The
tendency Is Ia this direction We are
already demanding Of our Legislature
higher academic and professional
standaqds for our teachers and we areI
confident that IN due time the needed
adjustments in our normal schools
viii be made
TO those who believe In the econo-
my and increased efficiency OF the
centralized system Of our state schools
It may be shown from the experience
Of other states that SO far as normal
schools are concerned, it cost more
per capita to train teachers under such
q system than it does under the plan
Of a diversity Of such schools. The
reason for this IS apparent For In.
stance, the state would naturally
spend more than one half as much lib
equipping and maintaining three nor
mails as 1t would in supporting six.
The attendance upon the three nor
mails would be less than one half as
many as upon the six, owing to the
inconvenience and added cost to the
student, occasioned by being obliged
20 travel longer distance to attend
school, and lack Of general educa-
tional stimuli that naturally comes Of
a greater diversity Of schools.
It may also be shown that the cen
tralized system is less efficient. In
The first place, as already pointed out
In the preceding paragraph, the same
total expenditure furnishes a smaller
annual output Of trained teachers for
the state. In the second place the
schools requiring such large faculties
employ more assistants, and this some.
times means less mature instruction.
Again in states where the central
plan is in operation, a great number
Of private normals spring up for rev
enue only and tend to lower the eIn.
cational standing Of the state Final.
ly the teachers who are trained IN
these central schools with magnificent
buildings and grounds and the latest
equipment. are apt to feel that :heJ
cannot do good work as teachers with
ont large equipment and modern
buildings They are not inclined,
therefore, to accept positions in tie
humber districts. but invariably seek
the city environment when they 60
out to teach.
In this way, Capitalization Of our
normal facilities tends to withhold
from the rural schools the benefits OF
trained teachers and to leave them
more and more in the hands OF INC
unprepared On the other hand, al
number Of smaller normals. located mi
different sections Of the state, stima
lates the people to demand better pre-
paration on the part of those who
would teach; whether it be in the CITY
or in the country. The tendency
throughout the stat $ is to get away
from the old idea of Capitalization
and bring the normal school facilities
within reach of the people.
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Good Work Of Dental suraerles.