The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-07-31
PRESIDENT A. c.
CRANES ADDRESS
AT THE. LAYING OF
THE CORNER STONE - d E \
FINES THE PROVINCE OF THE
NEW SCHOOL THAT WILL
OPEN.

Dy tfeSlOenC "A. ". OEANc ~ LIlc 10y
ing of the corner stone Friday. Ther'
are so many valuable facts contained
therein that the Independent considers
| it worthy of publication in complete
form:
We are here to commemorate tn
establishment of Normal School II
steel and stone. Our interest today il
centered in the material equipment IL
substantial buildings. Our next in
terest will be in things no less real
no less enduring tho more tangible, II
influences which are to emanate from
the life within these walls. The pur'
pose to which these massive walls are
to be put must justify their erection
Normal schools are comparatively re-
cent additions to our educationa
family. Their growth has been rapit
and steady. In twenty years the an
nual enrolment of Normal School stu,
dents has increased 200 per cent unit
in 1910 there were over 100000 stu
dents in teachers training classes ir
normal schools. There were 1876 pub.
lie normal schools and GO private nor.
NAL schools. 1890 students were
graduated from these institutions ir
1910. To maintain these institutions
in 1910 cost over eight million dollars
These facts are significant when
one remembers that it is but few de.
cades since the first Normal school
was established. That our public
school system should have grown to
it's great size without adequate pro-
visions having been made for train
ing teachers is remarkable fact.
There still exists some confusion in
the minds Of the general public re-
garding the scope Of a Normal school
Of all our public educational institu-
tons, however, the province of the
Normal school is the most definitely
defined. 1t is school specifically de-
voted to the training of teachers for
public schools. In some states the
Normal schools train teachers for both
high school and graded schools. The
North Dakota legislative enactment
limits the Normal school courses to
two years work beyond the high
school. Perhaps some day it will be
deemed wise to make use of the splen-
did professional equipment of the Nor
NAL schools in the training of high
school teachers as we'll. The field
however, if limited to training teach
ers for the graded schools, is large
and as yet far from being completely
occupied. AS the one institution
whose purpose is so exclusively con.
nected with the public schools, it be-
hooves the Normal school to study
carefully and develop earnestly the
best interests of the public schools
AS a republic we realize that the first
business of this government must b<
education. 1t can not stand unles.
it's rulers are intelligent citizens. Thu
education of his majesty, the Ameri
can citizen, is largely placed in tn
hands of the public schools and il
that part of the public schools EN-
praced within the elementary grade
which by legislative enactment ar
the special province of the Norma
school. This splendid educationa
system which has so often and so thor
oughly proven its worth is now facing
many problems. It's faults are bein,
pointed out by foes without an
braced within the elementary grade
some of the faults of the organization
is one of the most hopeful evidence
that the system is alive and growing
It is the function of the Normal schoo
to assist in the solution Of these publ
school problems.
The Roosevelt Country Life com
mission met most frequently with tn
complaint that country school condl
tions were undesirable and more pee
pie gave this as their cause for thei
moving to town than any other req
son. The rural school then present
some pressing problems for solution
For some amateur girl just out Q
high school or barely thru the eigh
grades to be entrusted with the educa
ton Of our boys and girls and then b
numbered 80 classes day and doz
en- subjects, in a close, unsanitar!
lily constructed, knowledge box is
severe criticism on the intelligence 9
our American people.
81 is average, 1912 by N. c. McDor
aid.