The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1914-02-21
HIGH AUTHORITY
PRAISES NORMAL
U. s. EDUCATORS REPORT
HAS GIVEN STATE EXCELLENT
SERVICE, WRITES DIR. j.
l.. McBRIEN.

DR.. Jasper l.. McBrien, one of the
bureaus specialists in rural education,
working under the direction of Hon
+. T. Claxton, United States Commits
sloner of Education, spent one week
last December in study of educa-
tlonal conditions in Arkansas. DR..
McBrlen writes as follows concern
ing the State Normal School:
Under an act of the legislature of
1907, the Arkansas State Normal
School was established at CONWAY
Here too is located Hendrix College
the leading Methodist school of the
state, with an endowment of $500 900
which makes its future secure. Here
also is Central College, the only Bap-
list institution of its kind in the state
for girls.
1T was December II. in COMPANY
with Supt. Cook when | visited the
Normal School. 1t opened its first
session in September, 1908. Since
that time 1T has enrolled over | 500
students, and has graduated about
l25 This is the work of five years.
And yet more than one thousand
teachers, according to President
Doyne, abandon their work in this
state after one year of effort, either
because they recognize the fact that
they are not suited to the work or
something more to their taste invites
them. Their places must be filled by
others. These figures show US all too
clearly and too forcefully the her
culean task placed upon this one
State Normal School
1T is giving the state excellent ser
vice considering what the state has
given it for maintenance. But the
state can and should do more by this
school. In this state as in almost
every other state, the problem of sup
plying the schools with professionally
trained teachers is the paramount
issue in public education.
AN eighth grade education admits
students to this school. The course
of study is so arranged that those
who desire may take a rural course
covering two years, mainly reviewing
the common branches, and taking a
few high school subjects, being syp-
plemented by elementary psychology,
school management and methqdology,
with the privilege of doing practice
and observation work in the train
ing school
THE regular course covers a pc
Rod of four years, about one fourth
of which is devoted to pedagogy. The
seniors are required to do some prac-
tce teaching under proper supervision
of the critic teacher They must also
visit the training school, observe the
work done by student teachers, and
make written reports thereon to the
head pedagogical department.
There is a fine dormitory for girls,
with ACCOMMODATIONS for about 100.
Everything here was found in ship
shape order. There is sore need of d
boys dormitory, This school really
needs another dormitory for girls
that will accommodate 100.
'The school is well equipped The
equipment in physics and chemistry
is entitled to special mention. The
domestic science department merits
praise Good attention is given to
manual training. There is a large
school farm that is put to good use in
farm demonstration work. The live
stock, gardening and poultry indus
tries are we'll started. The school has
a good library in charge of an expert
librarian. The biology department is
exceptionally strong. Extension work
is to be inaugurated in the near
future.
"In fine, this school is we'll man
aged