Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-07-20
SURVEY SHOWS NECESSITY FOR
NORMALS.

u dlhCu bSdSuSlS AdllS Lar SAOII III
efficiency and in results for the boys
and girls educated in such a system
has been the state of Ohio.
From the very beginning of the
history of the state until the past
three years it has been the theory in
that state that the high schools and
colleges alone would prepare suit
able teachers for the public schools.
Young people, mostly girls, have
graduated from high schools or have
passed written examinations of coun-
ty boards and county superintendent
and have obtained teachers certifi-
Gates. Sometimes the newly gradu-
ated girl, the product of the element
airy school and the high school of her
own community, has thus obtained a
certificate to teach; more often the
graduate of the elementary schools
has obtained such certificate without
even the high school training.
One result of the system has been
educational inbreeding of the most
pronounced character. The commun-
ity school has been taught by the
untraind product of that school; new
ideas, broader outlook, more eff
cient practices, and better concep-
tions have not been introduced, un-
less the local superintendent hap
pened to be a well-trained, aggressive
person, or some potent influence has
existed in the community to bring
about educational progress. In so
far as the rank and file of the teach
ers have been concerned there has
been stagnation.
The writer has observed teaching
in the schools of fourteen states scat
tered from Cape Cod to the Golden
Gate and he has found that Ohio with
her unframed teachers has been most
tardy in development and most crude
in daily school room practice. In
school room after school room visit
ed in that state during the years
| 1909-1913, he found the unframed
graduate of the elementary school or
the high school doing the best that
she knew how to do, but o, so weak.
| The boys and girls under the in
struction of this weak teacher were
later to be recruits to the teaching
Feeling the need that existed in
the state, several educators succeed
ed in having passed by the Legislature
small appropriation to pay for an
educational survey. Last year, while
this survey was being made, the
writer of this article was in Ohio
giving summer courses for teachers.
He was in weekly conversation and
conference with the directors of the
survey, hence he obtained direct in
formation as to what was being done
and what facts were being elected.
One of the clearest pieces of evidence
brought out was the unframed con-
dition of the teaching corps and the
fearful results that had come from
| the work of such an unframed body.
After the report was published it
was very easy matter to obtain ap-
propriations for three normal schools,
which are now in process of erection
in three different parts of the state.
However, when the legislators and
the people became informed of the
situation in Ohio, as compared with
other states, they did not wait for
buildings for normal schools, but at
once appropriated funds with which
faculties were employed for the nor
mails that were to be. Until the nor
mails were built these faculties were
to travel over the state holding
schools of instruction. Although the
normal school buildings are not yet
completed, the faculties of the nor
mails have been under employment
and have been travelling about the
state many months.
In addition to the regular state
normal schools, three normal schools
in each county will be established
in connection with first grade high
schools for the training of rural
teachers. These will receive $1,000
each annually and will be located by
the superintendent of public instruc-
ton
Quite in contract with Ohio are
such states as Massachusetts,, Wiscon-
sin, Illinois, Washington or Califor-
mia. states where the policy for years
has been to literally support normal
schools. The teaching force, as q
whole, in each of these states is nor
NAL trained and the schools are
famed for their efficiency and pro-
gressiveness.
In such a classification, where is
Oregon at the present time? Where
will be she in the future? The writ
er has taught in the schools of Wash
ington, Oregon and is now in Califor.