The log cabin Democrat., 1916-04-01
N0RMAL'S NEED OF
 BUILDINGS URGED SCHOOL IS OYERCROWDED
ARKANSAS TEACHER SAYS ADJ OPTIONAL ACCOMMODA-
 TIONS ARE IMPERATIVE.

'~~--oNA A'sso PA@SSA>Ahy iSoNhCu lIS maximum and cannot accommodate more students without additional buildings is stated in an editorial in the April number of the Arkansas Teacher. The editorial urges teach CTS throughout the state to awaken public sentiment in favor of the Nor mal School and set such influences at work as will result in appropria- tions for such additional buildings as are imperatively needed. The article, in part, is reproduced below and will doubtless be read with great interest throughout the state:
 'The growth Of interest in normal schools has been without precedent in the past fifteen years. The report of the department of the interior shows appropriations for buildings and maintenance amounting to $3,777,7O2 in 1900, while in 1913-the latest re- port available-the amount was $12,- 523,96S, for continuing the work in these schols and increasing their use fitness.
 "The state of Wisconsin has thirty normal and teacher training schools for the maintenance of which in 1914
 the legislature appropriated $1,O86,- OS4. The value of normal schol buildings and grounds in this state is given at over $2,600,000.
 ''In the south the normal school idea is of much more recent growth than in any other section of our
 country, and their development for
 many causes has not been so rapid.
 Yet in 1914 Virginia appropriated
 for the support of these schools $233,- ITO; Texas, $260,000; North Caro-
 lima, $174 ,0O0; Oklahoma, $219,345;
 Kentucky, $163,000; Georgia, $780, 900; and Arkansas, $43,200. Of
 course, every state in the Union SUD-
 ports normal schools, but these figures | are given for the sake of comparison. Legislators are human, and it is
 but reasonable that they should be governed in large measure by public l sentiment. One who has watched the
 course of legislation in our state for some time must conclude that back l of most of it was the sentiment of
 the people in it's favor The farmers,
 the miners, the lawyers, the doctors, the railway employees, the merchants, all have, by united effort, secured the passage of laws protecting their inter- ests and safeguarding their prosperi- ty. No one will presume to say that such legislation, brought about through proper influences and SUD- ported by the experience of other states under similar laws, has not been of benefit to those interested, and no one will question the right of the people to petition the legislature, through their representatives, for the passage of laws for the improvements of conditions.
 "Our schools will never be what they should be until we have more teachers prepared, not by experience, but in actual teacher-training schools, | for the work they are endeavoring to do. If we are to have these schools and have them we'll supported, those interested must arouse a sentiment in tHCii laNoi, anu, WHCIi lllS IldS Det1l done, and our legislators feel the im- portance of the question and realize l the justice of the demands, such leg islation as will provide for adequate | buildings and equipment and for our State Normal School will be forth coming. Who shall start this agita- tion if not the teachers? They are the ones most vitally concerned in this problem, and through their in- fluence conditions will be improved, if | at all.
 "The Arkansas State Normal School is now in it's eighth year, and the enrolment has grown steadily each year. For the present year in the regular term the enrolment is already 375, and at least 250 may be expected for the summer term | What provision have we for the ac- commodation of those now in attend ance and for others who will come? There is one dormitory for girls, ac- commodating about S5. This makes it necessary to provide homes in town for over 100 young ladies and all the young men. Board in the dormitory, where all the usual modern convent ences are at hand, cost $12.50 per month, while good board cannot be secured in the homes of the town for less than $15.
 "Our auditorium has seating ca pacity for 200, yet we have nearly 400 students on our roll. Teachers are compelled to change from one classroom to another in order to &C., commodate the numbers that are un- der their charge, there being only four large classrooms in the building.