The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30

Beside saving time for those who may attend three calendar years. it permits those who are teaching to spend their va cations in taking academic and profess sional studies that will lead to graduation from this normal school. They may re- ceive their diplomas at the end of any term that marks the conclusion of the required work. even if they have alter mated between teaching and studying.
 In speaking of this plan, G. W. Brock, president of the school, says: Every teacher could be a college graduate if the time lost in her life were used for self improvement. Hundreds of teachers are employed five or six months, and are then practically idle for the remainder of the year, earning nothing and spending what they have saved during the months they were employed. Those who are more for tunate and secure employment for a ses- slon or nine months earn nothing during one-fourth of the year. Their capital stock--brain, hand, spirit-are all idle and rusting Food and clothing must be paid for but their time during the summer is vacant and unprofitable
 What banker would do business for nine months and close his doors for a fourth of the year? What business man, what manufacturer. what enterprise could, with any hope of success run for one-half or three-fourths of the year and close for the remainder of the time? Hundreds of farmers are poor because they are paying taxes in large areas of land unoultivated-waste lands costing
 money but yielding nothing-a capital stock giving no return. A teachers cap- ital stock is his education and efficiency, and should be made to earn money for 12 months in the year.
 Alabama has in her public schools 3O0 teachers with second grade certifi- cates and nearly 2000 with third grade certincates who are employed for about
 one-half of their time. The normal school at Livingston is bringing the op- portunlty to these teachers to increase their efficiency by advancing their educa- ton during the months when they are not
 employed. We hope to inspire these teachers to set their ideals higher and to make the effort to improve themselves as teachers, for only through them can the rural schools be advanced as they should be-
 The work in our normal school will hereafter be placed on the term basis,
 three quarters or terms constituting a school year. A teacher may enter at the beginning of any term and study for 12 weeks and receive credit for one third of years work. By working dur ing the regular school year and ethrough the summer term, a teacher can do the work of four years in three calendar years; or a teacher may attend school during the time she is not teaching. With this opportunity to get an educa- ton, to work from a third grade cer- tifcate to second, from second to first, and from a first to full graduation, with this ascending scale and this op- portunity for increasing usefulness and advancement, who will choose the small, cheap way to stand still and re- main on a commonplace footing of mediocrity? The time has come when the self-satisfled teachers will be left in the background and the progressive ones will be recognized and promoted.
 Our plan is to recognize and promote our students as rapidly as each term is completed. We expect to graduate stu dents at the close of every term during the year. The Initial summer term of the regular course will be held this year, be- ginning June 5, when the review course for examinations begins. Teachers of rural schools which are closing now may enter in June and continue till the open ing of their schools late in the fall''
 Nothing could recommend this plan more highly than the fact that it meets adequately a legitimate. demand. It gives. the teacher who wants further academic and professional training the opportunity to get it at any time during the year that she has time for it and it provides for recognition of such work.
 On June two terms will open at Liv- ingston. One will be short course of six weeks to prepare teachers for the July examinations. The other win be the regular term. continuing till August II, and including the academic and profess sional work leading to graduation
 In the short term, classes will be or ganized for those preparing for the life certificate examination, first grade, sec- ond grade third grade, for those de- those electing domestic art and domestic science, primary methods, public school music, freehand drawing, manual train ing, and manual arts
 During the 10 weeks term the regular work of the standard normal course will be given, together with special courses in primary methods and industrial arts. The work of the following courses will be offered: Freshman class, sophomore class, junior class, senior class, domestic art, domestic science freehand drawing, public school music, manual arts, man. ual training, and primary methods. In addition to the regular classes in peda- gogy as given in the normal school, spe- cial classes will be organized for those who desire training in primary methods. The work of this term from June to August II will be the same as that of the fall term of the regular session, but those who take it this summer and con- tinue in the school will! have separate classes in the fall and will continue their work without any break, thus receiving full college credit for the summer work.
 Teacher training for teachers in service is what this encouragement at Living ston means-teacher training that is needed most and that up to this time ras not been available to those who were at ,unrlr d11rinsr. the winter. -is