New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-03-02
OUR NORMAL SCHOOLS

At this time when quite a number of in
individuals have concluded that it is popula
and in stvle to take a rap or two at the stat
educational institutions a little information a
to their growth and the work they are doins
is timely.
The Normal University at Las Vegas
has increased its attendance until last veal
its s,rmme school was attended by ISL STU
dents. This record was exceeded by only four
teen Normal schools in the nation, although
there are fourtv-four states which have a larg.
err population than New Mexico. For the
present full years course of nine months there
is an enrolment of s25 and of these more thar
2ro are studying to become teachers. No
other Normal school in the country with as
'aroe attendance is onerated on as small a
maintenance as the Normal University at Las
Vegas.
The school has less floor space for all
"''rnoSeS t'an anv other normal school with
like attendance, and less than most other
state school in this state.
The buildings in use bv this school cost
the state $~46,ooo.oo. Their estimated value
1t this tilre is between 100000 and $780,
10000, Thew could not be duplicated at the
present cost Of labor. for less thar 500. 900. 90.
The test OF the value and efficiency of our
'%lon1aIs is whether or not thew are doing the
work for which they were created. There are
on teachers who have been students at the
Normal University during the past five years,
and between 100 and $50 others who were
students before that time who are actually en-
@t%ed ii teaching in the state now.
The Normal School at Silver Citv had a
summer attendance last year of 4o7 and 400
Of 'hese were teachers. Every county in the
state was represented.
The attendance at the present full term
is roo, at least u rer cent of whom are
STUDYING to become teachers. The total at
attendance Of the summer and winter schools
is orr, and there is almost no duplication
because the 400 teachers who attended last
swimmer are nearly all engaged in teaching
now.
The Silver CITY Normal has graduated
over o teachers and over y per cent of
them subsequently taught school in this state
and a majority of them are still teaching.
The exnense Of graduating a teacher at
Silver CITY is less than half what it is in some
other states and the maintenance in proportion
to attendance is less in both these normals
than in anv other western state.
Over 90 per cent of the 1900 teachers
Of this state have studied at one or the other
Of these normals. Such a record of practical
Dility is without parallel.
The criticism to the effect that these schools
ire not teaching college courses is ridiculous
md peevish. Certainly they are not. They
not created for that purpose. but to
rain teachers and they are succeeding in their
to an extent never anticipated by their
'irst sponsors,
The criticism that the attendance at all the
New Mevico state institutions is largely local
$ also pcevish and would not be offered if
he critics were Informed on this subject.
ertalnlv the greater part of the attendance is
ocal and therein lies the great strength and
Of our arrangement of having MI
nerous institutions located in widely seperat-
d sections of the state that many citizens
nay be benefited. Unite them into one and
he attendance would not be 40 per cent of
What it is in all. at the present time. On this
it might be well for the critics to
onsider Harvard where IS per cent of the
homes are within fifty miles of
hat institution. and Yale which draws more
han 6S per cent from New England and that
than one high school graduate out of 1o,-
west of New England. enters Harvard,
ct these are considered great national educa-
lonal institutions.
The same critics who rap some of the
tate schools because the attendance is local.
an the Military Institute because they say
draws too many students from other states.
What if it does? Are we not maintaining
State Publicity Bureau at public expense
or the purpose of bringing more good citi-
ems to the state? Are our cities and towns
OF conducting some sixty chambers of COM
lerce at great community expense for the Dur
ose of bringing good citizens to the state?
ire any of them bringing any better citizens
nan those who come to attend the Military
institute and then remain to become citizens
! the state, which most of them do?
The refusal of Bernard Baker to serve