Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-12-20
OF STATE
GET SCHOOL. CREDIT
Impressive Address by the State
Leader, Governor Morrow,
President Coates; Others

Shortly after two o'clock Saturday
afternoon, Governor Morrow and his
party from Frankfort were received
in the auditorium of the Normal
School by President Coates, Mayor l..
P Evans and representatives of the
City Council, churches, banks, and
other business. The Governor, State
Superintendent and party weer en-
Superintendent and party were enter
taind at the Glyndon Hotel during the
lunch hour
Due to the high wind which swept
across the campus at the scheduled
hour for the ceremonies attending
the laying of the cornerstone, the
crowd assembled in the auditorium
for the address of the occasion. The
students crowded the balcony and a
section of the lower floor while rep
resentatives from adjoining counties
and local men and women constitu-
ted the remainder of the audience.
Many school people from out in the
SCatc were IN aCJenuanCe.
President Coates, in an impressive
| manner, outlined the history Of the
| normal schools in Kentucky He said
that nothing had been accomplished
until 1920 to help the attendance of
| normal schools while laws had been
| passed and privileges granted that
had a tendency to decrease attend
ance. He gave the credit to the school
| people Of Kentucky for the forward
steps taken during the last legisla-
| ture, because it was the combined eff
forts of both parties that brought
about the new laws. He introduced
Superintendent Colvin as the educa-
tional leader Of the state, with the
following remarks:
| Coates Introduction of COlvin
The law establishing f. X. S. n. S.
! was passed in 1906 This law ap-
propriated $4,000 annually for the
school and it was located here at
| Richmond surrounded by old estab-
lished institutions Most colleges
and denominationaI schools are in
this end Of the state-hence the new
er-ending struggle Of Eastern for
students.
From time TO time the Legislature
has increased the fund for mainren-
| ance; first, ii $4,000 a year; then to
| $4,000; then to $4,000. Now the
| annuity is something over 100000.
In addition TO these appropriations
for maintenance and buildings, two
special appropriations of $150,O0O
each .have been made for buildings;
| the one in 1908, during Governor
Wilson's administration; the other
J 1920 during Governor Morrow's
admin stration.
What has been done with the mon
~? The school has been maintained
md improved. The city of Richmond
gave part Of this campus and Uni
versity and Memorial Halls. The
Regents have bought and built the
rest Of the buildings as well as fine
blue grass farm. While the state
has been generous with money it has
done nothing prior to 1920 to helI
attendance. On the contrary, much
Of the legislation has had the effect O1
lessening attendance in the norma
schools. For example, the law grant
ing to teachers of twenty years ex
perience; the law validating first
class certificates in any county; the
!, laws validating certificates from 9th
er states; and the laws enabling othel
than state institutions to grant GER
tificates to teach in elementary
schools. I am not criticising; merel!
stating facts.
State normal schools all over The
country have been passing through ;
period of great depression during the
last five years, a period of mounting
expenses and decreasing student-bod!
decreasing in quality and number
due to war conditions. A discourag
ing thing about the whole matter a
been that such schools could not econ
omize because of the desperate condi
tions of or elementary schools. Il
: the best of times few. people enter th
teaching profession to stay; there
fore few want to spend money to pre-
pare for it; therefore, progressive
states have forced preparation b.
law. 1t was not until the Legislature
of 1920 under the wise leadership o
the present, administration, that at
l tendance in normal schools was mad
I: compulsory.
Owing to the stimulus of the nev
: legislation along school lines, tn
schools of Kentucky are coming int
. their own. The laws are also en-
j couraging attendance in the norma
r schools; and now it looks like tn
present year will be record-breake
if we can find housing room. Il
, the early years of the school, Rich
4 L