The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-02-11
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY II, 1921
FOR TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGE

l.. y Johnson, chairman Ct the state
board OF education gave an interesting
account of the way the proposal for a
training college at Burlington came
into being Said Mr. Johnson:
For several years prior to 1919.
the Statesupported agenC es for the
training Of teachers in Vermont CON
s sted Of the two normal schools at
Castelton and Johnson, which had
been In operation my years; the
teacher training courses established
In certain b gh schools and seminar
les of the State, under the acts Of
1910 and 1912; and the short term
summer schools The charters of the
normal schools expired by imitation,
August /, 1920
Mr. Johnson reviewed the process
by which tho normal schools were
closed through enactment Of the Leg.
islatu~e of 1919, when the bill provld.
ing for keeping them open was reject.
ed by vote Of l05 % &C. He said
that the State Bard Of Educat on had
recommended n 1919 an increase In the
appropriation for the normal schools.
so as to provide for their continuance
as usual. But since the Legislature Of
1919 refused to cont nue. the schools.
and the attorney general ruled that
the schools could not be continued
legally, the Beard turned TO the i'm
proyement OF the teacher ira ming
sfn ia gthar unhnnl1 "a al
means eft for teacher training
The total enrolment in these train
ing classes at present exceeds 2S0
which viii nearly supply the rural
schools. The rural schools have de
pended upon teachers from these
classes dur ng the last six or eight
years and will probably cent ne to DO
MIR, Johnson stated that the State
Board, Glowing the action Of the
Legislature OF 1919 had but two
guides to follow One was the
refusal of the state to c ptnue the
normal schoos The other was the
existence on the statute books Of IL
,p-oyision making it the bounden duty
~ the Beard " thout any d secretion
whatever to locate and establish a
central normal school Whenever
adequate buildings or funds sufficient
10 erect the same should DE provided
without expense to the State
This act just referred 70 was passed
six or more years ago. ana Mas mt
been reuealed. said Nj Johnson, and
combined With the actcn Of 1919
registered the unmistakable purpose
OF Vermont to supplant the two normal
schools by a s.ng.c central training
/ institution fb
/ Mr.. johnson explained how the state
Board had gone about carrying out
What Il deemed t be the wish OF the
/ State. Invests cations were made II
other states. and Il was found that
the normal school method OF training
teachers. especially IN the western
states. where the most advance IN
teacher training seemed u have occn
made, was nowhere in use
Going into the process by VIII ch the
state Board worked cut the plan OF
establishing State Teachers College
in Vermont. Mr. Johnson tod Of the
offer of the Carnegie Corporation
last year to give 500, 900 for this pu'
pose On condition that 100000 in ad
dit on should first be expended on the
project. and W tn the understanding
that the State should appropriate
$4,000 annually for teacher training
in connection with the central insttu
Nc.
There are absolutely no conc lions
Of this prefer. expressed Or mp led
beyond those plainly stated moment
ago. said Mr. Johnson. The corpor
alton has and will have no voice oil
influence in the methods of trainGF
teachers. or in the selection Of indiyi
duals to carry it on in case 1t is au
thorized. II expects the annual ap
propu alton stated " ii be continued
vet II admits a full understanding or
It's part that one legislature canno
bind It's SUCCESSORS in this respect.
The speaker told of the work 4 DIR
VIII am c. BAG ey an expert on edu
cational matters called nto the stat
By the state Board to investigate th'
possibilities of establ shng STATE
Teachers College Five different 10
cations were inspected, W tn the re
suit that Burlington was chosen as tn,
most satisfactory site fer such COZ
lege to be located in connection wit
the University of Vermont but retain
ing separate dert ~
"The Board gave the Bagley plan
due we chit. but came to its final iudg'
ment slowly. said MIR johnson III
tmately plan was worked ont will
the University OF Vermont "Th'
University offered to donate for TIL
college suitable site and stu fur
ther. to undertake the raising of thu
add tional 100000 necessary to sc
Gure the Carnegie gift
Mr.. Johnson stated that the stat
Board had never contemplated an
plan for teacher training which woult
mpa the present system of teache
raining i'm high schools and semint.
les. It believes that these schools vii
Gt into the state Teachers Coles
p'an perfectly
The Carnegie Corporation under
stands that the 100000 approppr a
Ion ny the state will he used not on
ly for the state Teachers College
cut to finance tho teacher training
-lasses in other institutions alsc
Thus, Il 100000 We're appropriated
and for example, $500 or $4,000 eN
pended fer the extension course.
there would be 100000 or $1,000
available for the support of the co