The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-01-04
STUDENT-TEACHE WRITES OF
THE ALBION NORMAL SCHOOL

The question of the removal {
the Albion State Normal School wi
undoubtedly come before the stat
legislature within the next fe'
weeks.
The question is not a new one
it has been agitated and debated a
previous sessions of our legislativ
body. At one time only technical
ity as to the origin of the bill save,
the Albion Normal from oblivion.
This year as in past years, tn
people of the state as whole hav,
been prone to pass over the ques
ton as one of secondary Importance
Considering this section as represen
tative Of southern, central and east
ern Idaho, the attitude of the aver
age citizen has been, What differ
ence does it make to me?"
1t will be our purpose in this
brief summary of the subject tt
prove beyond fear of successful con.
tradiction, that it is a matter oil
vital Importance to every citizen OF
| Bingham county as to whether OF
not the Albion Normal retains its
identity.
On every hand we hear that this
is an age for specializing, for localiz-
ing upon some one subject and ac-
quiring perfection in that line. The
Albion State Normal School is pri-
marily a teachers college. Nothing
is taught there but what has direct
bearing upon education, and the
public schools of our state. Does 1t
not stand to reason that such a
school would turn out men and
women of higher professional stand
ards and a greater degree Of special
lied training than school where
the Normal course is only a side
line?
If the Albion Normal is discon-
tinued every new teacher who enters
the field will have received his or
her training at some such school,
notably the Idaho Technical Insti-
tute.
During the winter of 1922, 81
per cent of all the teachers in Bing-
ham county were Albion trained.
That means that the Albion Normal
is certainly responsible for the edu-
cation of one out of every three of
your children. In adjoining counties
the percentage ranges as high as
44.5 per cent.
From these figures it is clear that
you are definitely concerned in
whether or not every new teacher
who enters the field of public edu-
cation receives specialized or Incl
dental training.
The Albion Normal school pos
posses certain peculiar advantages
found in very few places in the
United States. One of these is the
Normal Training School.
No other PROGRESSION makes a
more stringent demand for special
lied training than does the profess
sion of teaching. The study OF
theory without the practice never
gives a balanced knowledge of the
subject. In the Albion Normal
School the prospective teacher
studies the science and method OF
teaching and then goes to the train
ing school and actually applies the
knowledge gained in the class
rooms.
The Albion Normal Training
School consists of $50 pupils in all
liz 81 dQOo hOuoOI IA -
modern brick building, second to
'ew in the state in the matter OF
equipment, furnishings and faculty.
J. c. Werner, principal of the
raining school, has gathered about
lin a corps of teachers equal in
raining and experience to any sim
lar group in the western United
states. 1t is under the direct sup
rvision of such people as these that
he prospective teacher must serve
lis actual apprenticeship. These con-
Iitions could not exist in any other
lace where the normal might be ;
The opponents of the removal, ,
or consolidation OF !
he normal, have their arguments s
pom the ground of economy. We I
re willing to admit that this is a !
ime for economy, but the abandon I
lent of six we'll built, splendidly ,
furnished buildings representing a /
ost of 100000 state money, is not Y
nder our conception of the mean s
lg of the word.
The same class of people who adj t
ocate this type of economy, con- |
end that the work being done by |
le normal does not merit its con-
nuation. Such a contention re-
calls a deplorable unfamilarity with \
le true state of affairs.
The Albion Normal is an alive and
rowing institution. The enrolment
as increased 160 per cent within
lie last two years.
Since 1921, the Albion Normal c
,hool has certified CPL correctly
aimed, mentally efficient men. and L
omen, to take their places in the
lucational system of this state. u
his alone should be sufficient to 1
,rpetuate the Albion Normal as a
ate institution. tt
Idaho ranks high in the educa- fl
,nal system of the United States, b
ID no one factor is more infiuent- p
in the maintenance of that L
anding than the Albion State Nor h
al. To the Albion Normal and to G
g Albion Normal alone is due the te
anks for our wonderfully efficient
stem of rural schools which has So
IN recognition and praise from al
ucatOrS all over the world G