New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-06-21
Inspiring Pupils to Teach Selves
Goal Of Good Teachers, Ames Saws

| You have probably memorizec
the term. knowledge is Power Blu,
inns Idea is wrong. 1t will not be
come power unless it is put to use
answering the statement that srea,
men came out of the old shionee
schools, he declared it was not to tn.
| schooi credit. that the man woult
have been great because of his ovr
ability
In the sos and 7os you find tn.
school teacher period which was tn.
ume when the getting of knowledge
was the principal thing, and one
would hear much about mental dis
clpllne.' the speaker said. 1.-THE
teacher should not impart informa.
'lon and teacher does wrong if she
tells a pupil something which he
ought to find out himself"
Here are some of the warnings
issued by Mr.. Ames: 1t is better
not to know so much than to know
something that is not worth know
ing: stimulation of a pupil instead
CT teaching him is better method
he who reads and writes and does
not what he knows is worse than
he who ploNs and plows and never
sows.
Il congratulate you because you
are In the third period. the school
counsellor or guide period" he said
in conclusion.
History OF Normal School
Miss Irene Haigis read a paper
on The New Britain Normal school"
which had much information of his
toric interest. Her paper. in full.
follows:
THE establishment Of the first
Normal school in Massachusetts
takes us back to the year 1888. Even
before this date movement to es-
tablish a Normal school for the
training of teachers in Connecticut
had been under way. AS early as
1916. Professor Dennison Olmstead
of Yale university had advocated
SEMINARY for the training of teach
ers," In 1928 Mr.. William Russell
published a pamphlet entitled "SIg-
sestion on Education" in which he
urged the importance of such an in
for the special training of
those intending to teach in the pub
lie school. In 1925 the Rev. Thorn
as II. Gallaudet. founder and di-
rector of the American Asylum for
the Education of the Deaf and
Dumb at Hartford. prepared a series
of articles on "A Plan of Semin-
airy for the Instruction Of Youth"
These articles were issued in a
which was widely circu-
lated and attracted much attention
The plan as presented was discussed
both in the Connecticut legislature
md in educational conventions. and
he idea Of a Seminary for Teach
srs' gradually gained place in the
minds of the people.
But the most powerful advocate
IF a Normal school in Connecticut
VAS Henry Barnard who in 1888
became secretary of the board of
commissioners of common schools,
he predecessors OF our state DOard
If education
Through the labors of those men
whose names have already been
and of many others in
crested in education the lcgisla ture
If the state in 1S4a was prevailed
lpon to pass an act for the eStab-
lshment of 3 State Normal school
\ board of trustees. one from each
county, was appointed to carry this
nto effect and to them vas given
he power to locate the new school
\ herever they should deem it best,
that suitable buildings and
uulpment should be furnished with
mt expense 10 the state.
$4,000 Annual Appropriation.
II was further provided that the |
UNI of S2.5oo should be paid an
ually for four years to the trustees
or the support Of the school. We |
re tempted to smile az the modest
mount appropriated. but We must