New Britain herald., 1929-09-09
Dr. Welte Believes Normal School
 Has Bright Opportunity to Serve
 If Faculty Cooperates Seriously
Institution Is Place for Application Not for Frivolous Pastimes, He Says-Asks Teachers to Encourage
 Spirit of Scholarship.


 faculty that it should bend every ef- fort and take advantage of every opportunity to produce the finest teachers. Refecting his views on this subject, Dr. Welte said that normal school should not be place catering to the whims and fancies of youth or where parties and dances demand first consideration.
 Unusual tribute to eX-Principal Marcus White who retired this year after being the head of the school for 35 years was paid by the new executive. Dr. Welte referred to Prof. White as a man who is one of Americas great educators, man who has affected education through out this nation, and more especially in New England, in a most pro- nounced and constructive fashion" and said there as no question but that Prof. White had been the greatest factor in making this in stitution what it is today.
 Tn experiencing a change of normal school executives, it is but natural that the members of a facul- ty should have considerable interest in the policy to be followed under the new administra tion," Dr, Welte declared.
 "They have this right There might be some justification in saying that new executive cannot formu- late a working policy until he is more or less thoroughly familiar with the policies which have ob- tained in the past. Accordingly, your principal wishes to set forth certain general policies which, in his iudg- mont, should he constantly kept in mind in the conduct of modern normal school. He has no doubt but that many of these policies have been in the forefront in the general administration of this institution for many years but, at the same time, offers no apology for giving them new emphasis. Any factor of major importance in teacher train ing, or in any other great profess siOnal work, can lose nothing in dignity through the channels of con- stant reiteration.
 Tn the first place, every indi- vidual connected with this institu- ton in any capacity, whatsoever, should have an abiding faith in the training of teachers for our public schools. There is no more import ant task confronting American edu- l tnic ic q purpose that his institution was es- tablished and only insofar as it , discharges that function with the | highest degree of efficiency poss- ] blo, will it serve the purpose for l which it's founder had in mind. and 1 for which the people of this state | have contributed generous support throughout these years. This very : normal school has gained the re- speCt and attention of prominent educators throughout this section of the country. The extent to which we shall continue 10 do the specific task which has been assigned to us in even a bigger and better way, if possible, just to that extent shall we be dcsrvinE of this honor. In my humble estimation, there is no greater service to be performed in . taChr-training than that of prepar- ! ing teachers for the elementary schools of this or any other state, 1 However, we should ever bear in mind that our elementary schools will only function adequately when we have placed within those school rooms the very best trained teach CTS which can possibly be obtained. 1 Therefore, we should remember that only as we improve our tech | teachers, then and then only shall be have better elementary schools '
 Demands Change Often
 Discussing the fact that tho de- mandS being placed on the teach CTS are changing and shifting con- stantly, the principal urged that the faculty always be aware of the need of critically evaluating the cirricua. prescribed for the training of future teachers with the aim of always helping and aiding the students.
 In the third place, he warned mastery of subject matter must come before method in teaching, al though urging that method never be neglected The whole problem, he said, was one of relative emphasis and the emphasis must necessarily vary with the training or teacher for the different educational levels.
 Tn the fourth place." the prin- Cipal declared, the best observable l measure of the efficiency of any teacher training institution is the character of it's training school. If this does not already exist, there should be developed on this campus the best elementary training school unit to be found anywhere. We ar2 especially fortunate in this respect as far as the physical plant IS con Ccrncd. However, We should bear in mind that this is not alone sui ticient. We must be certain that there is the closest cooperation be- tween the subject matter specialists the method of teachers and the atual work in the training school. In other words, we must expect to find in practice the very things we are offering in our courses in theory A training school which does not function to the fullest extent in this respect, cannot hope to be success ful, for we shall more than ever confuse our students in training when we attempt to talk two diff ferent languases,-o in theory and the other in practice. New Britain has a rather respectable reputation 10 live up to in this respect, It should be our earnest endeavor to study this phase of our work much mettei in order that We may continue tt be deserving ofs this recognition"
 In this respect also, pr. WcltC referred to pupils themselves 'Thc are under student-teachcr training and pointed out that children should be under the direction of studen