Bridgewater State University - Alpha Yearbook (Bridgewater, MA)

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I4 OFFERING manner of diseases. However, under the fostering care of Principal Boyden this infant grew, waxed stronger and stronger, so that it soon outgrew its pina- fores. The good work of the graduates became known, the pay obtained by teach- ers who were carefully trained was higher than that of the untrained, the attend- ance increased rapidly, the school became crowded to its utmost, filled with en- thusiastic young people eager to learn. The school began to look like a hand- some woman dressed in clothes which were too small for her. By constant en- treaties, polite appeals, and urgent invitations on the part of the principal, some of the wise men at the State House came out to see what was needed. These good men from the State House came, saw, and were convinced that such an anomaly should not exist, so went home and voted that the young lady should have a long dress of good material and well made, and some adornments, that she might take her place in society. In 1861 the building was enlarged 70 per cent. I The tact of Mr. Boyden had accomplished the end sought. He had already drawn his plans, had provided for all the details, had given, his vacation to the performance of this arduous task. This was the beginning of the grand im- provements which have been made since. Again and again the dress- of that young lady had to be altered, and as she grew into strong womanhood, very sub- stantial, line, new clothing, befitting her station, was necessary, and under the principal's watchful care it was procured, until she stands before us in all her glory, the pride of the State. In 1869 Normal Hall was built, and enlarged in 1873 , in 1871 the Normal school building was enlarged by the addition of a third story, in 1881 the labo- ratories were built and furnished with modern appliances, in 1883 and 1887 a farm and Boyden Park were purchased, in 1887 Normal Grove was presented to the school by two alumni, Dr. Lewis G. Lowe and Samuel P. Gates, in 1890 the old wooden building was moved back and the present handsome brick struc- ture, eighty-six by one hundred eighty-seven feet, was erected in its place. At the same time the laboratories were moved on the adjacent school lot, which the town gave to the State, and turned into Woodward Hall, in 1894 the new school building received an addition of one hundred twenty-seven feet so as to accommodate the Model school, which has now over four hundred scholars. The school building now is eighty six by three hundred fourteen feet, of three stories above the basement, heated by hot air, lighted by both, gas and electricity, and equipped with all the modern appliances of a school building. In 1895 Tilling- hast Hall and a laundry were erected, both of brick, and the South ,Field was purchased. The value of the pla.nt is now over a quarter of a million dollars. All these great improvements were planned in every detail by Mr. Boyden. It took, as one can readily see, the vacation of nearly every year to think out, draw plans, and make estimates for all these vast improvements. A fact worthy to remember in this connection is, that in all these various operations, improve- ments, alterations, and in the erection of new buildings, the estimates were so

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OFFERING I 3 He has been invited to take charge of Normal schools in other states, with larger compensation, but has preferred to remain in Bridgewater, that he might carry out his plans for the development of this school. Mr. Boyden graduated under the first principal of the Bridgewater Normal School, taught three years under him, and three and one-half years under the second principal. He had, therefore, all the chances possible of imbibing the inspiration of those two good men, and of becoming acquainted with the whole work of the Normal School. He acquired facility in teaching in the various subjects, since he was called upon to teach nearly every branch in the course of studies during those six and one-half years. This, together with four and one-half years teaching in Grammar and High Schools between the first and second periods at the Normal School, besides the studies pursued under private tuition with the special object of extending his knowledge, gave him a compre- hensive view ofthe whole field. That he made good use of this opportunity, that by tireless work he added richly to what he had acquired, that he kept alive to the ever increasing demand of the times, and always in advance of the educa- tional agencies around him, is now our pleasant duty to show by examining his record of forty years' service as principal of this School. As our guide we lay down the following proposition. The principal of a Normal School must have these three qualihcations : he must have an excellent character, he must possess high executive ability, he must be an educator, rep- resenting the best thought and methods in educational matters of the times. That Mr. Boyden is a good man is abundantly shown by his early determi- nation under untoward circumstances to get an education which would fit him forteaching, by the fifty years of his life which he has passed at Bridgewater, by the testimony of his fellow-citizens, his assistant teachers, the authorities of the State, and the thousands of graduates from this school since his administration. The great executive ability of Mr. Boyden is most clearly shown in the ma- terial upbuilding of the school, and in the discipline which he has introduced for the management of the school. Here his firm conviction, strong will power, tact, power to grasp the subject in hand and master its details, perception of the hour and ceaseless effort till those needs are met, are clearly evinced. Mr. Boy- den was appointed principal in 1860. The school building was then a plain wooden structure, forty-two by sixty-four feet, two stories high, and was consid- ered a fine and well-equipped building for that time, although the whole plant, land and all, did not cost more than ten thousand dollars. ln our times we would be astonished to see such a primitive establishment for the preparation of teachers. It must be borne in mind, however, that at that time the people of this country, and even the people of Massachusetts, did not see the absolute need of trained teachers, and so the legislature had to be approached very deli- cately when any large amount, for instance one thousand dollars, was to be asked for necessary repairs or supplies. The school had to endure all sorts of attacks and criticisms. Like an infant, it was exposed to, and assailcd by all

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OFFERING I5 carefully made by Mr. Boyden that, when the appropriations were made by the State, they invariably covered the necessary outlay. Another proof of Mr. Pnoyden's executive ability is the discipline under which the school is managed. This discipline is firmly but kindly administered, infactyit is so adjusted as to execute itself. Young men and young women come here torprepare themselves for training the young. It is therefore sup- posed that they behave in an exemplary manner and make the best use of their opportunities. They are put upon their honor to do what is right before God and man. The regulations that have been adopted from time to time were at the solicitation of the pupils and as experience has shown their necessity. The principal is only carrying out the wishes of the pupils and parents, that the Wayward should be warned, the indolent encouraged to work, and the good and industrious protected against temptation and contamination. All pupils, on en- tering the school, are requested to sign a pledge that they will faithfully keep these regulations, and so those who are unwilling to conform cheerfully are presumed to be unfit to become teachers in the public schools. Having shown Mr. Boyden's executive ability by describing the material upbuilding of the school and the discipline under which it is managed, we come to his qualifications as educator. Here is Mr. Boyden's definition of Education, as it is found in his work The Educational Study of Man. To educate a child is so to stimulate, di- rect and control his activities through his childhood and youth, as to bring him up to that state in which he will make the best use of all his powers, physical and rational. This definition is the basis on which he builds his work in the schoolroom. It is surely a good, broad, solid foundation to build on. In his schoolroom one hears such expressions as: Think, think on your feet, think before you speak. Again, Present the object as a whole, then notice its parts, the relations of the parts to the whole and to each other. Present the subject as a whole by defining it, analyze it into its main divisions, separate each main division into its sub-divisions in the order of their dependence. This is the topical method, now so universally used in all newspapers, peri- odicals, etc. No one would think of doing without a process that brings at once light and order into every department of mental activity. This topical method was introduced first by Mr. Boyden after a careful study of his own mind and of the minds of his pupils. It is the natural, and therefore the logical way of teach- ing. And yet this method was at first very much misunderstood. Prominent educators had their doubts about it, saying that it was fine to look at, but could not be applied with success in the schoolroom. The fact is, that it is now the common mode of procedure. With this clear and concise way of handling any subject, Mr. Boyden set to work to have all the subjects in the course arranged on the topical plan. He himself outlined the work in nearly all the branches. He held frequent meetings of his teachers, presented his method to them, invited them to discuss it, impressed it so strongly and so convincingly that it was fully