Northern Illinois University - Norther Yearbook (DeKalb, IL)

Page 10 text:

f-'ff'-' rm M X A THE NOR THER BOYXRD OF TRUSTEES of the Northern Illinois State Normal School ?i.?,i,il JUDGE A. A. GOODRICH, President CHICAGO. ILL. HON ALFRED BAYLISS HON. XV. C. GARRARD, Secretary . S I Supt. Public Instruction and Member Ex-Otticio S 1 . PRINGFIELD, LL. I PRINGFIELD, LL. HON. CHAS. DEERE COL. ISAAC L. ELLVVOOD DE KALB, ILL. A IXIOLINE, ILL. l ld, JOHN H. LEWIS, Treasurer ' - - - 1 X -- X ' -mg ' L-, ..rv.,..u ,, 4 Ah., -mi. wk.,-,-,,.i. ,,. .9 33 .N 33- .A -

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s...-QQQS l x l ,.,, ...,... ...Wwe-wwf'-xg-.fn-:-f,vef,,fi-V' A - THE rNOf6Tf-IER TWICE COUNTED YERRS CA HALF CENTURY OF SCHOOL LIFE CONIPLETEDP The timed Agave, bearing in its name The altar of lustration, blooms to-day, All wonderful, illustrious its claim To far off heights where beauty holds its sway. Its bayonets of spiney-pointed leaves Full fifty years are lifted to the air, And all our northern summers pass in flowers, And all our northern winters bleak and bare, But patient through its far allotted time, Rejoicing in the crown of other flowers, It shares the fragrance of the roses' clime, It feels the freshness of the daisies' hours: Content in sturdy growth and solid strength Though fifty years be added to the nrst Its message to the shining stars is told, Its blessings to the wooing winds rehearsed. Then suddenly it lifts its shield of light As if Persephone had passed the place, All emeralds and yellows mingled bright XVhere lilies lend their stateliness of grace. Four thousand stars it offers to the skies, Four thousand flowers it flutters to the light, Four thousand chalices of Holy Grail, It holds for prairie blossoms blown in white. To-day we see its symbol wrought in life, To-day the anniversary of birth XVhen one took up the struggle and the strife That wage within the heritance of earth. Full fifty years of thought by study's lamp, Deep meditations in the twilights dim, Rare lessons in the mx steries of mind- Rare adoration in the solemn hymn. Full fifty years of effort that aspires The ranks of those who lead the nation's youth, The index finger pointed to the fires That all Promethean light on to Truth. Thus thought and toil complete a century, And lo! the panicle of petaled light, Starred, brilliant, beautiful, all tenderly ls lifted to the marvel of our sight, O teacher true! Thy first, six, childhood years Were theirs who gathered in thy rooftree's shade But all thy school-life, which the past endears, Within the cornerstone of state is laid,- '1'wice counted years, twice beautiful, twice fair, Full golden-crowned in the Agave flowers, Their influence like ceusers swung for prayer Atlown the litten corridors of ours. MINNIE ADELLA HAUSEN, .416 ri! 2 U, I Q 0 0. S571 im' Sec! fan

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THA NOR THER 9 THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS STATE NORMAL SCHOOL Fxx L II-IE NORMAL SCHOOL movement in Illinois furnishes an extremely interesting J 'xrgf chapter in the history of education. This is not the place to rehearse it, yet the F7 X present generation of teachers ought to know to whom they are indebted for the facilities for professional education which they enjoy. Happily the chronicler has not overlooked the honorable service rendered to the cause by the pioneers of nearly half a century ago. The story has been told and with admirable discrimination by a most scholarly and capable writer, Mr. XV. L. Pillsbury, of the University of Illinois. Pew of the present teaching force of the State could pass a creditable examination upon the work of such men as Professor Turner of jacksonville, Charles E. I-Iovey of Peoria, S. VV. Moulton of Shelbyville, Uncle Sim XVright of Lee County, Father Roots of Tamaroa, J. F. Eberhart of Chicago, and a half dozen more, all of whom were veritable giants in whatever cause they espoused. Nearly all of them are memories now and the survivors are full of years and well-merited honors. Por the purposes of this paper the recital must be brief. Suffice it to say that in October, 1857, the Illinois State Normal University opened its doors to a score or so of pupils in a small hall on the second Hoor of a brick block in the city of Bloomington. Charles E. Hovey was there as principal with a small but singularly able faculty. E. A. Gastman, for the last forty years the leading spirit in the school system of Decatur, was there as a pupil. Three years later the school took up its abode in the building on the prairie two miles to the north. Those were stirring days. Hovey was soon in the thick of the fight forthe preservation of the Union, as were nearly all of his boys. I-Ie won the rank of a Major General. But I think that the work that he did at Normal always gave him the wwfmn fy..--..--...--. .