Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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1926 YEAR BOOK 1926 . L- 1 .Y 7 I- - - At some of the legislature hearings that have been held concerning the new building and its equipment, the question has been raised by different committees whether it is not desirable to open the Salem school to men as well as women. The new principal is of the opinion that the presence of bright and earnest men would improve the character of the school and increase its usefulness. It may be advis- able, therefore, for the Board of Education to take measures to enlarge the scope of the school in this respect. The Board of Education did take measures, for the bright and earnest men were first admitted in September, 1898. Only two were enrolled that year, but the male membership of the school increased to 27 in 1913 and to the maximum of -12 in the year 1915-1916. There are now thirty-one in the school. In 1908 the Commercial Department was organized as a two-year course with a membership of 6-1, of whom 23 were enrolled in a special one-year course leading to a certificate. and 41 in the regular two-year course. The course was prolonged to three years with the class entering in 1909, and the first class to graduate from this was that of 1912. With the class entering in 1915, the course was four years of which the third year was spent in ofiice work approved by the school. With the class entering in 1921, the course required three and one-half years of resident study and one-half year of ofhce work. This class graduated in 1925 and was the Hrst to receive, from the school, the degree of' Bachelor of Science in Education. 9 The present Junior High Department originated in 1918-1914. The course was then called the advanced elementary course and consisted of one year of elective work in addition to the elementary course. This class received a diploma for their year of' elective work in 1914 and had received a diploma the preceding year from the elementary course. With the class entering in 1914 the course was called Intermediate Course and was a three-year course, the first year of which was identical with the first year of the Elementary Course. Beginning in 1924 the name was again changed to Junior High and each of its three years was different from the Elementary Course. From the beginning and in all the courses, teaching exercises of various kinds formed a large and important part of the school work. During the senior year of the original course, object lessons were given to classes of primary school children. but all this work was carried on in an unsystematic way until a training school was established on the first floor of the present Normal School building in 1897. This included a kindergarten and the first three primary grades. One or two grades were added each year until it comprised all the grades below the high school. Prac- tice teaching was also carried on in the Bertram School in Salem from September, 1907 to June, 1913, and in the Farms School, an ungraded school in Marblehead. from September, 1908 to June, 1920. A new Training School building was 'Hrst occupied on December 2, 1913. Now most of the practice teaching of the nine weeks for Elementary Seniors and nine weeks each for Junior High Sophomo1'es and Seniors is carried on in this Training School, which has an enrollment of' approximately 1100 pupils. The total number ot' students admitted from the opening ofthe school in 185-11 is 54597, ol' which 1,918 graduated and 1911 received certihcates for special courses of' one, two, or three years. The largest class that ever graduated from the school was that ol' 1915, with 178 members. This year's graduating class, however, ex- ,wcts 'ro exceed this number. I3

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1926 SALEM NORMAL SCHOOL 1926 I half of which was distributed at the end of each semi-annual term among the needy and deserving' students. The opening' enrollment was 65 which was increased to 134 members at the beginning of the second term in February. Three members of this first class are still living, one of whom attended the triennial alumni meeting' in June, 1925. The subjects pursued du1'ing the first years were: Arithmetic, Geomet1'y, Geog- 1'aphy, Anatomy, Physiology, Spelling, Beading, Etymology, English Grammar and the Art of Reasoning, recitations in each occurring on alternate days. The ends chiefly aimed at in the school were the acquisition of necessary knowledge of the principles and methods of education and of the various b1'3l1CllC-ES of studyg the attainment of the art of teachingg and the general development of the mental powers. From 1854 until 1896 there were two enrollments of students a year, one in September, and one in Februa1'y. Diplomas were also presented twice a year. For the first three yea1's, 1854-1857, the course consisted of three half-year terms each closing with a two-day examination in the subjects studied. The course was extended from one year and a half, or three terms, to two yea1's, or four terms, in September, 1857. G1'aduates f1'om the regular course, who desired to prepare 'themselves for higher departments of teaching were pe1'mitted to take an advanced course which occupied two yea1's and included instruction and t1'aining in Latin, French and Ger- man languages, higher mathematics, and other branches required to be taught in the High Schools of Massachusetts. In 1860, du1'ing the administration of Professor Alpheus Crosby, who succeeded Mr. Edwa1'ds in 1857, the schoolhouse was enla1'ged and much improved. Daniel B. Hagan, principal from 1865-1895, made, in his report to the Board of Education in 1869, such a representation of the further wants of the school caused by the increasing number of students, that the Legislature appropriated 325,000 to p1'ovide for the still greater enlargement of the schoolhouse. After this, the enrollment increased to 258 and the course of study was gradu- ally changed, the foreign languages and higher mathematics being d1'opped to make way for subjects to be taught in the grade. Even the enlargement made in 1870 was inadequate to meet the increased de- mands made upon the school. The Legislature consequently made generous pro- visions for a new building. The result was the erection of our present building at the junction of Lafayette Street and Loring Avenue. The school was first occupied December 2, 1896. Since then there have been only two principals in this school, Dr. Walter P. Beckwith 1895-1905 and Mr. J. Asbury Pitman, who began his ad- ministration in 1906 and who is still the efficient head of the school. VVith the erection of the new building the standard of admission to the State No1'ma1 School was raised in 1896 to include high school subjects. Since that date. the admission questions have presupposed a four years' course in the high school or its equivalent. Another great event in the history of Salem Normal School occurred soon after the opening of the new building. From the establishment of the school in 185-1 until 1898 only women had the great privilege of attending it. But this state of affairs was at an end. In the report of the Board of Education for the year 1895- 1896, was the following statement: 11

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