Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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1 930 75171 exfnnzbersczry Our normal schools have all had a record of which we may well be proud, but their future development must keep pace with the times. They are destined to be vastly more than preparatory schools for prospective teachers. They hold now a high- er lace than ever before in the developing science of education, and they are making P themselves ready for greater leadership in moulding the future. The Transition ftum 18704890 DR. ALBERT E. WINSHIP, Editor of New E7Zglfl71df0IN'I7fll of Education and Farmer Member of Mfzfrfzcbzzrettr Board of Education HERE are only six things in the history of education th at are really vital between 1607 and 1929 colon education' federal education- public education, modern 3 Y , 1 education, professional education and achievement education. The British colonies magnified chivalry and culture, the Quakers, industry, the Dutch, prosperity, but here in New England our people stabilized civic life in the . . f common schools, locally supported and locally controlled. Then, with the coming o federal education an addition was made. Academies supported and controlled privately were established for the uncommon children. T All through the northern part of the country people were dissatisfied to have private interests controlling the upper part of education. They wanted public taxation. They wanted taxation and legislation to run the schools, but Horace Mann was the only person in the New World who had sensed it. He had taxation and legislation for . . . . .Q d schools for the blind and for the deaf, and institutions for the insane, and for waywar d educated Massachusetts to taxation and legislation for. educational purposes. And he turned it to the public schools when the time came. The first tryout that Horace Mann had was in trying to legislate the teaching and training of teachers for the public schools. He had the tradition of all the years behind him that legislation was not to meddle at all locally, and the first time that there was any legislation for education peacefully was in Salem Normal School. Within six years of 1870 public schools became a part of taxation. This was the turning point of education. From that day to this your school at Salem has specialized always in avocation and vocation. lt has led all New England in these things. It has led all New England in those things and that wasn't accidental. Salem was twelve years old when she blosomed out in modern education. Modern education had as one of its weaknesses the fact that because it did have h everything legislated, we had the difficulty of the pull . And we should never ave ot away from that if we hadn't had professional education with tests and measure- S ments and standards that said you have got to know something before you can get into a common school, and professional education for a quarter of a century did a children. He ha marvellous thing for the world. And then came achievement, where standards rising from modern and professional periods are continuing to do so in our present age. 21

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75116 Qfffzfzzbefsrzfy I 930 81117132 QEhuIutiun uf a jietn QEngIaniJ Zllieatijers' QEuIIege DR. JOHN L. ALGER, Proficient, Rhode fflono' College of Education HE evolution of Normal Schools and Teachers' Colleges has been gradual. The change may be attributed to the eminent teachers who have built these schools. Henry Barnard shares with Horace Mann the honors paid to American Educators. Through the efforts of Mr. Barnard the act of 1844 was passed in Rhode Island. This required the commissioner to establish one thoroughly organized normal school. The question of funds was serious. The ten years before the appropriation was voted were not, however, without progress. Samuel S. Greene was appointed to a professorship in didatics. During the winter of 1851 to 1852, his first normal school classes were taught. The success of the enterprise finally brought, in 1854, the ap- propriation needed from the State for its support. The school was discontinued after the Civil War for lack of both students and money. Six years later, in 1871, it was firmly re-established with James C. Greenough as its principal. This time the school was centrally located in Providence with a generous appropriation not only for its running expenses but even for the equalization of the traveling expenses of all its students, ln 1892, William E. Wilson called attention to the need for a training school. Several rooms in a Providence school were used as model schools for observation and demonstration, and other rooms in the same building were used as training schools where students were given practical training in teaching. From 1898 the period of practical training was extended to include for each student a full half year in charge of a single room of the regular public schools. ' The first movement toward controlling attendance was made in 1909. It was found impossible to receive students from other states on a basis of free tuition. A little later it was found necessary to provide competitive examinations. For the last five years, admission has been entirely competitive, with an established quota for every town and city in the State. ' an The change of name for the school was brought about in 1920. This was largely through the efforts of Commissioner Walter E. Ranger. Soon after the change of name the old course of two and one-half years was changed to three years. Students may still obtain a state certificate after the comple- tion of three years of college work, but plans are already being made for the time when this certification will be discontinued, and all students will remain for the four-year college course. ' - It may be well here to say a word regarding the results of the change in name and of the lengthening of the course. First, there is a gain in the desire for admission. This has made possible a better selection. Second, there is incentive for a higher quality of-work. Third, the final year brings an inspiration to students based on their increasing power and their growing enthusiasm for their profession. Fourth, there is the gain to the State and to the College through the attendance of thousands of teach- ers at our afternoon, Saturday, and summer classes. 20

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75 M efffwz'fUer.vczfy I 930 The iatufessiunal Training uf Ulieatbets in Maine BERTRAM E. PACKARD, Cammirnaizer of Ealzzmrimz HE professional training of teachers goes back for a period of approximately seventy years. Prior to 1860, for a number of years, the law had provided that county institutes should be held for periods of time ranging from two days to a week during the year, and that at these county institutes a certain amount of normal in- struction should be given. - The legislature of 1860 provided that normal schools should be established in connection with eighteen academies in the state. ln each academy a normal school should be kept for not less than eleven weeks during the spring and fall terms with qualified teachers and suitable accommodations for at least fifty pupils. All pupils applying should be examined in common school branches by a committee, and given a certificate of admission if two terms of instruction would fit the applicant to teach. Rules for the management of the school should be made by the state superintendent. These normal courses were established in the academies designated and were operated for about two years. A committee of three persons, appointed by the Governor and Council was provided by the legislature of 1863 to locate two normal schools, one in the eastern and the other in the western Part of the state. The aims and purposes of these schools were interesting. CD They shall devote themselves to the training of teachers, QD Courses of study shall consist of such branches essential to mental, moral, and physical education of their pupils, C31 The best methods of government and management shall be included, QD The normal schools shall be opened to persons of different religious connections on terms of entire equality. The superintendent of the common schools acted as superintendent of the normal schools also. In the meantime, the normal courses in the academies had been abolished and the Western State Normal School was opened at Farmington on August 24, 1864 with an enrollment of fifty-nine students. Three years later on September 7, the Eastern State Normal School was opened at Castine with thirteen pupils enrolled. In the same year, a training school for teachers among the French speaking people of northeastern Maine was provided for. In 1887, the Madawaslca Training School was permanently located at Fort Kent. Since 1900, two other normal schools have been established in Maine, the Wash- ington State Normal School at Machias, and the Aroostook State Normal School at Presque Isle. The attendance of these schools has rapidly increased in recent years. There have also been established professional courses for teachers in Bates College, Colby College, and the University of lyiaine. With the exception of the Madawaska Training School, where an equivalent of only one year of normal training is given beyond the high school, the normal schools 22 ' 'ef V' 'et - -f -u-.x.f.f--fi--. ..i1,A.,.,,- , , ., 7 ,Q AA-A--Mf--- Y- - a f- -. .0 WM-fb. .,