Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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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. .,

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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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1930 75ffz effnnziversafy of the state maintain regular courses of two years. In addition to these two-year courses, at Gorham Normal School a course of three years in manual arts and one of three years preparatory to junior high school teaching, as well as a two-year course for kindergarten, are offered. Thus, we can see that, in common with the other New England states, rapid strides have been made in Maine along the lines of professional training for teachers. The Professional Training of Teachers in fem Ziaampsbite ERNEST NV. BUTTERFIELD, Coinmirriofzef' of Edzzcatiafz OR a considerable time, we have thoroughly believed that teachers are not a gift, but a crop. When we have given to us some gift, whatever it may be, we feel obliged to cherish it without too great use and keep it always, as long as we live. Teachers are not a gift to be cherished in any such way as that. The State's position is to regard teachers as a crop. Regarding teachers as a crop, also means that there must be the nurture of the students during their period of preparation. We have two normal schools in New Hampshire. These normal schools must be maintained upon a status that makes it possible for the homes of the state to contribute their daughters without a financial burden that is beyond their power. They must keep within certain standards ofliving, so that the girls may associate with each other and yet keep life on a somewhat humble status, in order that the standard of living may not become such that many are prevented taking advantage of the opportunity that should be theirs. We also must help them to find positions in the state. And so we give the crop care during the first year or two. 't A When our first normal school was founded Q1 8702, and our second about 20 years ago, the wisest educational leaders stated what the purpose of normal school was to be. They made this statement in the laws: C'That there shall be two courses of study, one which shall include the branches of the common schools, and the second which shall include the branches of the higher schools. You know how the pendulum swingsgthe pendulum has swung back from its former position and we have had a desire to have it definitely known what the normal school should do. A committee of experts were secured to conduct a survey, a committee of three most excellent men were given the task of determining what the object of professional education might well be. And so the survey was made. The conclusions were three: I l. We are led to believe that in high vocational subjects there may be a possi- bility of training teachers, but in such subjects as English and history, never. H 2. Although we are ready to admit the truth of the statement-'The medical college trains doctors, a liberal college does not-'when people make the state- ment, '-'A normal school trains teachers, a liberal college does not'-we protest. . H3. It is probably true, we agree, that for younger children there is such a thing as a profession of education, but, above the elementary school, absolutely no. Question: 'How do you know these things? Answer: 'Thus saith the Lordf 23