Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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phy of life that has placed him in a position where he might render that service: and his friends. colleagues. and alumni all testily that he has exempli. tied that philosophy throughout his thirtysone and oneshall' years as the head of this institutionfa longer period of service than that ol' any other previous principal. Under his able administration the school has grown and developed from a Normal School with an enrollment of i7o students. ollering a single two-year elementary course. to a State Teachers College with an approximate enrollment of soo students and many fully qualified candidates on the waiting list each year. The school now ofliers four courses-lilementary. .lunior lligh, Commercial. and a special course for teachers of mentally retarded children. all four years in length and giving the degree of Bachelor of Science in lfducation. lfarly in his administration. the State Board of lfducation. commenting on his work. wrote: Through his wise. skillful. and untiring guidance. and through his considerateness and fairmindedness, the school has gained in vigor and unity and has developed in a way that gives great satisfaction to the Board of Visitors. Commercictl Department Perhaps the most conspicuous of Dr. Pitman's achievements was the establishment of the Commercial Department in IQO8. This school has the distinction of being the first in the country to provide for the professional as well as technical training of commercial teachers in an integrated program. For several years, various associations of teachers, as well as the National Education Association. had passed resolutions calling attention to the need for such training to meet the increasing demand for high school commercial teach- ers. Alert, as always, to the needs of the educational system of the state to which the school ministered, Dr. Pitman carefully outlined plans for a com- mercial department at the Salem Normal School. His plans met with the enthusiastic support of the State Board of Education. and he proceeded to se- lect outstanding teachers in this field, to equip the department, to enlarge the scope of the work and to increase the time of preparation until he built up a four-year course which graduates each year approximately forty young men and women thoroughly trained in the technical subjects of the commercial course as well as the theory and practice of teaching. The Hrst student body in this Commercial Department was chosen by personal con- ference with the principal from among recent graduates of the elementary course. Twenty-three of th e s e planned to complete a one- year course while a second group of forty-one started upon the regular two-year course. v blqi - .-: .L The department was or- ganized under the direction of Arthur J. Meredith who ' The Pzitmtm Homestead 29

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Vvlho of the thousands of the alumni of this school does not recall with pleasure many occasions upon which Mrs. Pitman has added to the pleasure of the schools social events by her gracious presence and participation? By virtue of her quiet dignity, inspiring conversation, and gentle and gracious manner. she has endeared herself to the hearts of the many who have come in contact with her. Dr. Pitman's early years in Massachusetts seemed to lead him step by step toward the position he now holds. He came to this State in 1891 to ac- cept a position as grammar school principal in the town of Millbury, and later went to the city of Malden. His outstanding abilitygand record of success as a teacher and leader soon brought him a call to a position of greater responsibility. In 1892, now a young man of only twenty-five, he was ap- pointed superintendent of schools. serving in two districts-one of four towns and another of two larger towns in central Massachusetts. He held these positions until 1897, when he became city superintendent of schools in Marl- borough, Massachusetts, a position formerly held by the late Jeremiah E. Burke, a former superintendent of schools in Boston. It is interesting to note that another of Dr. Pitman's predecessors at Marlborough was Grenville T. Fletcher who resigned the principalship of the Normal School at Castine, Maine, to become the first superintendent of the Marlborough schools, leaving that position to become agent of the Massachusetts State Board of Education. Many interesting and difficult problems presented themselves to Dr. Pit- man during his term of service in Marlborough. These various experiences- extending over a period of nine years-served to give him first hand knowledge of the evervincreasing theories of educational practices which have come to the fore during the past thirtyffive years. Deuelopmervl of the School by Dr. Pitman At last, on February 1, IQO6, Dr. Pitman entered the doors of the Salem Normal School to assume the position of principal-a position which by the very nature of the institution offered him the opportunity he most desired! to serve Youth. There he has trained, inspired, and guided the young people who in turn have carried that influence throughout the State of Massachusetts and into many other parts of the country. Dr. Pitman once said, We were put here for the ser' vice we may render. The only justincation for the maintenance ol' this instif tution-in fact the only hjustincation for life itself, is the ideal ol' service. 'lihe Road Io the l'1'1rm1r7 llo1m'slec1d Surely if is lllls Plllloso' 28

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came to the position from the Atlantic City High School. Soon after the work had been established upon a sound basis. Mr. Meredith resigned to ac- cept a responsible position in Philadelphia. He was succeeded by Alexander H. Sproul. also thoroughly fitted for the position by both training and experience Xlr. Sproul came to the school from the Shortridge High School of Indian- apolis. He continued to raise the standards of the department for several years. until he was selected to establish a high school of commerce in the public schools of Portland, Oregon. After having established and successfully con- ducted the High School of Commerce in that city, he was persuaded to return to his former and present position as Director of Commercial Teacher Train- ing. He and his associates have developed the department to a high degree of efiiciency and have trained teachers of conspicuous ability for the high schools of Massachusetts and elsewhere. Today a meeting of any of the well-known commercial teachers' associations strongly resembles a reunion of the alumni of our college. In IQIO entering students were admitted to a course covering three years in this department. In 1915 the course was lengthened to four years including a year of office work. The iirst diploma awarded for this four-year course was given in 1917 to one student: at the same time there was a graduating class from the three-year course. In 1918 there was no graduating class. However, one young woman met the requirements and received her diploma. In 1921 the requirements were made for three and one-half years of resident study and one-half year of office work. In 1925 the academic requirement was raised to four years, the requirement of oflice experience being also continued. Actual business experience was made a requirement in 1912 and was un- dertaken on several experimental bases. e. g.. the divided day plan in which the student attended classes in the early part of the day and worked in business offices during the later part of the day: also, on a week-in, week-out basis. Neither of these plans was a very satisfactory solution of the problem of bus- iness participation. In 1915 the course was lengthened to four years so that the third year of the course might be spent in business oflices under the usual competitive conditions and with the approval of the school authorities. This plan worked well, but experience proved that a full year was not necessary to give the desired familiarity with business routine and the time was cut in half. the student spending one-half a year in the business office and the other half year in academic study. The junior class was therefore divided into two sec- tions alternating between business and school on the semester basis. In 1925 when the graduates of the course received the degree of Bachelor of Science in lfducation. a full four years of academic work was required with a further re- riuirement of eighteen weeks of business participation which was met by stu- dents working during summer vacations. During the extended depression fol- lowing the financial crisis of 1929 the business employment requirement was temporarily waived. Nevertheless, many of the graduates were fortunate enough to meet this greatly-to-be-desired business experience. Beginning in IQ23 a month's full time actual selling experience was re- quired of students in their sophomore year. The holiday season from Thanks- giving to New Year afforded abundant opportunity for such participation. In fairness to the unemployed this plan is temporarily suspended. XVhen the three-year course was in operation. commercial seniors by special arrangement were assigned to selected high schools as student teachers. The period varied considerably, but usually it was for six weeks. It was part 30