Troy University - Palladium Yearbook (Troy, AL)

Page 17 text:

K , ,rf 'J 1-mg: QALLADJUEJ? x ' I V5,-L I s aw Virus mfmcfl H pnme ,Z 'fc wlui Niall HTPQ Cftges Lf F IS .nu 1 75.1. -N1

Page 16 text:

ff is-if Vi V H' 'iii if-'i'iZjil5lLi jQf1..T'YY , Y Alabama---lts Settlement and Early Schools LABAMA, as a first magnitude star in the brilliant galaxy of the States, celebrated its first centenary in December of this year. In that time it has passed through crises of experience ranging from eras of glory to those of sorrow, but none that savored of humiliation or shame. It would be a task of pleasure to tell the story, romantic and inspiring as it is, of the days of her pre-statehood, from the legends of her early dawn to the time in December, I8l9, when she became the nineteenth in the great sisterhood, but space will not permit. It must suffice to record briefly the story of her statehood only, and of that only its relationship to the great national and world evolution in education. The year l8I9, like those years which immediately preceeded and succeeded it, saw a steady westward current of immigration, chiefly from Georgia, flowing along the new- made highways, often opened by the axes of the incoming pioneers themselves, but largely following the trails of the Indians. These pioneers almost always traveled in groups of several families, covered ox wagons carrying their simple household belongings, while their livestock were driven by the men and boys. They carried their flintlock rifles needed for self-protection. Reaching a section of the wilderness that appealed to their fancy, the immigrants stopped and usquattedf' that is, built rude cabins and began opening up patches, or little fields, on the public domain. ln time most of them entered these lands, that is, acquired a title to them from the Government. And so the pioneer home was established. Naturally the question of schools soon arose. The more progressive members of the neighborhood united in erecting a pine pole hut, with a stick and dirt chimney, at some ccnvenient place. A teacher, of generally very little qualification, was secured and the work of training the young frontiersman began. The methods were very crude, and the curriculum limited. They used a udefinern for spelling and committed the words to mem- ory. They sang their geography, and used slates and pencils for their figuring They sat on backless, split-log benches and drank water from the spring nearby. The teacher often chewed tobacco, sometimes drank spirits, and was not always tidy. There were no women teachers. The one indispensable article of school furniture was a well-seasoned switch and it was very often in requisition. It would be interesting to further recount the school conditions of those primitive years when Alabama became a member of the sisterhood of states, but space forbids. We have to content ourselves with the insertion of two pictures of the Alabama school architecture- l8I9 and l9l9. Page tw h

Page 18 text:

Lx .- 5 , X' l . in , THE DAL.LADlUIfl , '..J', ' ., , f x - Y- V .----.W V........-... c. ., ., , ,3 . 9' fail 17 EJ 1 1 fm 1- W . L, , ' -. Q f . , jg :'Lgj'gTs is --T, I f maj , ,7.x . :f. 'L- f-, A ee Sie . - M f ,gqaif 1' s fgfgqiifif A ' .f7iQte affizflfii ' e f :-T if? 'nf .f .. f ,T-ff 1. , .t - . 4' U . Q file . se g: -.1-s f. fe 1 of .L ,gil ', -,-H 1 3 7 -,:,.f ' Q.,f ., .:f' V 41, fl' sill:-X-? w',sjT53 '- 19-I9 ' Historical to the spring of I9l2 may be found in a previous number of the Palla drum published in une of that year The purpose of this paragraph is to supplement the former sketch with the outstanding points of growth since that date. Necessarily the statement will be brief-the form of a chron- icle. HE outline history of the State Normal School at Troy from its inception I. CHANcEs AS TO Poucnas The most conspicuous change of policy during the past six years has been the pro- fessionalizing of the work of the school. This was done chiefly by eliminating all purely academic work and increasing the pedagogical requirements for graduation. In order to emphasize real normal training, drill work for State examinations was abandoned except during the summer quarter, and such purely cultural subjects as voice training, hand- painting, and instrumental music were dropped from the course in l9l5. At the same time such practical subjects as home economics and home-making were added. Another marked advance in education in Alabama was the adoption by the Board of Trustees on March 7, l9I 7, of an all-the-year session for the Class A Normals. This step was in accord with the purpose of these schools to professionalize the teaching force of the State by affording those actually teaching during the regular session an opportunity to go to school during the summer, when they are usually not engaged. These changes immediately resulted in the recognition of the character and worth of normal training by the Legislature and by the various educational factors of the State and so popularized the work of the school that it has since been impossible to supply the de- mand lor its graduatesg and, where formerly it was the exception to hear the normal schools commended, at present the condition is just the reverse. The Legislature of I9I 5 restored to the Cilass A Normals the right to issue, through the State Board of Examiners, lirst grade teachers' certificates to their graduates, and school authorities are beginning to demand normal training as a prerequisite to employment as teachers in their schools. Page fourlecn