University of Alberta Calgary - Evergreen and Gold Yearbook (Calgary, Alberta Canada)

Page 7 text:

£oe.uyiee i Q Ud Ok O+ijfi Catkicj . . . rT XHE 1947 issue of Evergreen and Gold, Calgary edition, was so attrac- tj ve anc j interesting I appreciate the invitation to contribute a mes¬ sage to that of 1948. You inherited a worthy tradition from The Chinook, the yearbook of the Calgary Normal School, and I know you will cultivate your inheritance worthily. In the same way, the University prizes its heritage of the Normal Schools, with all the opportunities and obligations they brought us. We prize especially the Calgary Normal School, as this opened the way to further development of higher education in the south of the province. The transfer to the University of direct responsibility for all teacher education in this province was a unique experiment. It has already attrac¬ ted favourable attention, and some other provinces are making tentative steps in the same direction. The full recognition of teaching as a learned profession, entitled to its own Faculty in the University, has enhanced the prestige of teaching. That, and some welcome improvement in salary trends, may account for the very encouraging increase we have noticed in the number of men entering the teacher-training course. We need the very best men and women working together in this key profession. Distance imposes some handicaps. I should like very much to have closer personal contact with the Calgary students. With many of you this contact is only postponed, as we expect you to come to Edmonton for part of your degree work. To the others, who are going directly from Calgary into school-teaching posts, I wish all success in your high calling. One needs Christian character to stand up to the almost frightening responsibility of school teaching. You will have children under your tut¬ elage at their most malleable period, and can profoundly influence their future and the future of fhis country by the way you mould them. Get all the education you can for this responsible job. Yours for training good citizens! ROBERT NEWTON, President. Page Five