University of Wisconsin Oshkosh - Quiver Yearbook (Oshkosh, WI)

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recruiting strong teachers, leaders in skill and scholarship, into our ranks. For one. the writer saw the writing on the wall of doom, if means were not obtained. In 89 he ventured to say that 55,000 increase of annual salary account was imperatively needed. The reply bv one of the best leaders was. You mean 55,000 for the system? (then of live schools.) No, 55,000 for each. It was politely passed as a dream too visionary for practical men to consider. In '95 the same dreamer went into statistics to prove that the system of seven prospective schools would need 5250.000 a year if justice was to be done to the thousands of youth flocking to these schools, and strong business men declared it sound in estimate. The remarkable change wrought since then cannot be even told, still less estimated in regard to enlarged usefulness. Hut this is the present and for the future and not history.

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While the addition was gained with difficulty, the Hoard willingly conceded that the work in physical training at Oshkosh was of high value and the gymnasium feature was readily incorporated, and the Regents assumed the responsibility of supporting our teacher, the first in the system, although seven years after it had become an accomplished fact. In the same year, the authorities conceded that the work of drawing in this school had become of real educational value and fitted up the attic floor, planned in 76 for the Art Room; again the first one of the system. OMAN cots IN COCK SR OR STUDY. Slender purses of candidates and feeble convictions regarding the necessity of any professional training for teaching, rife with the great majority, led to the organization of a course of study only three years in length, in which all academic and professional work was to be done. Apparently this was much better than our prototypes of the Hast with their course of but two years: but. in reality, not so good. With those, some reasonable degree of culture was assumed from the prevalence of strong academics throughout the North Atlantic states. Hut with us the normal work rested close down upon the rudimentary work of the rural schools, lvvidentlv. the original founders were imbued with the value of varied information in the teacher, for it was difficult to find any branch aside from foreign tongues that was not represented for some notice in the fateful three- years. Even Latin was sometimes attempted, we learn. Early in the third year of the history of the Oshkosh Normal, an interview was held between the Senior class and the president regarding their disregarding the privilege granted by the Board and remaining for a full four years' course before applying for graduation. They, to their lasting credit, voted unanimously to add that much culture to the bare requirement previously accorded. With one exception, all those students carried slender purses: but their ideals were high. In 75 that class was graduated with high honor; within the next year the Hoard made such an extension for all the schools, as recommended in the report from the Oshkosh school. The further recommendation that a narrower course of two years, to be known as the “partial course, was transformed into the Elementary Course, which was by change of title unduly exalted into a finality for altogether too many students. The addition of one-third in time without any increase in number of branches, proved a boon to ideals of sound scholarship in the State: a function which the Normal school ought never to fail in fulfilling. In ''M the report from this school raised the question whether the time had not come to introduce a larger election in branches during the last two years of the course, in the interest of more extended culture in a few fields. Within a year, after much consideration, such a course was adopted. Other most needful gains have been proposed from time to time, but are either minor or. if adopted, were so modifier! that no just claim of priority can be made. The duty of seeking relief from deterioration by appeal to legislative aid. was made in report after report of the Oshkosh school dating from about 86. While a strong old guard of great strength was to Ik- found in several schools, the rising tide of educational estimate was cutting us off from 15

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Stiver M moral Vaie f lewnlcd to Prci. G. S. Albee by the Alumni Anoeution at the Quarter Centennial Celebration.