Missouri Botanical Garden PETER H. RAVEN LIBRARY Pagination Note: Since many of the items lack a specific page number, the page number dispiayed oniine refers to the sequentiaily created number each item was given upon cataloging the materials. MISSOURI STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, what we need is the best plans wrought out by men who believe'in them. As matters are, the State has the men, but it has not furnished the means. The appropriation to the North Missouri School ought to be doubled. “If it be possible to secure a Legislature capable of appreciating the educa- tional needs of the State, it will be seen by such a body that above all should the Normal Schools be fostered and cared for.” EEPORT or SEITATE COMMITTEE. Your Committee on Education, having, as instructed by Senate resolu- tion, visited the Normal School located at Kirksville, with a view of ascer- taining its condition and efficiency, respectfully submit the following report : We visited the institution on Saturday, the 7th inst., examined carefully the classes, the course of instruction pursued in the school, its management, and the condition of the building. We found the school in charge of Professor Baldwin and associate teachers. They are bringing to their aid all their talents, learning and energy in fitting our young men and women for the responsible duty of taking charge of the Public Schools of the State. The number of pupils registered in the school the present year, is 565. They are from nearly every county in the District, and from various other counties throughout the State. The new building, recently erected, and occupied about one year, is admi- rably adapted for the purposes of . a school of the character of the one at Kirksville. It is beautifully located on a lot of fifteen acres of ground donated by the people of Kirksville for this purpose. It commands a fine view of the surrounding country. It is easy of access from all directions. It will be a credit to the State for all time. Your Committee were gratified to find the pupils in attendance at this school to be composed of those who are fitting themselves by* their own exertions for their profession, and also to be able to say that, although the Normal Schools are comparatively new institutions in the policy of our State, the vigor and talent displayed in the one to which our visit was made, if pursued by all, must soon present their benefits in a manner to be correctly appreciated by the people, and dispel the prejudice against them which, to some extent, now exists. The system of instruction pursued at this, school compels the student to think, investigate the subject, and form his own ideas, and give his answers in his own words— a system which we believe admirably adapted to develop all the powers of the mind. We are convinced that the proper method to make our Common Schools effective and durable, to make them what they were designed to be, and should be, the means of proper education to all the children of the State, they must be placed in charge of those whose education has been directed, with that pur- pose, by teachers of experience. We believe no more effective aid can be rendered to the Common Schools than by fostering and sustaining the Normal Schools of our State ; in other words, we believe that they are but separate branches of the same great system, and that as life is infused into one, it will be necessarily felt in the other. The persons educated at our Normal Schools are rapidly permeating the entire State, and all schools will be more or less D. MOOEE, E. H. BEOWNE, X ^ ^ , WILL. C. EANNEY, Jefferson City, Feb. 18, 1874. Committee of Senate. -28- -5 7 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical copyright reserved garden V ) OF THE FIRST DISTRICT. ■ inoossi^ The past year has been one of unprecedented prosperity. The ratio of increase is much greater than during any preceding year. The attendance at the Normal Department has been as follows : First Year.... Second Year . Third Year... Fourth Year. .140 1 Fifth Year.... .203 Sixth Year.... .263 Seventh Year. .321 LOCATION. Situated at Kirksville, two hundred miles north from St. Louis, this institution is accessible to a large and promising territory, that is rapidly growing in population and in all the elements of thrift. The location is pe- culiarly fortunate. Kirksville contains about 2,500 inhabitants, three-fourths of whom are uncompromisingly opposed to dram shops and gambling saloons. Since the school opened, no license has been granted to sell liquor in Adair county. The citizens are intelligent, moral and enterprising. They feel proud of the Normal School, and do everything in their ^ower to sustain it. Kirksville is proverbial for good health. Out of so many students from a distance, but three have died while attending school, in the past seven years. Few cases of severe sickness have occurred. Eailroad facilities are all that could be desired. PLAN. The following extract is taken from a recent editorial in the jSt. Louis Globe : The Normal Schools are hardly less important than the University itself. Of these we have five, including the one located in St. Louis, and another which is an integral part of the State University. The capacity of these is set down at 2,000 students, with say 300 annual graduates. In other words, 300 persons carefully trained, not only im a curriculum, but in the best methods of teaching, and who understand teaching as an art, rather than undertake it as an experiment— these are scattered about among the schools, with the certainty of repaying the State an hundred fold for their free education. The power and usefulness of a Normal School, more than of any other, depends upon having a Principal of strong individuality, decided views as to methods of teaching, and a will to shape the whole institution. Missouri has had the fortune to secure such men. Prof. Baldwin has built the school at Kirksville from its very inception, and has deeded it to the State. It is almost literally the product of his individual energy and unselfish labor. It needs but little knowledge of Normal School work to see that a State can do itself no better service than to generously provide these establishments with the necessary funds, and leave the shaping of the work to the wisdom of well-selected Principals. The age is radical in its views of education, and Zb‘Pt ^ /W: A;>^ //jf/ MrssouRr Botanical ©ardem SEORGE ENGELMANN Pft.-LHS . ' "" . ^ fft^l //i.h. /• - (x-^XC. fe- c^T^X, e~XjX^X~ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved c a r D E Cor Olive 2^^ S' 01 23456789 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden 7 8 9 10 Missouri Botanical copyright reserved garden J OF THE FIRST DISTRICT. given in the rudiments of vocal music, with methods of teaching in Primary and Intermediate Schools. In the more advanced courses attention is given to vocal culture, sight reading, practice teaching, and the study of difficult compositions, with methods of teaching in Grammar and High Schools. INSTEUMBNTAL MUSIC. The Instrumental Music will continue to he under the immediate super- vision of able teachers. The charges are reasonable. LATIN AND G-BEMAN. The English language is largely dependent upon the Latin for its copious- ness, many of its forms, and much of its beauty and inspiration. The Latin is the language not only of philosophy and logic, but of theology and law. To prepare such of our students as may desire to enter our University ; to give a mental discipline not inferior to the study of Mathematics; to enable the student to more easily master the scientific nomenclature of the day ; to secure a more thorough knowledge of English ; to better cultivate memory, taste, imagination and judgment ; and to give a mastery of language which the mere English scholar can never attain, the Kegents have established a two years^ course in Latin. The instructor in this department will ever keep these and many othe advantages in view, and no pains will be spared that each pupil shall know how to study the language without the aid of the living teacher. In our country, where the German element constitutes so large a propor- tion of our population, a knowledge of the German language has become a necessity. Besides, no living language is so great a contributor to the English as the German ; and surely none possesses a literature so extensive and so valuable. Opportunity will, therefore, be furnished all who may desire to pursue this very useful branch of a modern education. GENEEAL CULTUEE. Beading Boom.— Through the liberality of publishers, we have been able to sustain a valuable reading room. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the living present. Literary Societies. — Eight literary societies are sustained. Each stu- dent is expected to be a member of one of these societies. Lectures.— A course of lectures of great interest has been delivered in our large hall, in which one thousand auditors can be comfortably seated. In accordance with the plan of Superintendent Monteith, we are arranging for a similar course of lectures each year. Four libraries have been commenced. Though small, we find them a great help. General Library.— By purchase and by donations we have secured about one thousand volumes, mostly choice standard works. The library is free to all students. ISTo effort will be spared to build up a library worthy • of the great State of Missouri. I 01 23 456789 10 Missouri Botanical cm copyright reserved garden 26^7 MISSOURI STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, Keference Library. — This is a separate library, kept in a separate room. We have secured the American Encyclopaedia, several Dictionaries, and many leading text-books. The aim is to make this the most extensive library of the kind in the West. Through the liberality of publishers, we hope to secure all the most important text-books published in this country and Europe. Professional Library. — This is kept in the Principal’s room, and is designed to embrace all books and reports that can aid teachers. From the Text-Book Library Boom, which opens into the Assembly and Study Rooms, and is accessible at all hours, students can procure books at wholesale prices. It is found better to have students own their books. To reduce the cost to the minimum seems to be a necessity. This arrangement, it is believed, will give better satisfaction than any other. Apparatus. — Several hundred dollars have been expended in the purchase of apparatus. Although the supply is small, it embraces the articles neces- sary for most of the philosophical and chemical experiments given in the ordinary text-books. Additions will be made each year, as circumstances seem to require. In Chemistry, experiments are performed by the students. Our Labora- tory will be as complete as it is possible to make it. Pains will be taken to show how many of the important and leading principles of science can be taught and illustrated by means of simple and inexpensive apparatus. This is deemed necessary, as we are preparing teachers mainly for public schools, in which they will have but little apparatus. Cabinet.— The Cabinet Room is one of the best in the country ; it is 85 feet long and 34 feet wide, with office rooms attached. A beginning in this department has been made, and it is hoped that friends of the Institution will make some etfort to procure specimens and help build up this valuable aid. All donations will be registered, together with the name of the donor and locality of the specimen presented. Donations.— We return our warmest thanks to donors, for valuable contributions to our Libraries, Reading Room and Cabinet, and respectfully solicit additional favors. 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