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CALIFORNIA STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

THE foundation of the Public School System of California was laid in 1849. Ten years after, the Superintendent, Hon. Andrew J. Moulder, recommended among other measures of improvement, the establishment of a State Normal School. He still further urged this measure in 1860, and in 1861 asked for a direct State appropriation of five thousand dollars for such school.

In 1862, the Legislature passed an act establishing a State Normal School in the city of San Francisco, and made an appropriation for that purpose of $3,000. The appropriation for 1863-64 was $6,000, and for 1864-65, $8,000.

The Normal School was opened in a class-room of the San Francisco High School building, on the 23d day of July, 1862, under the superintendence of Mr. Ahiru Holmes, who continued Principal until July, 1865. Mr. George W. Minns was elected Principal in June, 1865, and took charge of the school on the 10th of July, following.

The general character of this school and the aim of its officers may be seen by the following extract from the first report of Mr. Minns to the Trustees in 1866. He says:

Normal Schools are not high schools or academies, established for the purpose of enabling a certain number to pursue the higher branches of learning; but their object is direct, plain, and practical; it is to benefit the people at large, by providing for the common schools a class of well trained teachers. The course of study is therefore at present almost entirely restricted to those branches which are taught in the common schools. And this is, in my opinion, as it ought to be. The Normal School was never intended to attempt to give an extended course of instruction in the arts and sciences, or in the languages; but its purpose is-by rendering its pupils thoroughly acquainted with the fundamental branches of a good English education, by familiarity with the best methods of teaching, by a knowledge of the principles and methods of human culture, and of the true order of study, by endeavoring to give them an insight into human nature, so as to enable them to perceive the best methods of government and discipline, and, lastly, by their applying what they learn in the actual teaching and governing of classes in the training school-its purpose is, by these means, to send into the common schools throughout the State a class of teachers whose excellence, ability, and aptitude for teaching will be at once felt and acknowledged. I have no doubt, also, that the Normal School, as it increases the number of its pupils, will, in course of time, cultivate an esprit de corps among its members which will be beneficial alike to teachers and to the community. No one can fail to see the advantages that will result to the cause of education from having dispersed over the State teachers who are mostly graduates of one institution, and therefore feel a friendly interest in one another's success and welfare, who would often correspond and interchange opinions concerning the best methods of advancing the cause in which they were all engaged.

It must not be forgotten, moreover, that our State Normal School is and will be the principal means of enabling our own citizens, who design to become teachers, to compete with the graduates of Eastern Normal Schools.

In September, 1865, the Normal School was removed to a building which is occupied entirely by the different departments of the school.

The upper part of this building is occupied by the Normal School, and the lower by the Training School, of four classes, directed by Mrs. C W. Stout and Miss H. M. Clark. Four pupils of the Normal School are detailed in turn every week to instruct and govern these classes, under the supervision and with the assistance of these experienced and accomplished teachers. The Normal School now possesses greater advantages in this respect than it ever did before. The practice in teaching, which members of the school will have in the course of a year, will be of incalculable benefit to them.

Upon the organization of the school in July, 1865, forty-one pupils in all were admitted to the different classes, making the whole number in the school eighty-five.

Since the establishment of the school there have been entered upon the reg ister two hundred and sixty-two names. These represent nearly every county in the State. The majority have not remained long enough in the school to obtain a diploma. This is owing to various causes, the principal of which is, the want of means to defray the expenses of board and lodging while attending the school. Young men and women have told me of their earnest desire to continue longer in the school, but have stated that it was absolutely necessary for them to do something to support themselves, and have left to take positions as teachers; others enter merely to become acquainted with a certain branch, and, as soon as their object is accomplished, leave, never having been candidates for a diploma; while still others change their plans in life, and engage in some other occupation.

All pupils, before being permitted to join the school, are required to subscribe to the following:

"We hereby declare that our purpose, in entering the State Normal School, is to fit ourselves for the profession of teaching, and that it is our intention to engage in teaching in the public schools of California."

KANSAS STATE NORMAL SCHOOL

AT EMPORIA.

HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION.

PRELIMINARY steps for the organization of a Normal School in Kansas were taken by the Legislature of 1863; the location of the School was fixed upon, and it received an endowment of thirty thousand three hunand eighty acres of salt lands, but as these lands were not sold, the School received no income from them.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction, Hon. Isaac T. Goodnow, in his report for 1863, recommended the full equipment of the School. He says: "Hitherto most of our teachers have only taught as a temporary employment as a mere stepping stone to something that pays better. Whatever education they may have received was not with special reference to teaching.-As a general thing, teaching is a failure. For preparation for the specific business of teaching, we look to the Normal School."

The subject was discussed by the friends of education in various ways, and the institution was finally established by the Legislature, and located at Emporia in 1864, but was not fully organized till the fifteenth day of February, 1865, when eighteen students were gathered in a room belonging to the district-school of Emporia, with a single teacher, to commence the work of Normal Instruction in this State. The number increased till forty-two were enrolled before the close of the term in June. The Board of Visitors, of which Judge L. D. Bailey, of the Supreme Court, was chairman, presented an able report to the Legislature, which did much toward confirming public opinion in favor of the School.

The second term began in September with sixty students. There were eighty-five students in attendance during the first year. The School, though opened as an experiment, was demonstrated an entire success before the close of the first year. The closing exercises were fully attended by distinguished educational men from different parts of the State, and an account of these exercises published in most of the Kansas papers. In 1865, by reason of the increasing number of students, making the apartments then in use entirely inadequate to the wants of the School, it was decided to ask the State for an appropriation to construct a building which, answering the purpose of the school for a few years, might then be set apart for the use of the Model School department without loss to the State. The Legislature very willingly acceded to the request, and authorized the Board of Directors to construct a suitable edifice at the State's expense. The building is arranged with special reference to the wants of a teachers' school, and will prove well adapted to the pur

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