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34

STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

INSTITUTE PROGRAM.

      Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 2:40-4:00, Domestic Science by Miss Myrtle Kauffman.

      On Thursday and Friday all junior normal classes will be shortened ten minutes tack and the following institute program given:

9:30-10:00--School Sanitation and Hygiene

Professor Fulmer

10:00-10:30--School Management

Professor Fulmer

2:20- 2:50--Methods

Professor Fulmer

2:50- 4:10--Domestic Science

Miss Kauffman

      Thursday evening,. Professor Fulmer will lecture on the subject, "Environment and Education."

ALMA JUNIOR STATE NORMAL.

C. W. McMichael, Principal.

      Alma, the seat of the junior normal, is located in a fine farming country. The people are intelligent, enterprising, and well-to-do. No better town of 1,500 could be found anywhere for a summer school. The railroad facilities are excellent. Students from the neighboring counties--Phelps, Franklin, Webster, Kearney, and Furnas--can reach Alma in the morning or in the evening with little loss of time and at small expense. The attendance is materially affected by the fact that Kearney is so near and so easy of access, and by the additional fact that there are at least ten normal training high schools in the territory. In spite of these handicaps, the attendance in 1910 was 131. Of this number 100 were for full time.

      Alma has been particularly fortunate in securing very strong teachers for the normal, teachers, experienced and capable, warmhearted and deeply interested in everything that would help the students. The weekly literary program, the social events, basketball, baseball, and tennis, were all encouraged and directed by the faculty. There was absolutely no aristocracy in the Alma junior normal. Teachers and pupils mingled together on the most friendly terms of equality.

      A large majority of the teachers were working for second and third grade certificates, a few for first, and several were taking the life branches. A marked characteristic of the whole bunch was their earnestness, their evident determination to accomplish that for which they were in school.

      The following program was the one used during 1910:


JUNIOR NORMAL SCHOOLS

35

DAILY PROGRAM ALMA JUNIOR STATE NORMAL, 1910

Hour
Mr. Michael
Mr. Bentley
Mrs. Caster
Miss Everson
Mr. Gibson
Mr. Lee
7:20

History 3

8:00
Arithmetic 3
B Geometry 1

Agriculture 4
Reading 5
8:40
Office
B Algebra 1
Geography 2

Civics 5
9:20
Chapel Period -- All Attend
10:00
Office

*Orthography 2
*Model School 8

10:40

Bookeeping 3
Geography 2
*Model School 8

Reading 5
11:20
*Penmanship 2
History 3

*Conference 5
Physiology 4

12:00
Noon Intermission
1:30
Theory and Art

Literature 2
*Conference
Arithmetic 4
Physics 7
2:10

M Arithmetic 1
Grammar 2
*Drawing 3
Laboratory 4
Laboratory 7
2:50

Music A
*Music A
B Botany 4
Chemistry 7
3:30

Trigonometry 4

     *These are drill subjects and require no preparation outside of the recitation.
      A student may not receive credit for more than four full subjects and two drills.
      Attendance for at least thirty days is necessary to receive junior normal credit.
      Other classes will be organized in the life certificate subjects, if the demand is sufficiently great.
      Superintendent J. T. Anderson, registrar, will be at the high school building each forenoon.


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STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

      All students took the first two weeks of model school, which was a typical country school, organized and conducted as it should be. This work was made a strong feature throughout the session. The interest in agriculture was increased by a number of practical talks by Mr. Hull, the farmers' institute lecturer. The round table discussions conducted by the various members of the faculty were to the point and very helpful to the inexperienced. During institute week several lectures were given by specialists. Taken all in all, the 1910 session of the Alma junior normal was success in every particular.

BROKEN BOW JUNIOR NORMAL.

R. I. Eiliott, Principal.

      The Broken Bow State Junior Normal is located in Broken Bow, the county seat of one of the largest counties in the state. The population of Custer county is more than 26,000, and practically all of the people outside of the towns of the county, are engaged in farming and ranching.. The greater number of those who live in rural districts are engaged in farming.

     Broken Bow is located on the Kansas City-Seattle route of the Burlington Railroad and has excellent accommodations and good service in every way. Six passenger trains stop here daily. Students who live along the line of railroad have excellent accommodations and can go to and from their homes at their pleasure. Those living directly north or south of Broken Bow must travel on branch roads in order to reach Broken Bow by rail.

     The Broken Bow high school has the only normal training department of any high school in the county. The Ravenna high school is the nearest normal training high school and is located in Buffalo county, fifty miles east of Broken Bow. The nearest normal training high school on the west is Alliance, which is over 150 miles from here. The counties surrounding Custer and in this territory have been very friendly to the junior normal and have sent a great many student teachers to the normal during the past four years, since the normal has been located in Broken Bow. Two of the counties, Custer and Blaine, joined with Custer for institute during the past session of the junior normal. All of the teachers from these counties attended the institute, and a great many of them the entire session of the junior normal.

     Blaine, Logan, Thomas and Garfield, Valley and Sherman counties had teachers in the normal during the last session as well as during previous sessions.

     Without being able to determine accurately, I think I am not putting it too high when I say that at least one-half of the teachers in this section of the state have attended the Broken Bow junior normal. The majority of teachers in this section of the state have never attended any other normal school.


JUNIOR NORMAL SCHOOLS

37

     Broken Bow is a city with no saloons, splendid churches, two public parks, a free public library and an educational atmosphere that is most desirable for educational progress. It is the natural educational center of. this part of the state. The total enrollment during the last session of the junior normal was 257. One hundred and thirty-nine of these remained the entire session.

     The citizens of Broken Bow have always taken a very friendly interest in the students. They have offered their homes to the students in a social way and have assisted them a great deal by giving them the use of their private libraries. Besides this, they have endeavored to make things pleasant for them in every possible way. The lecture courses have been well supported by the people and have been of a high order.

     The members of the faculty took an unusual Interest In the pupils, not only in the school room, but also in outside affairs. Never were the faculty members too busy to help the students in anything that would be to their interest and upbuilding, and never were they too thoughtless to drop a word of encouragement at the proper time. Pupils poorly prepared always received special attention.

     Special work in domestic science was given during the last session of the normal under the supervision of a domestic science specialist. This work was carried on only one week during the past session, and it is hoped that more time may he given to this very interesting and unusually practical work in the future sessions. Special work in agriculture was conducted for two weeks and the work throughout the entire session was of unusual interest to the pupils.

     The model country school was one of the features of the school. This school consisted of about twenty pupils, doing work from the preliminary to the seventh grade. One teacher had entire charge of this work and conducted the school in half-day sessions for the benefit of the student teachers. All of the instructors hired for the past session were specialists in their line of work.

     The Broken Bow junior normal has made a steady growth since it was located here, and the growth during the last session is evidence enough of the need for the continuance of this institution.

GENEVA STATE JUNIOR NORMAL.

R. W. Eaton, Principal.

     The Geneva State Junior Normal Is located in a rich farming district in the south central part of Nebraska. The railroad facilities are exceptionally good. The Northwestern is easy of access for those in Thayer, Nuckolls and Webster counties from the south, and for York, Seward and Butler counties from the north; while the Burlington Is easily reached for all those in Jefferson, Thayer, Clay, Saline, Lancaster and, in fact, all counties in junior normal territory.

     In reference to other educational institutions, Geneva is well


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STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

located. It Is about equally distant from the Kearney state normal and the state university, in a region where many of the student-teachers would have never attended any advanced school if the opportunity had not been carried to them through the agency of the junior normal.

     There are several normal training high schools in territory served by the Geneva junior normal, while in Fillmore there are but three--Exeter, Fairmont and Geneva.

     The attitude of the surrounding counties has always been the very beet for an enlarged institution and better training for teachers. Fillmore county has always enrolled the greater number, but it is also true that any institution enrolls the greater number from its locality.

     The enrollment for 1908 was 170, from ten counties.

     The enrollment for 1909 was 193, from twelve counties.

     The enrollment for 1910 was 202, from thirteen counties.

     The Geneva junior normal has not only grown in numbers but also in interest and enthusiasm. There have been two commencements -- one in 1909 with one graduate, the other in 1910 with six graduates. The outlook for a much larger class is encouraging for 1911.

     The community has always energetically supported the Institution and the homes have been opened to students and a hearty welcome extended.

     The Commercial Club lent their assistance freely, both financially and socially. They have given from $60 to $250 per year for increasing the efficiency of the school and for advertising the same.

     The hearty co-operation of the entire community has made Geneva. an ideal place for summer school.

     Following is the program of the 3910 normal:


JUNIOR NORMAL SCHOOLS

39

PROGRAM OF THE 1910 NORMAL

Time
Eaton
Clark
Dill
Woodard
Ray
Pyrtle
Rustin
8:00-40

Alg
Ped
U. S. HIS
Phy

A
8:40-40
Latin
A
Arith

Bot
Music

9:20-40

B-K
A
Gram
Phy

Wat-Col
10:00-40
Chapel Hour
10:40-40
Am. History

A
Read
11:20-40

Geom
Civ

Geog

12:00
Noon Intermission
1:20-40

M Arith
Geom
Physiology
A

Wat-Col
2:00-40
Agriculture
A

Gram

Geog
Eng Comp
2:40-40

Alg

A

Draw
3:20-40

Methods


40

STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

     The instructors of the Geneva junior normal school are men and women with broad education and acquainted with the needs of young teachers. The institute instructors were Dean Fordyce. Dr. Condra and Hon. J. L. McBrien, who were here the first week of the normal.

M'COOK JUNIOR NORMAL.

Charles W. Taylor, Principal.

     The McCook junior normal serves the extreme southwest part of Nebraska and draws its membership chiefly from the double tier of eight counties, bounded by Chase and Dundy on the west, and Gosper and Furnas on the east. The closest normal school to the McCook junior normal is the Alma junior normal, sixty miles east. The closest regular state normal is the Kearney state normal, about one hundred miles from McCook by rail. This territory is distinctly agricultural in occupation and increasing in population and output of products.

     The main line of the Burlington runs parallel through practically the whole territory of the McCook junior normal, thus giving Ideal railroad connections. In the whole territory mentioned of eight counties, there are only two normal training high schools, Beaver City and McCook. The neighboring counties have always been very friendly to the junior normal idea and the enrollment has been widely scattered over the territory.

     The faculty for 1909 was composed of the following persons: Charles W. Taylor, McCook, principal; H. M. Garrett, Ashland; W. T. Davis, Beaver City; L. W. Colebank, Curtis; Julia Bednar, McCook; C. F. White, Trenton; Mina C. Doyle, Omaha.

     For 1910 the faculty was: Charles W. Taylor, McCook, principal; A. F. Gulliver, Bloomfield; W. T. Davis, Beaver City; L. W. Colebank, Stockville; Cora Scott, McCook; C. F. White, Trenton; Annie M. T. Cogil, Lincoln.

     The faculty individually and collectively has cultivated the closest possible personal interest in the individual welfare of all pupils. Much personal help has been emphasized. The small size of all divisions of classes has made it possible for the pupils to get a large amount of personal attention and help from each teacher. The students uniformly have been either teachers or prospective teachers. No effort has been made locally to get in a large number of young town pupils to swell the enrollment. The efforts and attitude of students toward the work has been uniformly high, serious and dignified. A devoted interest to the problems before them has characterized the pupils universally.

     The citizens locally have always showed a lively Interest in the students. The students have been welcomed to the churches and social gatherings. The Commercial Club has taken the responsibility of making the lecture course pay out financially and have succeeded each year. The attitude of the community cannot be better shown than by


JUNIOR NORMAL SCHOOLS

41

giving some statistics about the price of board and room. Early In the beginning of the 1910 session an investigation was made as to the actual prices being paid by junior normal students. Reports were received from seventy-eight full term students and from seventy-seven Institute students, those living in McCook, of course, not being counted in any way. The average price paid by full term students for board and room was $3.88 per week and by institute only students $4.60 per week for board and room. Eighty-one were paying below $4.50 per week; one hundred and two were paying at and below $4.50 per week; thirty-six were paying above $4.50 per week, all of the last class being in the institute class only.

     The model school of 1910 was composed of about thirty pupils, ranging from beginners to and including fifth grade pupils. An effort was made to get a mixture of all kinds of pupils as to ability, characteristics and temperament, so as to present as many problems as possible for the model school teacher to solve in the presence of the student teacher. Each junior normal student was assigned to a particular period for observation. This would give the student teacher a chance to observe only one part of the model school program. Of course this would be objectionable, as the intention of the observation work is to have the student teacher observe the whole program, the whole problem being worked out by the model school teacher. To bring about this result the daily program of the model school was rotated forward a period of two each week. Thus the student teacher was enabled, during her period of observation, to see the whole program of the model school in operation. There was one objection to this plan, namely, that the minds of the children in the model school were likely to be confused by having their program changed. However, in the actual carrying out of this plan, less trouble was experienced than would be expected. This plan was used in the model school of 1909 and 1910. Miss Mina C. Doyle and Miss Annie M. T. Cogil, respectively, met their teachers three periods daily for lectures and consultation on special topics. Too much credit cannot be given to the splendid work of these two women with the student teachers who observed in the model school. From time to time word comes into the office from some teachers out at work in field complimentary to the help and instruction received from these women.

     Both years Hitchcock county joined with Red Willow county in institute week. In 1909 no special features were offered during institute week. In 1910 County Superintendents Elizabeth Bettcher and Bess V. Crews provided out of their Institute funds for special work during institute week. Miss Bettcher employed G. E. Weaver of Perry College, Perry, Iowa, to give special work in drawing and penmanship for institute week, and the week following. Superintendent Bess V. Crews employed N. A. Bengtson of the University, who took up three lines of work illustrated by stereopticon: First, the study of Nebraska; second, industrial geography; and third, elementary


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STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

physical geography. In addition to this, Mr. Weaver and Professor Bengtson each gave an evening lecture during institute week. All of this, together with the regular junior normal program and model school, made the institute week of 1910 a red-letter time in the experiences of those enrolled. Too much cannot be said for the splendid spirit of. co-operation and friendliness of the faculty as shown in their relations toward each other and the students. No time has there been the slightest evidence of disagreement within the faculty or the student body.

NORTH PLATTE JUNIOR NORMAL.

J. A. Beattie, Principal..

     The junior normal school at North Platte during the past two years, as in all the other years of its history, has fully justified itself and has repaid the state many times for the money expended in its support.

     While the sessions of 1909 and 1910 have not shown any marked gain in members, they have fully sustained the enrollment of former sessions, and have exhibited some marks worthy of special mention.

     Some of these worthy of special attention are advancement in knowledge, wider and fuller intelligence, more accurate scholarship, larger growth, fuller development, better preparation for teaching, and a greater appreciation of the opportunities for education.

     These are the fruits of the years of junior normal school teaching and they are, also, prophesies of the results to be secured in the future.

     The counties which are wholly within the territory of the school and the parts of the other counties which are nearer North Platte than they are to any one of the other junior normal schools have an area of about 17,700 square miles and a population of about 43,000, or 44,000. From this it is seen that the junior normal school at North Platte serves a territory about as large as Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut and Massachusetts combined, and a population almost as great as the census found in Nevada in 1900.

     The specific need of the junior normal school is indicated by three considerations: (1) The distance to any institution of education other than a public high school; (2) the excellent railway service at North Platte; and (3) the character and occupations of the people.

     All trains, local and limited, stop at North Platte, thus giving good railway service, especially from the east and the west. The state normal school at Kearney --the nearest institution-- is ninety miles distant. The distance to any place of training, instruction and education to the west, southwest, or northwest is more than 175 miles.

     The need felt by the young people, their appreciation of the opportunities the school furnishes and the advantages they readily measure are indicated by the students returning term after term. The session of 1909 furnished a good illustration. Of the 108 students in the junior normal school proper, four (4) were enrolled in the session of 1903, eight (8) in 1904, nine (9) in 1905, eleven (11) in 1906,


JUNIOR NORMAL SCHOOLS

43

twenty (20) in 1907, and fifty (50) in 1908. The school reached new students, as the fifty-one enrolled for the first time shows. An analysis of the enrollment for the session of 1910 would show almost as great a percentage of old and new.

     The county commissioners of Lincoln county, representing the people of the county as a whole; the county superintendent, William Ebright; the board of education of the North Platte school district; the business men represented by the Commercial Club, and the county superintendents of all the counties which are within the natural scope of the area served by the school, have shown their interest, not only by loyal moral support, but also by financial aid.

     The location and advantages are made especially valuable to students by the large experimental farm owned and conducted by the

     State University, by the mechanical and industrial interests in the Union Pacific shops, and by the branch office of the National Weather Bureau.

     The chautauqua lecture and entertainment courses maintained by the citizens of North Platte and offered to the students and teachers at a cost which is merely nominal show not simply the appreciation of the people of the city, but they served also to open a new world to the young people -- a world of song and literature, of address and discussion, and of theme and subject, which widened their horizon, awakened their interest, quickened their desires, inspired their ambitions and inspired them to honorable things.

     To many of the younger students and teachers the things seen and heard are never to be forgotten -- are never to lose their influence -- are always, as a memory, to be a benediction.

     The teachers forming the staff of instruction for the sessions of 1909 and 1910 were the same, with the exception of the teacher who had charge of drawing and primary work--Miss Maude Mollyneaux of North Platte having charge of the first session and Miss Abigail Manning of South Omaha the second. The other five Were Superintendent William Ebright of North Platte, Superintendent J. 0. Lyne of Minden, Superintendent Wilson Tout of North Platte, Superintendent V. L. Strickland of Nelson and Superintendent p M. Whitehead of Gothenburg.

     These men and women were all that any school could ask in the class-room, in their attitude toward one another, in their interest in the work, in their relation to the citizens of the place and in their loyalty to the students, as individuals, and to the school, as an institution.

     One person desired to begin Latin, one to begin trigonometry and three to do some advanced work in literature. To aid these persons to accomplish their desires, Superintendent Whitehead took the Latin, Superintendent Ebright the literature, and the principal the trigonometry, in addition to the regular work, and at a time when the respective students were free from other classes.


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STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

SCHEDULE OF SUBJECTS AND RECITATIONS FOR THE SESSION OF 1910 (JUNE 6 TO JULY 29)

Time
Beattie
Lyne
Strickland
Whitehead
Tout
Miss Manning
Ebright
8:00-8:50
Office Period
Civics
Physics
Arithmetic

Reading

8:50-9:40
Theory and Art
English Composition

Mental Arithmetic
English Grammar

9:10-10:30
History
Advanced Geometry
Bookkeeping
Beginning Algebra

Elementary Course Study
10:30-11:20
General, or Chapel Period

11:20-12:10
Elementary Psychology
Beginning Geometry
Geography
Arithmetic
English Grammar
Drawing 2
Orthog. 2
School Law of Neb.
1:30-2:20
Theory an Art

Reading
Physiology

Botany
Model School
2:20 3:10
History

Geography
Advanced Algebra
Agriculture
Model School
Secretary and Treas.
3:10-4:00
Office Period

Music


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