The average number of terms taught on entering.. The average age of the graduates.. 22 23 The whole number in attendance during some portion of the two years........ 411 The whole number in attendance during some portion of the three years of the school's existence... 486 The number of students who have been in attendance both years, in whole or in part, is 78. This is 19 per cent of the whole number atnumber of terms of attendance for each stu tending. The average dent is nearly two. Many students of extensive experience in teaching have resorted to this school for more thorough preparation. It seems proper to make a statement of the attendance during the fall term of 1879 up to October 1st: The number enrolled at this date is...... The number of new students during this fall term.... 198. 111. 597. Fifty-three counties of Iowa were represented in the attendance of 1877-78, and fifty-seven counties in the attendance of 1878-79. The number of counties represented during both years is sixty-nine. They are as follows: Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Dickinson, Delaware, Dubuque, Floyd, Franklin, Fayette, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Madison, Mahaska, Marshall, Mitchell, Muscatine, Montgomery, Polk, Pottawattamie, Plymouth, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Shelby, Story, Tama, Union, Van Buren, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth, Wright. Besides these, two counties of Minnesota, two counties of Illinois, one county of New York and one of Wyoming Territory, sent students-in all, six. STUDENTS' DECLARATION. Each student receiving free instruction signs a declaration that in becoming a student of Iowa State Normal School, it is his purpose to fit himself for the business of teaching; that it is his intention to teach in Iowa after leaving the school; that he will report to the Principal as often as twice every year for at least two years and once every year thereafter. It is proper to inquire how well this obligation has been kept. Statistics in my possession show that our students have kept their promise. Of course those who have attended the most terms have been spending their time in study, and have not had the opportunity to teach. There can be no doubt of the fulfillment of their pledge. SPIRIT AND DEPORTMENT OF STUDENTS. I have very favorable statements to make concerning the deportment and character of our students. During the two years for which this report is made, only two serious cases of discipline occurred. Nor were reproof and admonition frequently needed. In this connection it should be remembered that we have a large household of many students of both sexes. The safety and desirability, indeed, of the co-education of the sexes, receive additional proof from the experience afforded by this school, a school where not only instruction is given in common classes to young men and women, but also where they take their meals at the same table and mingle in the discharge of daily duties as in a family. Careful supervision, of course, is given; but the preponderance of the general sentiment of the school in favor of pro. priety and decorum arising from the maturity and settled character of our students, has held in check any latent lawlessness, and been the chief securities against any possible evils. Our students show great zeal in study, and their industry produces good scholarship in the branches taught. It is the conviction of your faculty that they acquire a love of learning and a devotion to the cause of education, as well as a professional ambition. The students of the school have been its warm friends. THE RESULTS OF THE SCHOOL. This school is of too recent origin to afford much data from which to estimate the benefits derived therefrom by the public schools. Reports as to the success of our students in the school room are very favorable. Many of them entered upon responsible situations and continue to hold them. But it must not be forgotten that only the few take the shortest of our courses of study, the elementary, and that very many are here only one or two terms. The school is not responsible to any great extent for the quality of work done by this last class, yet it does seem that they are greatly benefited by their short attendance. Here, as in other similar institutions, facts sustain the inference that Normal Schools, by a few terms of instruction, make fair teachers of those who would otherwise be very incapable, and, to students of considerable talent, they give qualifications of discipline and scholarship, and a training, equivalent to many years of unaided experience. To insist that a Normal School is useless because some of its students fail as teachers, is unreasonable in the extreme. It is well known that a considerable number of the graduates of Theological, Medical, and Law Schools, fail in the practice of their profession, but it is well authenticated that a smaller per cent of the graduates of the Normal Schools of our country fail, than of the schools just named. The usefulness of such professional schools, however, is conceded by all classes. They are a necessity of our civilization. THE COURSE OF STUDY. The following table presents the course of study and the years and terms: EXPLANATION.-The "1" represents Recitations; the "," Drills and Practice. "L" stands for Lectures. THE Elementary CouRSE consists of First and Second Years. It will be observed that we have two classes of study, Scholastic and Professional. Both of these fall within the true province of Normal School instruction. The teacher needs fuller and more critical mastery of the branches to be taught than is needed for the ordinary business of life. Thoroughness and fullness of knowledge in these subjects is a preparation for teaching of great importance. The Normal School must give this preparation. Instruction in the Philosophy of Education and Methods of Teaching is the more special province of a Normal School. Fully one-half of the student's time is directly employed in professional study, and the other half, indirectly. In his study and recitation of the branches to be taught, the student gets a knowledge of class management and system, side by side with a knowledge of the subject-matter. He learns the method of teaching that he is to adopt when he comes to have a school of his own. This is especially true for methods of advanced classes. How to teach primary and intermediate grades is taught by lectures and practice. The faculty have no recommendations to make for a change in the course of study. For the first two years, especially, it is very full. We are maintaining a semi-preparatory year, rendered necessary to accommodate many good students, low in scholarship, perhaps, but of strong minds and reliable character. They often make acceptable teachers after a short attendance, and returning, take a longer course and eventually become able workers in the educational field. In this connection, I may say that our patronage comes largely from the country. Our students are, to a great extent, the sons and daughters of farmers, who highly appreciate the opportunities here afforded. We experience many difficulties in the management of the Practice Department, arising from the want of room and a suitable Model School. This would be of great value as a school of observation. The present mode of illustrating systems and methods has given such satisfactory results, that it would be continued were a Model School established. However, for the exemplification of full and detail processes a Model School is necessary. We feel this want severely and hope that it will soon be supplied. |