USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > A History of the Courses of Study in the State Normal Schools of Pennsylvania > Part 9
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PHYSICAL CULTURE .-- "The exercises and drills in the gymnasium are maintained for the health of the students, and as an important element in the professional education of the teacher. The course, as arranged at present, comprises gymnastics for public schools; posings; marches; exercises with wands, bells, and clubs; and Delsarte movements."
[Special development of the topic for the school]
In this State Normal School the work of the Junior year is divided into parts designated respec- tively C, B, and A, and students are classed in di- visions corresponding to these parts.
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SENIOR YEAR [To take Effect June 1895]
PEDAGOGICS .- Psychology; Methods of Teach- ing the Common Branches; History of Education; Model School Work, at least twenty-one weeks of actual teaching daily during one period of not less than forty-five minutes; a Thesis on a Professional subject.
LANGUAGE .-- English Literature, at least a fourteen weeks' course, including the thorough study of four English Classics; Latin, Caesar through the Helvetian War.
MATHEMATICS .- Elementary Algebra, com- pleted; Plane Geometry, completed.
NATURAL SCIENCES .- Elementary Natural Philosophy; Botany.
HISTORICAL SCIENCES .- Reading of General History in connection with the History of Educa- tion.
THE ARTS .- Elocutionary exercises in con- nection with the study of English Literature; Man- ual training.
The Slippery Rock State Normal School adopted Orthography, Reading, Geography, His- tory, Penmanship, Book-keeping, and Vocal Music as the branches in which students recommended by the faculty were to be examined as Sub-Juniors. [Known as Junior C. class]
The important changes made in the Elemen- tary Course in 1893 were :
I. The restoration of Mensuration to the Junior year under the subject of Arithmetic.
2. The division of Algebra into two parts [Quadratics], and the placing of quadratics and
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higher Algebra in the Senior year.
3. The division of Plane Geometry by pro- viding for the examination on the first two books at the close of the Junior year.
4. The removal of Rhetoric from the Sen- ior to the Junior year.
5. The introduction of Manual Training into the Senior year.
6. The establishment, in partial form, of the so-called Sub-Junior examinations.
7. The requirement of two meetings of the Senior class each week for the discussion of the practice of teaching, although dropped from many catalogues before this time, seems now to have been officially omitted. [Present in Bloomsburg catalogue of 1890.]
From a sheet entitled "Recommendations sub- mitted to the Board of Principals," undated, and without signature, but evidently presented at the meeting of 1893, the following recommendations which were not adopted are taken :
I. That the Elementary Course be called the "English Course."
2. That the degree of Bachelor of Elemen- tary Pedogogics [B. E. P.] be granted to graduates in this course, to be followed by the degree of Master of Elementary Pedagogics [M. E. P.]
3. That a higher course in Pedagogics be established, leading to the degree of Bachelor and Master of Pedagogics. [B. P. and M. P.]
That a certificate similar to the Junior 4. certificate be issued to students who pass the exam- ination in the Preparatory studies.
5. That an attendance of at least twelve
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weeks at a Normal School, or an experience of at. least one term as teacher in the public schools, be required of all applicants for admission into the Senior class.
6. That General History and Botany be transferred to the Junior year, and that Mensura- tion be retained in the Senior year,
7. That Senior Latin be increased to two books of Caesar.
8. That Manual Training be introduced iuto the Junior year, and that the Senior course in this subject consist of forty lessons.
The changes actually made in 1893, to take effect not later than 1895, were evidently unsatis- factory. This is shown by the fact that at a meet- ing called December 11, 1894, many of these changes were reversed even before they had gone into effect.
At this meeting three Advanced Courses were adopted, and the Elementary Course revised as fol- lows :
[Catalogue of Keystone State Normal School George B. Hancher, Ph. D,, Principal] ELEMENTARY COURSE [As revised December 11, 1894, to take effect not later than 1896] PREPARATORY STUDIES
LANGUAGE .-- Orthography; Reading.
NATURAL SCIENCE .- Physiology and Hy- giene.
HISTORICAL SCIENCES .- Geography, Political and Physical; History of the United States.
THE ARTS .- Penmanship, sufficient to be able to explain some approved system, writing to be submitted to the Board of Examiners.
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Other studies, as Arithmetic, English Gram- mar, Algebra, etc., shall be added to the Prepara- tory year, said studies to be selected by each Nor- 'mal School, but the "final" examination in these added branches shall be deferred till the end of the Junior year.
JUNIOR YEAR
PEDAGOGICS .- School Management; Methods of Teaching the Common Branches.
LANGUAGE .- English Grammar; Latin, suffi- cient for the introduction of Caesar.
MATHEMATICS .- Arithmetic; Elementary Al- gebra.
NATURAL SCIENCE .- Botany.
HISTORICAL SCIENCE .- Civil Government.
THE ARTS .- Drawing, a daily exercise for at least twenty-four weeks, work to be submitted to the Board of Examiners; Book-keeping, single en- try, including a knowledge of common business papers, and a daily exercise for at least seven weeks; Vocal Music, elementary principles, and at- tendance upon daily exercises for at least twelve weeks.
PHYSICAL CULTURE. 1
SENIOR YEAR
PEDAGOGICS .- Psychology; Methods of Teach- ing the Common Branches; History of Education; Model School Work, at least twenty weeks of ac- tual teaching daily during one period of not less than forty-five minutes; a Thesis on a professional snbject.
LANGUAGE .- Rhetoric and Composition; Eng-
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lish Literature, at least twelve weeks' work, in- cluding the thorough study of four English Classics; Latin, Caesar through the Helvetian War.
MATHEMATICS .- Plane Geometry.
NATURAL SCIENCE .- Elementary Natural Philosophy.
HISTORICAL SCIENCE .- General History.
THE ARTS .- Elocutionary exercises in con- nection with English Literature; Manual Training. PHYSICAL CULTURE.
The most noticeable change made in the course was the official recognition of the Preparatory year by the specification of the studies comprised in it. Other changes were as follows :
I. The separation of Algebra into two parts was abandoned, and the subject was placed in the Junior year.
2. The division of Plane Geometry was al- so abandoned, and the subject placed in the Senior year.
3. Botany was transferred to the Junior year.
4. Drawing was reduced to twenty-four weeks, the Model School work to .twenty weeks, and Vocal Music to twelve weeks.
5. Book-keeping was made to include a knowledge of common business papers.
6. General History was officially made a separate branch of study.
7. The examination in the entire subject of Latin was placed at the close of the Senior year.
8. The discontinuance of the issuing of Junior certificates directly to the student.
9. Candidates for graduation were allowed
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to take examinations in higher branches, the same to be named in their certificates.
10. Persons who have been graduated in any course were allowed examination in any branches of a higher course, the subjects to be named on the back of their diplomas.
II. A list, certified by the faculty and set- ting forth the grades obtained by the applicants for examination in the various branches, was officially required to be presented to the Board of Examin- ers.
12. A recommendation was made that the Legislature enact a law authorizing the possible in- crease of the Board of Examiners by the appoint- ment of not more than six superintendents. [See Act of April 20, 1895.]
At a meeting of the Board of Principals held February 5, 1896, an amendment was made to Rule 8, governing examinations, as follows :
"The certificate presented for applicants for admission to the Senior class in the Elementary Course shall also set forth the standing of said ap- plicants in the studies of the Junior year in which they are not examined." This is found in only one of the catalogues examined. [Shippensburg]
At this meeting the question of uniform ex- aminations was discussed, but no direct action was taken.
At the meeting held November 5, 1896, the following actions were taken :
I. That after 1897 the State Normal Schools of Pennsylvania discontinue issuing degrees to graduates in the Elementary Course, except the degree of Master of Elements to those holding the
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degree of Bachelor of Elements.[B. E. and M. E.]
2. Granting the degree of Bachelor of Ped- gogics to graduates in the Regular Normal Course, and the degree [M. P.] after two years' successful teaching.
3. Granting the degree of Bachelor of Sci- ence to graduates in the Scientific Course, and the degree of Master of Science after two years' success- ful teaching. [Was this not already the practice ?] 4. Examination in Junior Latin was re- stored.
At the meeting of the Board of Principals held November 4, 1897, the following actions were taken :
I. That the Middle State College require- ment in English be adopted as the requirement of the course for the preceding year in the Normal Schools. [Obligatory after 1898]
2. That the separate examination in the Preparatory studies-known as the Sub-junior ex- amination-be abolished. [To take effect not later than 1899]
The following is the Elementary Course as it stands to-day :
JUNIOR YEAR
PEDAGOGICS .-- School Management; Methods of Teaching the Common Branches.
LANGUAGE .- Orthography and Reading; Eng- lish Grammar, including Composition; Latin, suf- ficient for the introduction of Caesar.
MATHEMATICS .- Arithmetic; Elementary Al- gebra.
NATURAL SCIENCES .- Geography, Political
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and Physical; History of the United States; Civil Government.
THE ARTS .- Penmanship, sufficient to be able to explain some approved system, writing to be submitted to the Board of Examiners; Drawing, a daily exercise for at least twenty-four weeks, work to be submitted to the Board of Examiners; Book- keeping, single entry, including a knowledge of common business papers, and a daily exercise for at least seven weeks; Vocal Music, elementary prin- ciples, and attendance upon daily exercises for at least twelve weeks.
PHYSICAL CULTURE .- Calisthenic Exercises.
SENIOR YEAR
PEDAGOGICS .- Psychology; Methods of Teach- ing the Common Branches; History of Education; Model School Work, at least twenty weeks of teaching daily during one period of not less than forty-five minutes; a Thesis on a professional sub- ject.
LANGUAGE .- Rhetoric and Composition; Eng- lish Literature, at least twelve weeks' work, in- cluding the thorough study of four English Clas- sics; Latin, Caesar, through the Helvetian War.
MATHEMATICS .- Plane Geometry.
NATURAL SCIENCE .- Elementary Natural Philosophy:
HISTORICAL SCIENCE .- General History.
THE ARTS .- Elocutionary exercises in con- nection with the study of English Literature; Man- ual Training.
PHYSICAL CULTURE.
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THE SCIENTIFIC COURSE !
The Normal School Law provides for three distinct courses of study :- The Elementary Course, the Scientific Course, and the Classical Course.
The Edinboro catalogue of 1861 specifies the Scientific as a two years' course. The graduates from the Normal Course were permitted to com- plete this course in a year and one-half. The de- sign of this course was to prepare teachers for the English High Schools. The studies were as follows:
JUNIOR YEAR .
Higher Algebra; Geometry; Plane Trigonom- etry; Analytical Trigonometry; Surveying; History of English Literature; Chemistry; Botany or Zool- ogy.
SENIOR YEAR
Analytical Geometry and Conic Sections; Dif- ferential and Integral Calculus; Analytical Mechan- ics; Natural Philosophy; Geology; Astronomy; Mental Philosophy; Moral Philosophy; and Politi- cal Science.
The catalogue of Indiana Normal School for 1875 contains a Scientific Course arranged for that institution. In its broad outline it does not differ materially from the more systematic course found in the catalogue of 1877 of the same institution, and also in the catalogues cf Bloomsburg and Lock Haven for 1878. The course is here given :
SCIENTIFIC COURSE
Plane and Spherical Trigonometry and Sur- veying.
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Higher Algebra-As in ordinary text-books.
. Analytical Geometry and Calculus.
Chemistry-As found in ordinary text-books. Natural Philosophy-As much as in Olmsted. Zoology-As found in Agassiz and Gould. Geology-As found in ordinary text-books.
General History-As found in Weber and Wil- son.
Astronomy-As found in Loomis.
Logic-As much as in Atwater.
Mental and Moral Philosophy -- As much as in Haven or Hickok.
Elements of Latin-Including four books of Caesar.
English Literature-As much as in Shaw, and the study of English Classics for one-third of a school year.
Theory of Teaching-As much as in the Ele- mentary Course, and the whole of "Methods of In- struction."
Substitutions-Students may be permitted to substitute for Spherical Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Calculus, the mathematical parts of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy, and the latter third of Higher Algebra an equivalent amount of Latin, French, or German.
No changes were made in this course until . 1886, when the subject Philosophy of Education was introduced, the amount of Latin greatly in- creased, and a Course of Professional Reading re- quired in place of the direct study of a special text.
The present excellent classification of the var- jous branches under the broad subjects, PEDA- GOGICS, LANGUAGE, MATHEMATICS, NAT-
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URAL SCIENCES, HISTORICAL SCIENCES, and THE ARTS, was then applied in the Scientific Course as well as in the Elementary Course. The first catalogue in which this plan of classification is found is that of Lock Haven for 1878. The Sci- entific Course as revised in 1886 is here given :
[Catalogue of Bloomsburg State Normal School, 1886, D. J. Waller, Jr., Principal]
SCIENTIFIC COURSE
PEDAGOGICS .- Moral Philosophy; Logic; Phi- losophy of Education; Course of Professional Read- ing, with abstracts, notes, criticismns, to be submit- ted to Board of Examiners.
LANGUAGE .- Latin, six books of Virgil, four orations of Cicero, the Germania of Tacitus, or a full equivalent; an equivalent of Greek, French, or Ger- man will be accepted for Spherical Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry, Calculus, Mathematical Nat- ural Philosophy, and Mathematical Astronomy; Literature.
MATHEMATICS,-Higher Algebra; Solid Ge- ometry; Plane and Spherical Trigonometry, and Surveying, with the use of instruments; Analytical Geometry; Differential and Integral Calculus.
NATURAL SCIENCES .- Natural Philosophy, as much as in Snell's Olinsted; Astronomy, De- scriptive and Mathematical; Chemistry; Geology and Mineralogy; Zoology.
HISTORICAL SCIENCE .- General History.
This course remained unchanged until Decem- II, 1894, when it was slightly changed by decreas- ing the requirements in Latin, and rendering spe- cific the study of English, Grecian, and Roman
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History. Entomology was named as specialized in the subject of Zoology. The course as arranged was made to include the studies of the Regular Normal Course. [Three years]
At the meeting held February 4, 1891, a one year's post-graduate course was adopted :
[Catalogue of Indiana State Normal School, 1891, Z. X. Snyder, Ph. D., Principal.]
POST-GRADUATE COURSE [One Year]
PEDAGOGICS .- Advanced Psychology; Moral Philosophy; Logic; Practice in Teaching; a careful reading of "Quick's Educational Reformers," "Fitch's Lectures on Teaching," and "Payne's Contributions to the Science of Education," with written notes and criticisms.
LANGUAGE .- Latin: three books of Ceasar, and three books of Virgil.
MATHEMATICS .- Solid Geometry; Plane Trig- onometry and Surveying.
NATURAL SCIENCES .- Chemistry, Zoology, and Astronomy.
HISTORY and LITERATURE .- General History; History of English and American Literature, with a careful study of four classics with written notes and criticisms, and a course of general readings.
This course was merged in the Regular Nor- mal Course as adopted December 11, 1894.
THE CLASSICAL COURSE
This course as outlined in the Edinboro cata- logue for 1861 extended through four years. It was designed to prepare teachers for Classical High
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Schools. For admission, examination in the fol- lowing subjects was required :
Arithmetic; Elements of Algebra; English Grammar; Latin Grammar; Caesar, two books; Vir- gil, four books; Greek Grammar and Reader; An- abasis, two books; Geography; and History of the United States.
The studies included in the course proper were about the same as those found in the classical courses of our smaller colleges. It included four years' work in Latin and Greek; Higher Mathema- ties; and Sciences. It also provided for optional attendance upon two courses of lectures on the the Theory of Teaching, Practice in the Model School for one term, and a Thesis on a professional subject.
In the Third Catalogue of the Indiana State Normal School, the general scope of the Classical Course is stated as follows :
"This course is intended to qualify teachers for the classical department of instruction in graded and high schools and academies. It includes the studies of the Elementary and Scientific Courses, and the usual collegiate course in Latin and Greek. French and German may be substituted for an equivalent amount of Latin and Greek."
The number of graduates in this course was never large in any of the schools, and the course was dropped from the catalogues of all the schools between 1879 and 1886. [A case of innocuous des- uetude]
The catalogues of many of the Normal Schools contain excellent College Preparatory Courses in which the student may, if he so desire, fit himself
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for classes higher than the Freshman class. The Normal Schools allow the student to vary the course to suit the requirements of the college the student expects to enter. Stress is placed upon the preparation in English, a weak point of many ap- plicants for admission to college. Many students receive their whole preparation for admission from the work done in these courses.
ADVANCED PEDAGOGICS
(For Graduates ]
At a meeting of the Principals of the State Normal Schools of Pennsylvania, called December II, 1894, three advanced courses were adopted.
REGULAR NORMAL COURSE [Three Years]
This Course includes the studies of the Ele- mentary Course, and the following branches :
PEDAGOGICS .- Advanced Psychology; Moral Science; Philosophy of Education; Methods of Teaching; Practice of Teaching; Pedagogical Works: Froebel, Education of Man; Quick, Educa- tional Reformers; Fitch, Lectures on Teaching; School Supervision; School Apparatus; Discussion of Manual Training; Physical Culture, etc.
MATHEMATICS .- Solid Geometry; Plane and Analytical Trigonometry; Surveying.
LANGUAGE .- Latin; Caesar, three books; Vir- gil's Aeneid, three books; Cicero, three orations.
NATURAL SCIENCE .- Chemistry, including Chemistry of Soils; Zoology, including Entomol- ogy; and Geology.
LITERATURE .- Higher Literature, English.
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and American, including a study of at least four classics.
(A full equivalent will be accepted for any of the text-books named in this Course.)
SCIENTIFIC COURSE [Four Years]
This Course includes the studies of the Reg- ular Normal Course, and the following branches :
PEDAGOGICS .- Logic; Course of Professional Reading selected from regular or advanced Normal Course; a Thesis on a professional subject.
LANGUAGE .- Latin: three books of Virgil's Aeneid, three orations of Cicero, or a full equiva -. lent; (an equivalent of Greek, German, or French will be accepted for any of the following studies : Virgil, Cicero, Higher Algebra, Spherical Trigo- nometry, Surveying, Analytical Geometry, Calcu- lus, Mathematical Natural Philosophy and Math- ematical Astronomy, and an equivalent of Latin and Advanced work in Natural Science for any of the foregoing mathematical studies.)
ADVANCED NORMAL COURSE [Five Years]
This course includes the studies of the Sci- entific Course, and one year's additional work in Pedagogics, as follows :
PSYCHOLOGY .- James, Advanced Course.
Laurie's Institutes of Education; Rein's Out- line of Pedagogy; Rosmini's Method in Education; Herbart's Science of Education; Spencer's Educa- tion; Davidson's Education of the Greek People.
Discussion of Methods and Objects of Leading
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Educators : Froebel, Pestalozzi, Dr. Arnold, Horace Mann, and others.
Discussion of Educational Theories.
Education in the United States; Education in Pennsylvania (Wickersham); General Survey of History of Public Education in Germany, France, and England.
Advanced work in Language, Mathematics; Natural Science, etc., may be taken at the option of the student.
A full equivalent will be accepted for any of the text-books in the Course.
The rules for final examinations as they now stand are here given :
RULES FOR FINAL EXAMINATIONS
Of the Junior and Senior Classes in the Elementary Course.
I. Admission to the Senior class shall be de- termined by the State Board of Examiners at the annual examination by the Board.
2. In order to be admitted to the Senior class, persons must be examined in all the Junior studies, except Methods, and the examination in these branches shall be final. No substitutions or conditions shall be allowed for any of studies re- quired for admission to the Senior class.
3. If the faculty of any State Normal School, or the State Board of Examiners, decide that a person is not prepared to pass an examina- tion by the State Board, he shall not be admitted to the same examination at any other State Nor- inal School during the same school year.
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If a person who has completed the Jun-
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ior studies at any State Normal School, desires to enter any other State Normal School, the Princi- pal of the School at which the examination was held shall send the proper certificate to the Princi- pal of the School which the person desires to at- tend. Except for the reason here stated, no cer- tificate setting forth the fact of the passing of the Junior studies shall be issued.
5. Candidates for graduatiou shall be ex- amined in all the branches of the Senior year. They shall have the opportunity of being examined in any of the higher branches, including vocal and instrumental music and double entry book-keep- ing; and all studies completed by them shall be named in their certificates.
6. Persons who have been graduated in . any Course may be examined at any State Ex- amination in any branches of a higher course, and the Secretary of the Board of Examiners shall cer- tify, on the back of their diplomas, to the passing of the branches completed at said examination.
7. A certificate setting forth the proficiency of all the applicants in all the studies in which they desire to be examined by the State Board of Ex- aminers shall be prepared and signed by the faculty and presented to the Board. The certificate pre- sented for applicants for admission to the Senior class in the Elementary Course shall also set forth the standing of said applicants in the studies of the Junior year in which they are not examined.
8. The Board of Examiners is appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and is composed as follows : The State Superin- tendent or Deputy Superintendent, who is Presi-
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dent of the Board ; the Principal of another Normal School ; six County, City, or Borough Superin- tendents ; and the Principal of this Normal School. Each student must receive eight votes out of the nine in order to pass the examination. Students must be examined and recommended by the faculty before taking the State Board Examination.
The Act of Legislature under which examin- ations are now held is as follows :
That all examinations of the graduating classes at the normal schools shall be conducted by a board, of which the Superintendent of Public In- struction shall be president, of two principals of normal schools of whom the principal of the school where the students are to be examined shall be one, and not less than two nor more than six county, city, borough, or township superintendents, to be appointed by the Superintendent of Public In- struction.
[Act of April 23, 1895, Sec. I, P. L. p. 14.]
Since the data used in the foregoing discussion were not all available at the beginning of the work, a certain element of unity is necessarily lacking. It is believed, however, that the conclusions reached are in the main correct. To the difficulty in ob- taining the necessary material was added that of determining the relative value of data so fragmen- tary. No series of catalogues of any one school would alone have served the purpose, even had such data been obtainable. A comparison of the catalogues of the various schools, especially of the earlier years, shows that the courses were sometimes modified to suit the environment. Hence the ne- cessity arose of obtaining parallel data.
The historical value of the foregoing pages lies in the copious extracts taken from the, various cat- alogues and other sources, since other comparisons than those suggested may be instituted.
*HISTORY OF COURSES OF STUDY COPYRIGHT 1898
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