(Front Cover) Supplement to the June Bulletin (1909) OF THE First District Normal School KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI Vol. IX. JUNE, 1909 No. 1 Published by the First District Normal School. Issued Quarterly—June, September, December, March. Entered June 25, 1902, at Kirksville, Mo., as second-class matter under act of Congress of July, 1894. PEOPLE’S COLLEGE. The State Normal School, Kirksville, Mo., is attempting to do a great work for the people of the state by giving studies reaching from the 4dndergarten through the most advanced college courses. This wide range of work-meeting the demands of all the people is found in very few first class schools. While advanced common school courses are given in this institution for the benefit of those who are preparing to teach in the rural and ungraded schools, academic degrees are conferred upon those who have completed the work offered by our best colleges. This brings the school in close touch with the people by giving an elaborate education to those who want to enter the professions, and a vocational education for those who want to take practical business courses. It cannot be denied that the Normal School comes nearer the people than other schools "and may" therefore be justly called the People’s College. VOCATIONAL VS. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION. There is an increasing demand for an education that educates—in other words an education that is not professional but vocational. Various attempts have been made to modernize education. The up-to-date Normal Schools are solving this problem. For the mediaeval curriculum still used in many of the higher institutions of learning, the Normal School substitutes courses which arouse the spirit of the American citizen, appeal to his judgment, and serve practically his necessities in life. True education is not a theoretical, but an attainable practical condition which results in bringing out the best there is in man. It takes him as he is, and develops what there is to be developed. In the words of Plato, “Education is giving to soul and body all the perfection of which they are capable.” This kind of education makes the man prominent, the other makes the system prominent. (Page 1) PREPARATION FOR BUSINESS. This school now offers a special course which will appeal to young people, especially to young men whose time and means are limited, and who want to prepare for that most important of all industries—farming, or its most closely allied industry—Commerce. This is our special One Year Course in Vocational Studies. This course can be completed in three quarters of twelve weeks each, or a school year of nine months. From the fact that tuition is practically free none need hesitate on account of the cost. The incidental fees for the whole year are extremely low—$19 for 36 weeks. COURSE OF STUDY. It will be seen from the following scheme that six units of work are offered in this course. A study successfully pursued for one quarter entitles the student to one point, and three points make a unit. In this scheme six points or two units are given for work not requiring preparation,—leaving twelve points or four units for work requiring, preparation. Expenses—Incidental Fees: $7.00 for the first quarter, 12 weeks; $6.00 each for the second and third quarters, each 12 weeks in length. Books and stationery should cost about $5.00 for the first quarter; about $8.00 for three quarters. Room and Board should, cost $3.25 to $3.50 per week. SCHEME. 1. Industrial Agriculture 2 quarters—Laughlin 2. Agricultural Chemistry 1 quarter—Laughlin 1. Manual Training 1 quarter—Towne 2. Mechanical Drawing 1 quarter—Towne 3. Shop Work 1 quarter—Towne 1. Industrial History 1 quarter—Burrows 2. Commercial Geography 2 quarter—Burrows 3. Bookkeeping & Business Practice 1 quarter—Burrows 4. Business Arithmetic 2 quarters—Burrows 1. Processes in Arithmetic 1 quarter—Harvey 2. Processes in Language and Business Correspondence 1 quarter—Settle 3. Rural School Management 1 quarter—Pres. Kirk 1. American History 1 quarter—Otterson 2. American Government 1 quarter—Otterson 1. Gymnasium Work 1 quarter—Bell (Page 2) PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE. (Three Quarters.) There is nothing in these courses that cannot with profit be applied on any farm. It is Agriculture such as the recent General Assembly doubtless had in mind when it enacted that every public school in the state should teach it. Agriculture such as a genuine vocational school would teach. Students are shown how and they are required to do things until they can do the things with confidence and success. I. Practical Agriculture (1st qrs. Work). Work includes:— 1. Corn judging, 2. Horse, cattle and hog judging, 3. Study of crop rotation, experiment plots, and soil management, 4. Study of field crops, 5. Study of soils, 6. Study of plant and animal physiology, 7. Study of feeds, 8. Seed testing, 9. Laboratory work in mixing concrete, 10. The Arithmetic of Agriculture: a. Sterilizing milk, b. Computing rations, c. Silo, etc. II. Elementary Agricultural Chemistry, (1st qrs. Work). Work includes:— 1. Ten elementary chemical experiments and tests having Agricultural bearings, 2. Soil synthesis and pot tests, 3. Soil dissection and simple tests, 4. Milk and butter testing—(Babcock, Hart, Mann, and Gray Texts, etc.), 5. Plant spraying. III. Practical Agriculture (2d qrs. Work). The work includes:— 1. Actual testing of Dairy Herd, 2. Tuberculin test for cattle, 3. Milk fever treatment, 4. Hybridizing plants, (Page 3) 5. Principles of Breeding, 6. Study of Types and Breeds of Farm Animals, 7. Gasoline engines and Farm machines, 8. Study of farm sanitation and architecture, 9. Getting acquainted with best agricultural books, bulletins and papers, 10. Study of Agricultural History and Movements. These courses include a wide range of subjects each receiving a short practical treatment. Such things as testing the dairy herd will be as accurately and as successfully done as if done in the regular course in an agricultural college, while subjects like the principles of Breeding must be limited to its proportionate time a five or six days’ discussion. MANUAL TRAINING. Three courses will be offered in Manual Training. Each course will be as comprehensive as possible, and the practical side will be emphasized. Each of the three courses will occupy 12 weeks time, five days in the week, and 55 minute periods. Opportunity will be given to earnest, hard working students, to get a practical insight into Mechanical Drawing, Bench Wood Work, and Forge Work. These subjects will require little or no outside preparation, but steady, energetic effort will be expected in the class room. The work during the nine months’ course will be a source of inspiration and instruction to young men wishing to know how to improve industrial phases of farm life. Certainly the country life of every young man will mean more to him if the constructive ability natural to every human being can be improved by bringing to the farm the Carpenter Shop, the Drafting Shop, the Forge Shop. MECHANICAL DRAWING. Purpose: To acquaint the student with the instruments used in drawing, and to give a tendency toward the making of definite plans before'constructive work is begun. For the first three weeks problems will be given to familiarize students with the Mechanical Drawing instruments. The remaining nine weeks will be devoted to getting out scale drawings of farm buildings of the latest improved type, making working drawings of barns, chicken houses, pig styes, pigeon lofts, wood sheds, corn cribs, blacksmith shops, carpenter shops, etc. These plans will be worked out during the next two quarters in the various shops of the school. (Page 4) BENCH WOOD WORK. Purpose: To acquaint students with the most up-to-date methods of doing wood work, and to cultivate the habit of doing thorough-going and efficient work in wood. After constructing a few small pieces of wood to acquaint the student with the common tools used, more difficult work will be undertaken. Constructing in wood the models of houses, barns, chicken houses, pigeon lofts, pig styes, wood sheds, blacksmith shops, etc., according to the scale drawing each student made the preceding quarter. The grinding and honing of tools will be emphasized. FORGE WORK. Mechanical Drawing and Bench Work will pave the way for Forge Work. Here, again, work will be found very practical. The making of gate hooks, gate hinges, barn door pulls, devices, chains and hooks, harrow teeth sharpening, the use of the tap and screw in making bolts, etc. There is no reason why every farmer cannot be his own blacksmith if he desires to be, and to a very large extent do his own carpenter work. “If a father wishes to give his son a legacy, let him send him to an institution where he can obtain a practical business education." -- Horace Mann. BUSINESS ARITHMETIC. The work in this subject is so planned that all the features of arithmetic essential to modem business conditions are stressed, and a minimum amount of time is given to the other phases of the subject. Abundant drill in the fundamental operations, with approved short methods in business-like examples, is provided. Each subject is handled just as the student would have occasion to use it when he enters the business world. It is aimed to make the training in rapidity, and accuracy so thorough that when percentage with its numerous applications is reached the student will not be hampered by his lack of skill. Two Quarters of work are given to this subject, and it is expected that the student will finish the year’s work with one quarter of ELEMENTARY BOOKKEEPING AND BUSINESS PRACTICE. This is designed to give the student familiarity with the elementary principles of accounts, and their fundamental application to actual business transactions. In addition to the working out of the matter in- (Page 5) volved in bookkeeping, the student becomes acquainted with business forms, and learns to make out quickly and accurately invoices, statements of accounts, deposit tickets, notes, drafts, bills of lading, and other kinds of business papers in general use. For those who desire further training in this subject, another year’s work is offered in the Department of Commerce. THE GEOGRAPHY OF COMMERCE. Upon the student’s general information as to mathematical, physical, and political geography he builds bis further knowledge of the physical features, climate, people, and language as they have developed the commerce of the world. Commodities: their production, and preparation necessary to fit them for the purpose of trade including foods, textiles, metals and other minerals, manufactured wares, lumber, and other various products of commercial importance. Commerce: a study of countries, people, routes, and methods of transportation and communication. Two quarters work are given to this, and it should then be followed by a quarter’s work in THE HISTORY OF COMMERCE. The student of the history of commerce should acquire a general knowledge of the origin and early development of commerce; should be able to trace its influence on the world’s civilization; and should become acquainted in a broad, general way with the great discoveries, public works, inventions, legislative enactments, and other important influences by which the progress of commerce has been affected. From this the student becomes acquainted with great historical characters and movements that have grown out of man’s needs or desires, and have influenced modern civilization. Among topics treated are such as feudalism, merchant gilds and craft gilds, the Crusades, leagues against pirates, early English commerce, influence of important inventions on history such as, invention of gunpowder, the mariners compass, art of printing, the cotton gin. Early navigation laws, slavery, economical cause of American Revolution, status of American shipping, discovery of gold in California, the American civil war, Suez canal and other canals, English industrial revolution, etc. PRACTICAL GRAMMAR AND CORRESPONDENCE. The design of this course is first to present the essential features of Grammar briefly enough to enable the student to cover the ground in a (Page 6) short time. The statement of principles is to be accompanied with sufficient illustrative material and daily practice to make the study interesting and profitable. The plan is to make the pupil correct and ready in good every day expression, both in speech and writing, to teach such sentence structure and such use of words and phrases as will express clearly and forcefully the thought intended. Errors in common speech and false syntax will be pointed out and corrected. The necessary practice in capitalization, punctuation, paragraphing, and written forms will be given. The second purpose in this course is to teach and require practice in the principles of letter writing. Both business and social correspondence will be so taught that the pupils feel no hesitancy nor embarrassment in corresponding with business firms, public officials, friends and relatives, or other persons. Practice in class will be emphasized. AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT. To students who are unable to remain in school for more than a short time, no study seems to offer greater returns for the time spent upon it than American History or Civil Government. We have reached a time in the. nation’s history when no one may safely remain ignorant of the political conditions and changes in the United States. If you can not, in the real sense, become a scholar, you can at least obtain that which will secure to you intelligent citizenship and ability to meet men advantageously in the ordinary walks of life. Three quarters of twelve weeks each are offered in American History by Mr. Vaughn or Mr. Otterson. The first quarter covers the earliest period of American History up to the Revolutionary War; the second quarter brings the nation’s history up to the war with Mexico. The third quarter aims to cover the period from the Mexican war to the present time. Besides the three quarters, of American History mentioned above, two quarters in Civil Government are offered by Mr. Otterson. One quarter is given to Local and State government, including the government of Missouri, and one quarter is given to the study of the constitution and government of the United States. If the student finds himself unable to take more than three quarters of the above work, it is recommended that two quarters be given to American History and one to Civil Government, or two to Civil Government and one to American History. Either course of three quarters would be the equivalent of one unit in History. (Back Cover) RURAL SCHOOL MANAGEMENT. 1. School Law 1 Week, President Kirk 2. School Buildings and Grounds 6 weeks 3. Organization of Schools 1 Week, President Kirk 4. Administration 1 Week, Mr. Warner 5. Rural School Course 1 Week, President Kirk 6. Qualification of Teachers 1 Week, Mr. Warner 7. The Teacher 1 Week, Mr. Warner (a) Preparation (b) Qualifications (c) Character (d) Habits (e) Influence on children, society; as a citizen (f) To what extent should he be a mixer? A Course by Our Model Rural School Teacher. ARITHMETIC, MENTAL AND WRITTEN. A course in Advanced 9th Grade Arithmetic will be offered by Mr. Harvey. This will include practical and illustrated exercises in Compound Numbers, Fractions, Longitude and Time, Percentage, Interest, etc., with much oral Analysis. DEBATING CLUBS, ETC. Young men in these vocational courses will be encouraged to participate in the Debating Clubs, Literary Society, Y. M. C. A., Choruses, Orchestra and other school activities. For full particulars address JERE T. MUIR, School Visitor, La Grange, Mo. or, PRESIDENT JOHN R. KIRK, Kirksville, Mo.