(Front Cover) Bulletin of the State Normal School. VOL. I. DECEMBER. 1900. No. 1. Circular of Information. KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI. Published by the State Normal School. Issued Dec., Feb., April and June. Entered at the Post-office at Kirksville, Missouri, as second-class matter. HISTORY. This Institution became a State Normal School in 1871. The present building was completed in January, 1873. For several years the attendance has crowded the building almost to its full capacity. The enrollment for the past four years has been: For 1897, 719; for 1898, 737; for 1899, 739; for 1900, 742. PURPOSE OF SCHOOL The purpose of this School is to educate and train teachers for the public schools of the State. Such special training is now universally recognized as a necessity. Character of Students The students of this School are largely self-supporting young men and young women. They are purposeful people who have definite ambitions and aspirations. They are self-disciplining workers. For the past year and four months there has been no case of expulsion or suspension and no student called before the Faculty under charge of violating the rules of decorum. Where Graduates School Go. The demands for trained teachers are very numerous. A majority of the stronger members of the class of 1900 had paying positions guaranteed them several days before receiving their diplomas. The president has lately had several calls for teachers which he could not fill. Spirit of the School. This School seeks to lead and not to follow. It does not wait for public sentiment. Its teachers are men and women who have not yet reached the summit of life's ambition. They are vigorous, studious, aspiring people whose example says daily to the student: "Do Your Best;" "Never Loiter;" "Work and Win." (Page 1) Advantages Offered. The School has been reorganized within the past few months so as to be in more complete harmony with the best educational doctrine and practice in this country. It suffers no loss in marking time. It loses nothing in studying form for form's sake. It deals only with the essentials. Course of Instruction. Two courses of instruction are offered - A four years' Latin Course and a four years' English Course. LATIN COURSE. The Latin Course includes: Four years in Latin; three years in English above English Grammar; three years in Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry; one year in Ancient and Modern History; three years in Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics. ENGLISH COURSE. The English Course includes: Four years in English above English Grammar; three years in Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry; two and one-half years in History and Economics; one year in Manual Training; four years in Science: Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Common to Both Courses. Each course requires the equivalent of four years in Pedagogics, including observation and practice in the Training School. Each course offers also one year each in Drawing, Vocal Music, Reading and Physical Culture. The Source Method. Each recitation room in History, Literature, Latin, Science and Pedagogics has a special library so that students are necessarily brought into daily contact with the sources of information. We make the use of the library one of the best parts of the recitation. We propose that alert students shall not be able to sit long in any recitation room without looking into a library. Laboratories. We teach no text book science. We offer all students one year's work in the Biological Laboratory, one year's work in the Chemical Laboratory and one year's work in the Physical Laboratory. Students work out these sciences. They learn to use their own hands and eyes. They learn to make their own comparisons and generalizations. They learn to think for themselves. Nature Study that IS Nature Study. We propose to send into the schools of Missouri a few teachers who will know the soil of Missouri and what its uses are. We have recently begun building up a Laboratory of Agriculture. We now offer one year's work in Agricultural Experiments. This work is conducted and supervised by a teacher who has spent several years in the Agricultural College of the Missouri University. It is both practical and developmental. It includes indoor work and experiments during the fall and winter months. An acre of ground on the campus is being prepared for outdoor experiments next spring. (Page 2) All Freshmen in the English Course do this work. With others it is optional. This is work not theory. Manual Training. How shall we keep the boys in school? Why do they run away from school? Our boys have sense and ambition. If we could appeal to them through their tastes, catch them while they are young, and permit them to do work with their hands and eyes it is pretty well settled that the boys would stay in school. If we could permit "the whole boy to come to school," brain, hands, eyes and muscles as well as mere memory the boy would not so readily weary of school and long for the outside world of action. This School offers a year's work in a well equipped Manual Training shop. We hope to send out a few teachers able to control the boys by directing their natural energies. This is the TRUE PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNMENT. Literary Societies. The students maintain voluntarily four large well conducted Literary Societies. These constitute a strong arm of the School. They exemplify and justify self- government, Democracy in education. Class Organizations. Early in the year the principal classes, i.e., Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores and Freshmen organize as classes. Each class has its own officers and determines the time and nature of its own meetings. Any new student on entering the School is at once welcomed to the class in winch a majority of his studies are found. The receptions which the classes occasionally give one another are an exceedingly helpful means of social culture. The Freshmen are contemplating a special reception to be given about the 26th of January to welcome new members into the Freshman Class. Calendar, Fees, Etc. The second semester opens Monday, January 28th, 1901. The incidental fee for the semester, 20 weeks, is $8.00; for 10 weeks, $5.00; from January 3d to 25th inclusive, $2.00. Students not well acquainted with the school find it profitable to enter January 3d, and review former studies till the opening of the second semester, January 28. Their classification at the opening of the new term is thereby made more satisfactory. Board usually costs $2.50 per week. New Classes. At the beginning of the second semester, January 28th, new classes will be organized in Trigonometry, Geometry, Algebra, Latin, Biology, Literature, Ancient History, Mediaeval and Modern History, Pedagogics, Reading, Drawing, Vocal Music and several other subjects including classes in the common school subjects of the sub-normal half year. (Back Cover) Summer School. The Summer School will begin Thursday. June 13th, and continue seven and one-half weeks, six days in the week. Classes will be organized in Algebra, Geometry, Latin, Literature, Ancient and Modern History, Physics, Biology, Agriculture and probably in some two or three other subjects including methods of primary instruction. A Special Feature. During the Second Semester, beginning January 28th, 1901, the President will give his classes in Pedagogics a series of special lessons in "How to teach subjects in the common branches." Choice subjects will be used such as "The Battle of Shiloh," the "Settlements in Virginia," "Mensuration in Arithmetic," etc., etc. In each case he will assign the lesson to the class giving full and specific direction as to plans and means of preparation. He will attempt to teach these lessons in the best possible way. Afterwards he will permit, encourage and lead in the discussion of the vital points in the method exemplified. In these discussions entire freedom of opinion will be allowed and encouraged. Good authorities on methods in all subjects will be accessible in the Pedagogical Library in the room where these classes will meet. For further information send for catalogue or write to the President or any member of the Faculty. JOHN R. KIRK, President.