Keene Evening Sentinel
Thursday, December 29, 1910
Page 3
NORMAL SCHOOL REPORT
By Special Committee at Meeting of
State Grange
Committee recommends added facilities at
Plymouth and Especially Urges Importance of
a New School Building and Dormitory at Keene.
At the recent meeting of the state grange in Concord the normal school committee of the grange, headed by Mrs. Lizzie A. Sargent of Concord, submitted a report on the schools in Plymouth and Keene, both of which were found to be in a very satisfactory condition.
The Plymouth school, which has been established so much longer than the one at Keene, has decided advantages in the matter of buildings and equipment and also has full classes in its regular and special courses, giving it an enrollment of 91 pupils. The committee notes many recent improvements at this school, including a new model school building accommodating children of the first six grades, a power, heating and lighting plant and numerous improvements in the normal building. The committee is of opinion that a new dormitory is needed at this school. Under the management of Principal Klock, the committee finds that the school has reached an educational standard of which the state should be proud and take pleasure in supporting. Its members were especially impressed with the splendid appearance of the students and with their earnestness of purpose. The committee recommends that the elements of agriculture be taught more extensively; also that a course in domestic science be added to the manual training department. Of the school in Keene the committee says:
“Your committee visited the Keene normal school on Dec. 5, 1910, when every courtesy was shown us by the principal, Mr. Rhodes, and his assistants.
“The school campus comprises a tract of about five acres, beautifully and conveniently located, having one of the most attractive sites in the city of Keene.
“The buildings on the grounds are the Hale mansion, two dwelling houses, two barns and a greenhouse. Mr. Rhodes occupies one of the houses and a teacher the other. One of the barns is loaned to the city for school purposes, the other is unoccupied. The greenhouse proves quite valuable in connection with the teaching of elementary agriculture, which is taught quite extensively.
“The Hale mansion is used for school purposes, and in itself is a very beautiful building, but not what is required for normal school needs; although it has served admirably thus far.
“The Keene normal school is no longer an experiment; it has demonstrated its usefulness beyond doubt, as shown in the increase of students and the splendid work which is being done.
“The school has an enrollment of about 50 pupils, only one from the city of Keene. The others are mostly from the southeastern part of the state.
“The teachers employed are of very high class.
“One member of the faculty holds a degree of doctor of philosophy from Harvard university, two of the faculty took post-graduate courses, one at Cornell and the other at Columbia university, during the summer vacation, which shows that they are progressive and want to be up-to-date. We believe the school cannot fail to meet the demands of a normal school under such able instruction.
“A department in the rear of the normal building is being arranged for the teaching of domestic science and manual training. These, in connection with the teaching of agriculture, will give the training that is so much needed.
“In connection with the normal school there are two model schools under the school management. There are six grades in each building, which have a regular teacher in charge and when the normal students are training she superintends the work.
“The committee feels keenly the need of a new school building and dormitory at Keene and we ask the patrons to give their co-operation in having the incoming legislature pass a resolution appropriating a sum for the erection of these buildings.
“The grange advocates that better teachers be secured for the rural sections, but before they can be gotten there must be a greater supply. We would suggest that a fund be started, calling it the educational fund, asking each subordinate grange contribute.”