Page:A history of the Michigan state normal school (now Normal college) at Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1849-1899 (IA historyofmichiga00putniala).pdf/70



ing to a course of lectures on the philosophy of education, which occupies the remainder of the term. The lectures embrace the following topics:

(1) The order of development of the various faculties.

(2) The order of studies which corresponds to the order of development.

(3) Errors of present system in this regard.

(4) Cultivation of the powers of observation by object lessons and by the study: of objective sciences.

(5) Cultivation of the powers of reflection by the study of subjective sciences,

(6) The order of development and modes of cultivating the sensibilities.

(7) Religious instruction."’

Two Courses Introduced.

The introduction of the ‘‘ Languages’’. into the single prescribed course, while it provided for a higher grade of scholarship, exposed the management of the school to severe criticism on the ground that no direct and adequate provision was being made for the preparation of teachers for the district schools, while the need of such teachers was very urgent, and the original purpose of the institution was to aid, most of all, in supplying this need. Consequently, simultaneously with the admission of the languages, the Board directed that ‘“‘such professional instruction should be given to the C class (the second class) as would fit the members of that class to teach in the Primary schools of the State.'"’ The Principal was authorized, a little later, ‘‘ to exact a pledge of the B class (class of the first year) not to teach until they shall have attended the school one year."’

The provision for giving professional instruction to the C class was followed, early in 1863, by another complete revision of the studies of the school, and the preparation of two distinct courses, ‘A Normal Training Course,’’ elementary in its character, and a ‘‘higher Normal Course,’’ designed ‘‘to prepare students for conducting Union and Graded schools.’’ As this was a somewhat radical departure from the previous policy of the institution, I quote freely from the circular issued by authority of the Board of Education. (Records p. 129 and Report for