Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/484

 424 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI all connected with the school at the change. The board of regents had provided for some equipment for instruction in science and had begun the work of accumulating a library. It must not be supposed, however, that the surroundings were, even in the new building, such as are to be seen today. Fort B, the site of the building, was a bare hill, cut off in nearly every direction by deep gullies so that there was little of the beauty of situation that it to be seen today. The gullies were so deep and the ground so rough that it was found necessary to build a bridge as an ap- proach to the building. The mud was deep in many places and there was an absence of shade and grass that was very trying for some years. In spite of these handicaps and unfavorable conditions the school prospered under the guidance of Principal Cheney. Great sacrifices were made at times by those connected with the institution in order to ad- vance it and to carry on its work. Not infre- quently the members of the faculty in the early days were called upon to travel over the district attending meetings of the teachers and soliciting students. Travel in Southeast Missouri in those days was not altogether pleasurable. There were very few railroads and the bulk of the travel was by wagon and over roads that were far from good. The school, at its organization, did not possess a practice or model school, though it was the intention of the regents that such a school should be organized as soon as found possible. It was not within their power to provide such a school until the beginning of the session in 1876. At that time arrange- ments were perfected for the organization of a school in which students might teach under competent supervisors. This feature of the Normal school was stressed in its advertise- ments as offering an opportimity for students to do actual work in teaching and thus to be- come prepared for its duties. It was not fornid practicable, however, to continue a practice school longer than the close of the session of 1878-79. From that time on for a number of years the school had no oppor- tunity for giving actual training in teaching to its students. An attempt was made from time to time to supply this deficiency by call- ing on the members of the senior class to take charge of certain of the elementary classes under the eye of a member of the faculty. It is useless to say this plan was not found to be of any great value though it was con- tinued for a number of .years. At the close of the year 1873-74, the first year of the school, a public exercise was held in Turner's hall, June 25, 1874. That pro- gram is reproduced here, as it will probably be of interest to the alumni and others in- terested in the institution. Music. Chorus — Vacation Song. Oration — No Man Should Live for Himself Alone, Alex. H. Miller. Essay — The Power of Trifles, Belle Green. Music. Duet — In the Starlight. Ida Burrough and Jlary Ross. Essay — Cape Girardeau in 1900, Mollie Holmes. Oration — Paddle Your Own Canoe, Charles K. Hayden. Music. Instrumental Duet, Emma and Ida Bur- rough. Essay — Ancient America. Julia Moon. Essay — Celebrated Rivers, Elizabeth Hines. Essay — School Days, Geo. Kenrick. Music. Chorus — Gladsome Song.