LB mt 5 nTT PfL PENNSYLVANIA STATE FORMAL SCHOOLS. EXPLANATIONS, &C-, OF THIS ACT, WILL APPEAR IN THE OFFICIAL DEPARTM EXT OF THE " PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL JOURNAL. " AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE DUE TRAINING OF TEACHERS FOR THE COM- MON SCHOOLS OF THE STATE. Division of the State into Normal School Districts. Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen tatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That for the purposes of the following act, the counties of Delaware, Ches- ter, Bucks and Montgomery, shall form the First Normal School District ; Lancaster, York and Lebanon, the Second ; Berks, Schuylkill and Lehigh, the Third ; Northampton, Carbon, Mon- roe, Pike, Luzerne and Wayne, the Fourth ; Wyoming, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Bradford, Lycoming and Tioga, the Fifth ; Dauphin, Northumberland, Columbia, Montour, Union, Snyder, Perry, Juniata and Mifflin, the Sixth ; Cumberland, Adams, Franklin, Fulton, Bedford, Huntingdon and Blair, the Seventh ; Centre, Clinton, Clearfield, Elk, Potter, M'Kean, Jefferson, Clarion, Forest and Warren, the Eighth ; Cambria, Indiana, Armstrong and West- moreland, the Ninth ; Washington, Greene, Fayette and Somer- set, the Tenth ; Allegheny, Butler and Beaver, the Eleventh, and Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, Crawford and Erie, the Twelfth. Establishment of Schools. Section 2. That when any number of citizens of this State, not less than thirteen, shall, as contributors or stockholders, erect and establish a School for the professional training of young men and women as Teachers for the Common Schools of the state, in accordance with the provisions of this act, such School may become entitled to it's benefits, in the manner hereinafter set forth: Provided however, That not, more than one such Schoo.l XORMAL SCHOOLS .shall, at the same time, become and continue to be entitled to .such benefits in each of the foregoing Normal School Districts ; and that this act shall not take effect till at least four such Schools, in as many different Districts, shall have complied and been recognized in accordance with the provisions of this act. Trustees. Section 3. That the pecuniary affairs of each of said Schools shall be managed, and the general control exercised by a Board of Trustees, (whose officers shall be a President and Secretary who shall, and a Treasurer who shall not, be members of said Board,) to be chosen by the contributors or stockholders on the first Monday in May annually; but no contributor or stockholder shall have more than five votes at the election of trustees ; and no religious test or qualification shall be required, to entitle any one to become a contributor, stockholder, trustee, professor or student in any of said Schools. ({ift^ and Beqnesfcs. Section 4. That after the said Schools shall have been recog- nized under the provisions of this act, it shall be lawful for them to receive, hold and use, under the direction of their Trustees aforesaid, any devise, bequest, gift, grant or endowment of pro- perty, whether real or personal, which may be made to them ; and the same shall be so applied by the Trustees as shall, in the opinion of a majority of them, increase the efficiency and use- fulness of the said Schools, subject, however, to any terms, con- ditions or restrictions which may be attached to such devise, bequest, gift, grant or endowment, not inconsistent with the spirit and purposes of this act ; and the said Trustees shall have authority to bring suit in their name as trustees, and do all other things necessary for the recovery, use and application of the same. Annual Report by Trustees. Section 5. That the Trustees of each of said schools, after being recognized under the provisions of this act, shall annually in the month of June furnish, under oath or affirmation of the President of the Board of Trustees, to the Superintendent of Com- mon Schools, a full account of its pecuniary condition, showing income and debts, if any, salaries and other expenses, and divi- dends declared, together with the number of students admitted and graduated, the branches taught, the apparatus procured, the improvements effected, and the changes made during the pre- ceding year, and such other information as said Superintendent of Common Schools may, from time to time, by his general cir- cular to all of said schools, require to be furnished ; and each of said schools shall always be open to the visitation and inspec- tion of said Superintendent of Common Schools, and of the 3 OCT 1905 D.ofO, OF PENNSYLVANIA. S County Superintendents of all the counties within its Normal School District. Requisites to obtain benefits of thi.-s Act. Section 6. That to entitle it to the benefits and privileges of this act, each of said Normal Schools shall possess the following requisites : 1. Buildings. I. Suitable buildings as hereinafter provided, and an area of ground appurtenant thereto, of not less than ten acres in one tract, the whole of which shall be prepared and used as a place for gymnastic exercises and healthful recreation by students, ex- cept so much thereof as shall be necessarily occupied by the buildings, botanical and other gardens, and such other purposes as shall be plainly promotive of the great objects of the institu- tion. 2, Hall, Rooms, ij-c* II. The buildings shall contain a hall of sufficient size to com- fortably seat at least one thousand adults; with class rooms, lodging rooms and refectories for at least three hundred students; all properly constructed and arranged as to light, heat and venti- lation, so as to secure the health and comfort of the occupants, with proper provision for physical exercise during inclement weather. 3. Library. III. Each School shall contain a library room for the accu- mulation of books for the free use of the students, a cabinet for specimens and preparations, to illustrate the natural and other sciences, [and] such apparatus and philosophical instruments as are indispensable for the same purpose. 4. Professors. IV. Each School shall have at least six Professors, of liberal education and known ability in their respective departments, namely: — One of Orthography, Beading and Elocution; one of Writing, Drawing and Book-keeping; one of Arithmetic, and the higher branches of Mathematics ; one of Geography and History; one of Grammar and English Literature ; and one of Theory and Practice of Teaching ; together with such Tutors and Assistants therein, and such Professors of Natural, Mental and Moral Sci- ence, Languages and Literature, as the condition of the School and the number of students may require. 5. Duties of Principals. V. The Principal of each Normal School shall be a Professor of such one of the six indispensable branches as may be assigned to him by the Trustees, and he shall be charged with the whole discipline and interior government of the School, in conformity with such regulations as shall, from time to time, be adopted by 4 NORMAL SCHOOLS the Trustees, and approved by the State Superintendent of Com- mon Schools. C. Modi i School ■■ VI. Each School shall have attached to it one or more Schools for Practice or Model Schools, with not Jess than one hundred pupils from the children of the vicinity, and so arranged that the students of the Normal School shall therein acquire a prac- tical knowledge of the Art of Teaching under the instruction of their proper Professors. 7. Qualifications, and Term of Study. VII. The qualifications for admission in, and the course and direction [duration] of the term of study in all the Schools, shall be such as shall be approved by and at a meeting of all the Prin- cipals of the Normal Schools then recognized under this act ; such meeting to be called from time to time, as he may deem expedient, by the State Superintendent of Common Schools, and to take place at one or other of the Annual Examinations herein- after provided for, except the first meeting, which shall be held at such time and place as he may indicate ; and at such meetings the acts of the majority of the Principals shall be binding on all the Schools in reference to the qualifications for admission and the course and term of study, when approved by the State Su- perintendent of Common Schools. 8. Text Books. VIII. The Text Books to be used in each of said Schools shall be such as may be selected by its proper Professors, with the ap- probation of the Trustees thereof. 9. Common School StUi IX. Each of said Schools shall admit when required, and re- tain during the whole term of study, if so long they behave them- selves well, one student annually, alternately male and female, from each Common School District within the counties composing iis Normal District, at a cost of not more than five dollars each for the term or quarter of eleven weeks, to be paid in advance by the Board of Directors sending them 5 said students to be se- lected after public examination by said Directors from amongst those, if males, of the age of sixteen or upwards, and if females, of not less than fourteen years, who manifest a desire and a capacity. to exercise the Profession of Teaching, preference being always given to those of the best moral character, most studious habits and greatest proficiency in knowledge ; but no one to be so admitted unless proficient in all the studies required for en- trance into the Normal Schools by their general regulations, adopted under article seven of this section. 10. Private Stu X. Students other than those admitted on district account, to pay such sum for tuition as the Trustees shall determine ; but in OF PENNSYLVANIA. 5 the admission of such students the preference always to be given to such as are designed for the Profession of Teaching, and as between private and public students, a like preference to be given to the latter in case of insufficiency of room to accommodate all who apply ; and no difference in the charge for boarding and lodging to be made in favor of any class of students. 11. Ad mission of School Teachers. XL Teachers who shall have taught a Common School in their proper Normal District during a full school term of their Common School District next preceding their application, rra-.y be admitted for any term not less than one month into their proper Normal School, at a charge for instruction not to exceed two dollars per month ; and shall pay the same price for boarding and lodging, if there be room for them, as other students, and shall have the same care and facilities for study in proportion to their advance- ment. 12. Annual Examinations. XII. Examinations for graduation shall be made in each Nor- mal School by not less than three nor more than five Principals of the Schools recognized under this act, who shall annually be designated for that purpose by the State Superintendent of Com- mon Schools, and assemble in each School at a time to be desig- nated by him ; and said Annual Examinations shall take place in the presence of the Superintendents of all the Counties: embraced in the proper Normal School District. 13. Expulsions. XIII. The Faculty of each Normal School shall have the power to expel any student attending on district account for improper conduct ; which expulsion and the cause of it shall forthwith be certified in writing by the Principal to the Directors of the dis- trict from which the expelled student was admitted, whereupon such Directors shall have the right to supply the vacancy thus created. How Privileges of this Act obtained. Section 7. That when the Trustees of any School desirous of claiming the privileges of this act shall make application to the State Superintendent of Common Schools, it shall be the duty of the Superintendent of Common Schools, together with four other competent and disinterested persons, to be chosen by him with the consent of the Governor, and all the Superintendents of the Counties in the Normal School District in which such School shall be situated, on receiving due notice from the Department of Common Schools, personally and at the same time, to visit end carefully inspect such School ; and if, after thorough examination thereof, and of its by-laws, rules and regulations, and of its general arrangement and facilities for instruction, they or at least 6 NOKMAL SCHOOLS two-thirds of tljcni shall approve the same, and find that they fully conic up to the provisions of this act, in that case and in no other they shall certify the same to the Department ol Common Schools, with tjieir opinions that such School has fully complied with the provisions of this act, as far as can be done before o-oing into operation under this act ; whereupon the State Superintendent shall forthwith recognize such school as a State Normal School under this act, and give public notice thereof in two newspapers in each county in the proper Normal School District, and thence- forward this act shall go into full operation, so far as regards such school, without any further proceedings : Provided however, As hereinbefore set forth, that no such notice shall be given until at least three other Normal Schools, in as many different Normal Districts, shall have been similarly inspected, approved and certified to the Department of Common Schools ; and if upon due inspection any School so applying shall be found insufficient under this act, said Board of Inspectors shall so report to the Superintendent of Common Schools, who shall thereupon inform the Trustees thereof of such adverse report. Rival Applications. Section 8. That if two or more Schools apply in the same Dis- trict to be recognized under this act at the same time, all of them shall be visited in the manner prescribed by the next preceding section, and the one found to possess the largest and best accom- modations and arrangements, to give effect to the purposes of this act, shall be preferred, and so certified, if it fully come up to the requirements of this act; and if two or more Schools in the same District be found to possess equal accommodations and arrangements fully up to the requirements of this act, in that case the one nearest to the centre of the proper Normal District shall be preferred, and certified for recognition to the Department of Common Schools ; and if one or more of the Schools thus ap- plying for recognition give notice to the Department of Common Schools, with reasonable assurance that it or they are not now ready for inspection under the seventh section of this act, but will be within the term of six months from and after the date of such nctice, in that case none of the Applicant Schools shall be inspected in such District till such time within said six months when all shall be prepared for inspection, when like proceedings shall take place as have been prescribed in the preceding part of this a:id the seventh section. Certificate of Scholarship. Section 9. That the Board of Principals who shall examine the candidates for graduation in any of the Normal Schools under this act, shall issue Certificates, to be signed by all of them, to all such students of the full course as two-thirds of the Board shall approve, setting forth expressly the branches in which each OF PENNSYLVANIA. 1 have been found duly qualified, which Certificates must embrace all the branches enumerated in the fourth article of the fifth sec- tion of this act, including the Theory but not including the Prac- tice of Teaching, and may also embrace any additional branches in which the graduate was found proficient ; actual Teachers of Common Schools in good standing who shall produce satisfactory evidence of having taught in Common [Schools,] during three full consecutive annual terms of the districts in which they were employed, may also be examined at the same time and in the same manner with the regular students of their proper Normal School, and if found equally qualified, shall receive certificates of schol- arship of the same kind ; and all the Certificates granted under this section shall be received as evidence of Scholarship to the extent set forth on the face of them, without further examination, in every part of the state ; and whenever the holder of any Certifi- cate under this section shall by study and practice, have prepared for examination in any branches of study additional to those in such certificate, he or she may attend the Annual Examination of the Normal School of the District, and if found duly qualified, shall receive a new Certificate, setting forth all the branches in which up to that time, he or she may have been found proficient ; and thenceforth such enlarged Certificate shall also be evidence of Scholarship to the extent of it, in every part of the State, with- out further examination. Teachers' State Certificate. Section 10. That no Certificate of competence in the Practice of Teaching shall be issued to the regular graduate of any of said Normal Schools, till after the expiration of two years from the date of graduation, and of two full annual terms of actual teach- ing in the district or districts in which such graduate taught, nor to any Teacher who shall hold a full Certificate of Scholarship, without having been a regular student and graduate, unless upon full proof of three years actual teaching in a Common School or Schools, nor in either case without the production of a Certificate of good moral conduct, and satisfactory discharge of the requi- site duration of professional duty, from the Board or Boards of Directors in whose employment the applicant shall have taught, countersigned by the County Superintendent of the proper county or counties; on the production of which proof and not otherwise, a full Certificate of competence in the Practice of Teaching shall be added to the Certificate of Scholarship, and of theoretical knowledge of the science of teaching already possessed, to be received as full evidence of practical qualification to teach in any part of the State without further examination : Provided how- ever, That Practical Teachers who shall upon due examination, receive a Certificate of Scholarship, may at the same time receive a Certificate in the Practice of Teaching, upon producing the re- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS NORMAL SCHOOLS. H| ^^ 019 740"242"8 quired evidence of three years previous Experience in uie an ui Teaching-, and of good moral conduct. Provisional Coitificate. Section 1 1. That no Temporary or Provisional Certificate nor certificate of any less degree of scholarship than that required by the ninth section of this act, shall be issued by said Board of Principals nor by the Faculty of any of said Schools, but the Prin- cipal of each of said Schools may certify in writing, to the length of time which Teachers may have attended under the eleventh article of the sixth section of this act, and the manner of their deportment while in attendance. Duty of Common School Graduates. Section 12. That the students who shall graduate on district account in any of said Normal Schools, shall be liable to devote the next three years after their graduation, to the exercise of their profession as Teachers in the Common Schools of the Dis- trict which defrayed the expense of their professional instruc- tion, if so required by the respective Boards of Directors of such Districts, and at the medium salary or compensation paid in such Districts; and if not so required by their proper district, they shall devote said three years to the employment of teaching in the Common Schools of some other district or districts at such salary as may be given therein; and each of said students before ad- mission to the proper Normal School, shall subscribe a written declaration of his or her intention to comply with the provisions of this section, which shall be deposited with the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the proper Common School District. Duty of Superintendent of Common Schools. Section 13. That it shall be the duty of the Superintendent of Common Schools to prescribe all Forms and to give all instruc- tions required for carrying this act into full effect on all points not .herein set forth in detail. J. LAWRENCE GETZ, Speaker of the House of Representatives. DAVID TAGGAKT, Speaker of the Setiate. Approved — The twentieth day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven. JAS. POLLOCK. A B Hamilton. State Printer. Ilarrisburi LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 019 740 242 8 Hollinger Corp. pH8.5