108 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
it to be of the greatest importance that university graduate teachers should know much 
and sympathize much with all kinds of education, Our newest develepment in England, 
of elementary training-colleges, the day training-colleges in connection with our univer- 
sities and university colleges, have no schools of their own, but practice in several schools 
already existing. I hold strongly that if the practice of the students is damaging a 
school it cannot be satisfactory for the students. 
Mgr. Joan HurL, President of the River Falls (Wisconsin) State Normal School, 
regretted the recent revival of the plea that practice-teaching is unnecessary in the prep- 
aration of normal school pupils for teaching, and that observation of class-work fur- 
nishes sufficient basis. on the practical side, for the graduation of pupils from schools. 
He was quite sure that best results are,obtained when theory, reinforced by observation, 
is followed by practice under intelligent supervision. 
Francis CoaswgLL, Superintendent of Schools, Cambridge, Mass., said : The train- 
ing-school in Cambridge differs from the other grammar and primary schools in this, 
that all the classes are taught by inexperienced teachers. These teachers, however, are 
graduates both of a high-school and of a normal school, and their work is done under 
she immediate supervision of a master and three assistant teachers. 
By the establishment of this school, persons who desire to teach, and who have made 
special preparation for the work, have an opportunity to gain experience under condi- 
tions favorable to their own success, and without prejudice to the interest of their 
pupils, their inexperience being offset by the large experience of the principal and his 
assistants. 
By the rules of the school committee no person is eligible to the position of teacher in 
the schools of Cambridge who is not equally qualified with teachers who have completed 
the required time of service in the Cambridge training-school—that is, no person is 
zligible who has not had advantages equivalent to a high-school course, a normal school 
rourse, and a year’s experience in teaching. 
Cor. F. W. PARKER, of the Cook County (Illinois) Normal School : Observation of 
work as a preparation for teaching is a delusion. Pupils should learn to teach by 
seaching. 
IMPORTANT NECESSITIES IN PRESENT NORMAL 
SCHOOLS. 
BY GEORGE A. WALTON, STATE AGENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION 
OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
NEW ENGLAND, as is well known, led this country in establishing state 
aormal schools. These schools have done a great work in improving the 
ways of teaching and in creating a public sentiment in favor of special 
raining for teachers. Af present, and for several years, only about thirty 
per cent. of all the school teachers of New England have been gradnates 
of normal schools, while recently about twelve per cent. in addition have 
received some training in city training-schools. The remaining sixty per 
cent. have had no training to teach. It will thus appear that the great 
hindrance to educational progress is the presence in the schools of this 
large proportion of teachers without professional training. 
Normal training has not gone fast enough to supply all the schools, and 
the training furnished has not gone far enough to thoroughly fit for 
teaching. Hitherto all the normal schools have been deficient in their 
oractice departments. Every one of these schools must have an academic