the Westfield Normal School in 1898, and since that time a successful teacher of grammar schools in Hopkinton and Edgartown. IN GENERAL. During the past year the Westfield Normal School has gained both in numbers and efficiency. management and skilled teaching. uable work, deserves well of the confidence. This is the result of wise Certain needs of the school should be mentioned and urged. The number of pupils is somewhat larger than it was last year, but the number wishing board in the dormitory has increased much more in proportion. Only two rooms in the building are now unoccupied. The climbing of three long flights of steep stairs is a serious strain upon the strength and likely to be a permanent injury to the health of young women of the school. An elevator is greatly needed, and should be put in place as soon as possible. The present facilities for heating, long in use, are inadequate. Some change is needed. These matters are so closely connected with the health of the pupils that the State can hardly fail to order the needed improvements. In the last report the need for more and better facilities for the practice department of the school was strongly urged. To this appeal the Legislature responded by appropriating $35,000 for the erection and equipment of a training school building. The town of Westfield by vote at its annual town meeting conveyed to the Commonwealth, as a site for the proposed building, the old normal school property, which some years ago the town purchased of the State. In answer to an advertisement calling for plans, under the condition that only those used would be paid for, fourteen sets were received. Many of these plans possessed great merit, and after the most careful consideration the principal and the chairman of the visitors (Dr. Carter was in Europe at the time) approved those offered by the firm of Gardner, Pyne & Gardner, as on the whole likely to give a building best adapted for the purpose. The building is now in process of erection under the supervision of this firm. The general contract was awarded in competition to H. C. Wood & Co. of Westfield. Owing to the rapid and large increase in the price of building material, it has been found impossible to contract for all parts of the building and complete the work in a manner to make it suitable for its uses. It will be necessary, therefore, to ask the Legislature for an additional appropriation sufficient to finish and equip the building under the altered conditions. We regret this necessity, but it was the only alternative, unless the school was to be left for still another year crippled for the lack of adequate training facilities. When this building is finished the Westfield school will have one of the best training departments in the State. A contract has been concluded between the State Board of Education and the town of Westfield for the joint maintenance of the school to be placed in the new building, the town paying for teachers' salaries and for text-books and supplies the same sum as is paid in its other schools, and the State paying such additional salaries as may be necessary to secure the special talent needed in those who are to train others for teaching. When the training school is in operation, which will probably be Sept. 1, 1900, few normal schools in the country will possess better facilities for their work. During the year a crayon of the Hon. John W. Dickinson, principal of the school from 1856 to 1877, has been presented to the school by the alumni, and a crayon of Horace Mann, under whose direct influence the school was opened, has been presented by the class of 1899. LECTURES. During the year lectures have been given before the school as follows: Apr. 15. Apr. 29. Longfellow, Hezekiah Butterworth. American Art, Mrs. Eliza Rust Moseley. The Use of Mythology in Education, Edward Howard Three April Days, Hon. A. S. Roe. May 27. The Value of Music in the Schools, - Mrs. T. M. Balliet. -- June 3. What the Pupil taught the Teacher, Supt. W. C. Bates. June 10. The Teaching of United States History, Supt. C. A. Brodeur. During the fall term a course of lectures on "Man in the light of evolution" was delivered by Prof. John M. Tyler of Amherst College, as follows: Nov. 3. Nov. 10. Nov. 17. Nov. 24. Dec. 8. The Sequence of Functions: its Culmination in Mind. Religion, and the Inherited Results of Experience. Growth. Dec. 15. The Teacher's Problem. The statistics of the school for the year 1898-99 are as follows: 1. Number of pupils admitted to the Westfield Normal School since its organization, 4,227; number graduated since 1855, 1,584. Number graduated in June, 1899, 59, - all women. Present number of pupils, 113. Number of different pupils in attendance from June 1, 1899, to Jan. 1, 1900, 177. Number examined for admission in 1899, 77; number rejected or who did not enter, 12; number entering in September, 1899, 65. 2. Average age of pupils admitted, 19 years 2 months. 3. Residences, by States and counties, of those admitted: Hampden County, 31; Berkshire County, 9; Hampshire County, 8; Franklin County, 5; Bristol County, 2; Worcester County, 1; total from Massachusetts, 56. Maine, 1; New Hampshire, 1; Vermont, 2; Connecticut, 3; New York, 1; Kentucky, 1; total from other States, 9; total number, 65. 4. Residences, by towns, of those admitted: Holyoke, 13; Springfield, 4; Montague, 4; Westfield, 3; West Springfield, 3; Ware, 3; Amherst, 2; Pittsfield, 2; Ludlow, 2; Fall River, 2; Agawam, Brimfield, Chester, Dalton, Goshen, Great Barrington, Holden, Lenox, Leverett, Monson, Northampton, Sheffield, South ampton, Southwick, Stockbridge, Wilbraham, Windsor, 1 each; total 56; from other States, 9; total, 65. 5. Occupations of parents: farmers, 16; mechanics, 10; clerks, 4; merchants, 4; bookkeepers, 2; laborers, 2; carpenter, government official, secretary of business men's association, weaver, insurance agent, gardener, butcher, teacher, foreman, manufacturer, florist, commercial traveller, night lunch man, engineer, 1 each; not reported or no occupation, 12; total, 65. 6. Number of volumes added to the reference library during the year, 381. Total number of volumes and pamphlets in the library, 3,695. J. D. MILLER, FRANKLIN CARTER, Board of Visitors. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, BRIDGEWATER. ALBERT G. BOYDEN, PRINCIPAL. INSTRUCTORS. ALBERT GARDNER BOYDEN, A.M., educational study of man, including the study of the body, the mind, the principles and the art of teaching, school organization, school government, school laws of Massachusetts and the history of education; ARTHUR CLARKE BOYDEN, A.M., Vice-Principal, natural science, history and civil polity; FRANZ HEINRICH KIRMAYER, Ph.D., Latin, Greek, French, German; WILLIAM DUNHAM JACKSON, physical science, mathematics, English literature; CHARLES PETER SINNOTT, B.S., geography, physiology and hygiene, physical science; HARLAN PAGE SHAW, chemistry, mineralogy, industrial laboratory; FRANK ELLIS GURNEY, classics, book-keeping, astronomy; ISABELLA SARA HORNE, Vocal culture and reading; CLARA COFFIN PRINCE, vocal music, algebra, geometry ; FANNY AMANDA COMSTOCK, arithmetic, rhetoric, botany; EMILY CURTIS FISHER, English, grammar, geometry; ELIZABETH HELEN PERRY, drawing; LILLIE EVELINE MERRITT, assistant in drawing; BESSIE LOUISE BARNES, physiology and hygiene, physical training; LILLIAN ANDERSON HICKS, supervisor of practice work in the model school. Model School: BRENELLE HUNT, Principal; ADELAIDE REED, Grade 9; MARTHA MAY BURNELL, Grade 8; HANNAH ELIZABETH TURNER, Grade 7; NELLIE Mabel Bennett, Grade 6; JEnnie Bennett, Grade 5; MARY LUCINDA WALLACE, Grade 4; SARAH WHEATON TURNER, Grade 3; SARAH ELLEN PRATT, Grade 2; FLORA MAY STUART, Grade 1. Kindergarten: ANNE MORGAN WELLS, Principal; FRANCES PLYMPTON KEYES, Assistant. The Bridgewater Normal School is in a healthy and vigorous condition. Each year its surroundings grow more attractive, and each year its students are more interested in outdoor exercise and the study of nature. The school building and the halls of residence are admirably adapted to meet the needs of this large school. The instructors are capable and loyal, and the students are diligent and enthusiastic. The model school |