102 JOHN C. ALMACK
country. The volume of school business had grown to im- mense proportions, necessitating the separation of the office of superintendent of schools from that of the governor, who had formerly attended to the duties of both offices. The nor- mal school movement had gained great headway in other states. Leading educators pointed out that the way to better schools was through better teachers. These called for normal schools for their training.
The first expression of the need came from the county super- intendent of Yamhill, J. D. Robb, in his recommendations to the state superintendent, Sylvester C. Simpson, in 1874. Mr. Robb said :
"There is a want of thoroughly qualified and competent teachers. I deem it of vital importance that the state should establish a normal school and sustain it liberally ; that it should not be connected with any college but purely distinctive as a normal school."
Here was the wisdom of Horace Mann speaking, but he was not heard.
This statement indicated the tendency. Later on 6 Rev. Geo. H. Atkinson, in his abstract of the history of education in Oregon, said:
"A state normal school should be established. This is one of the most pressing needs of our school system in order to render it properly effective."
Superintendent Rowland two years later again called the attention of the legislature to the need of normals :
"No want, it is confidently believed, is more keenly felt by the real friends of thorough, practical education than that of a state normal school."
The state university made an attempt to meet the demand for normal courses by the introduction of subjects attractive to teachers. Thomas Condon, writing in the report of the state superintendent 1877-79 says :
"One of the three courses of study (at the university) is
6 Report of State Superintendent L. L. Rowland, 1875-76.
