Emporia Normal School

Sam,
From time to time different items were placed in newspapers concerning Emporia Normal School. Most, I gather, were given to papers by students at the school. Names were never given for those who submitted information. I was working on my “cattlemen,” among which was the name “Welch.” Naturally I did not find anything on the Welch who handled cattle.
It suddenly dawned on me that the following items I picked up on “Welch” might be of some use to you.
MAW
                                            EMPORIA NORMAL SCHOOL.
                                                Items about President Welch.
President Welch of Emporia Normal School...
Winfield Courier, January 27, 1881.
President Welch, of the Emporia Normal School, will lecture on Friday evening, Feb. 4th, at Manning’s Hall. The proceeds of the lecture will be given to the public schools of Winfield for the purchase of apparatus.
[STATE NORMAL SCHOOL NOTES.]
Cowley County Courant, April 27, 1882.
This week completes the second of the remaining half term of ten weeks, leaving seven weeks more of actual work.
The literary societies have long since settled their diffi­culty with the faculty, and are now working with renewed energy.
Miss Hoxie’s class in drawing have been occupied for some time past in drawing plans for school houses. A prize is to be given for the best conceived and executed plan.
Only till the middle of June, and the Normal will graduate a class of over thirty, who will undertake to instruct the youth of the state according to the most scientific principles.
President Welch and wife started Saturday for a week’s trip to New Mexico. The Professor did not like to leave his class for so long, but they took the matter in hand and courteously voted him a leave of absence.
We met Mr. Frank Finch of Winfield perambulating the streets of Emporia one afternoon  of last week. We gently took him in charge and conducted him through the Normal building. We were surprised that he did not seem impressed with the beauty of the profession­al class girls, who were present that afternoon. But come again, Frank, our girls are not all professionals.

At the last meeting of the Regents of the State Normal School, the selection of a successor to President Welch was brought forward. A number of the educators of Kansas have been mentioned in connection with the presidency, prominent among them the county superintendent of Cowley County, Prof. R. C. Story, one of those who is more ably fitted to assume control of this institution. But it seems the claims of all Kansas men were ignored by the Regents, for the third ballot resulted in the election of Prof. A. B. Taylor, of Lincoln University, Illinois. For a number of years Professor Taylor has been a prominent educator in that state. Being in the city he visited the school and left a very favorable impression upon the students. He moves here and takes control before the next school year. . . .