The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-08-29
For the Nashville True Wing.
Our Public Schools.

patriot and every well wisher of society. The i'm
portsnce of the subject is universally conceded
in fact, here lies the great danger there is not sui
cient opposition to make its advocates come up to
a proper standard of duty. Taking it for granted
that our citizens are with very few exceptions, duly
impressed with the great and lasting advantages of
our public school system, l beg leave to make
statement or two, which may not be undressing
to heads OF families who have children attending
school.
There are those who contend that the present
system should be changed so as to have schoo in
every Ward, instead Of as now, having school for
all in the same building. The system of Ward
Schools is the one generally adopted at the North,
and for that reason it finds advocates. 1t has be-
come so fashionable to follow after the North in
every thing that it seems to persons entirely
"out of order" to think of pursuing any other
course of policy, and especially in matters relating
to education; in which it is supposed the Yankees
are peculiarly aa fat. / am one of those who can
cheerfuly testify the zeal and success of North
erners 10 efforts to advance universal education;
but, at the same time, am not willing to admit that
their system is perfect To express the idea better,
let me refer to the school at Natchez. The refer.
ence is appropriate, because it was the Natchez
school that attracted so much attention here when
the subject was first agtated. remember very
well, few years since, of meeting with select
number of gentlemen, at the City Hall, to hear an
address read by Mr., Ingraham- in which he con-
stantly cited the school at Natchez, which was es.
tablished July 4, 1916, as the 'Natchez Institute"
In an article from Mr. MERRILL, the founder of
the Natchez Institute, written on the 9th Of March
| last, he says:
"The difficulties thrown in the way of the es-
Enlistment of that school, were increased from the
novelty of some portions of the scheme. | had
observed that in some of the Northern towns where
had visited, the schools were scattered and isola
ted one from another with want of system and
uniformity; and that the teacher often labored
under the disadvantage of being called upon to
| instruct such variety of grades, as greatly to
multiply his classes, although the number of pupils
might be small. To obyiate this and at the same
i time reduce the number OF teachers, proposed to
| concentrate all the schools of the city into one
central establishment, and so to classify the pupils
as to give each teacher nearly possible sim
! gle grade. The number of classes in a school of
fifty pupils might in this way be reduced to four
| FIVE and thus enable the teacher to do justice TO
double the number that could be taught on the
common plan. This would effect great saving OF
expense; and then the whole might be placed under
one superintendent. The further advantage would
| be secured, commended of introducing the higher
branches of study, such as are taught in our best
| Academies, including the Latin, Greek and French
languages.
Many and earnest were the objections made TO
every part and feature OF the plan. The idea of
educating the rich and poor together, and alike,
was dstasteful many people, and grave objections
were made TO the Introduction of classical studies.
Even the New Orleans papers condemned and ridi-
culel the attempt to give the school higher char
acter in any of its departments, than the common
schools" so called Of other places. Prominent men
! in political economy alarmed at the influence
which might be exercised over the mechanic and
common laborer by taking from him the stimulus
Of exerton in earning the means for the education
of his children! The abuse heaped upon the au-
thor Of all this mischief without STINT aud far
! from being choice in its quality. But the school
was tito work upon the original plan, which found
an active and skiul execution in Mr.. Pearl now
the superintendent of the Nashville schools; aud
the next 4th Of July viii heits tenth anniversary
with scarcely change in any of its arrangements"
The "Natchez Institute" is now in successful
operation, a single school, in single place, and
rents, and property and population have advanced
in remarkable degree.
On the other side, | viii cite the schools at Mem.
phs as showing the disadvantages OF Ward schools.
They have twenty schools, and il is easy to imagine
the difficulties and expense Of controlling and man
aging such number Of schools. Their house-rent
alone for fifteen of these schools the past scholastic
year, was g., S45.45. The corporation was able to
furnish accommodations for Eve schools. In these
diversified schools, it seems to me almost impossible
for Superintendent to do half his duty. Mr.. S.
II. Tobey is the Superintendent. there.
Our High School is, as every one knows, the
"crown jewell Of Nashville. We need but one
additional building. and that should be on the High
School lot In point Of economy, of taste, Of man.
agemens of comfort, and of popularity, another
school on the same lot is the best. The citizens Of
the Southern portion of the city amply provided
with accommodations erected before the annexation
Of the corporations. Let that point be occupied
and an additional and commodious building erected
on the present school lot, and the Nashville High
School Is firmly, permanently and successfully es
5 tablshed. IL we want TO ruin our school, let nj
branch out into dozen more small cabins, viii
every variety Of management and discipline. ant
J the thing is done.
We have, in all probability, the ablest saperin
tendsnt in the country. Bot he eanHO. with an
benefit to the scholars or any credit to himself, b
running around, hither and yOnder, overseeing
dozen schools, situate miles apart.
The recent plan Of buying Odd Fellows Hal
presents case Of necessity which should not hav
existed. Il seems that the Hame house Is not hrg
enough 10 accommodate all the scholars. Aud
il too laGe 10 think Of building another house o.
the same lot Ia tina. The Hal should, theFeioss
8 be bought IL Is offered at low rate, and can b
sold three years hence Tor more money than b aske
for Il nov. Us purchase viii obsiAte the neessss
Of scattering the children about IN small and an
comfortable houses, and allow time Cor new build
lng 10 be erected On the pablie school lot Il ma.
be contended that the city Is net able 10 erec