Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-26
trines of our Fathers about State rights,
foreign influence, and the necessity Of keep
ing Church and State apart.
Our Municipal Affairs
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


ments of learning" THAT the cultivation
and diffusion of science is greatly advan-
tageous to whole community, does not
require proof" Nations are at present"
continues DR.. Wayland, principally en-
rched by the result of discovery and in
venton; and in consequence of the general
diffusion of knowledge and intelligence.
That a portion Of the national revenue
should be directed to portion Of these
objects, seems both equitable and wise"
Acting on these axioms, our corporate
authorities, at the instance of the people,
few years since determined to establish
public schools for the purpose Of educating
the children of The city-free to all who
resided in the corporate limits. 1t was
contended that ALL the children in Nash
vile could be educated in public schools
for about the same price that select few
of them were in private schools. In other
words, by a concentration of capital, three
times the number of scholars could be
taught. Better buildings could be erected,
more suitable furniture procured, more
complete apparatus obtained, more COM
petent teachers employed, who would per-
form better work, being free from the in
nuence of parents; and public schools could
be subjected to a more rigid examination
than any private schools could possibly be.
These were, in brief the arguments used
by those in favor of public schools, in ad-
dition to the great and overshadowing idea
that it was an imperative duty to educate
the entire youth of the city-for the better
protection of the public morals-fOr the
Welt re of society-and for the general
benefit of good neighborhood.
AS a beginning of the work, the City
Council ordered to be set aside for school
purposes, the poll tax for the year 1850
The next year the poll tax and portion
OF the property tax was appropriated. So
that at the close of 1851, the amount col
lected for school purposes was $6,633.75.
In 1852, after submitting the question to
the people as to direct tax for schools,
and being carried by heavy majorities in
every ward, the Council placed tax Of 20
cents on the hundred dollars, or 81 on
each thousand of real and personal prop
erty, and the poll tax, which was to be set
aside for the schools. This tax was con-
tinued in 1858 and lS54-the amount col
lected, up to the LIST of October, 1854, in
Guiding the sum above mentioned, being
$32,0I2.50 In 1855, it became apparent
that the tax levied was not sufficient for
the purpose, and the tax on real and per-
sonal property was increased to $3.50 per
thousand. The amount collected from the
lSt October, 1854, to lst October, 1855,
was $22, 533.52 The amount collected
since the LIST October last to the present
time is IS, 1892, making a grand total of
62,S2924.
A magnificent building was erected on
the lot at the corner of Spruce and Broad
streets, Maj A Hieman being the archi-
tect The Board of Mayor and Aldermen
seemed disposed to forward the movement
by all means within their power. Among
the Aldermen connected with the Board
in the incipiency of this great undertaking,
we may be excused for mentioning the
names of Alfred Hume G. NJ Fogg, Smith,
Bang, Radcliffe, Stocked, Glenn, Myers,
Anderson, Horn, Knowles, DaShiell, Col
tart, Morris and DOwneS, besides others
whose names do not now occur to our
minds. All succeeding Boards have nour
ished and fOstered the school system. BY
an order of the Council, June, 1852, AL
fred Hume, then an Alderman made trip
north for the purpose of examining, in
person, the systems pursued in other cities
He visited Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleve-
land, Boston, Providence, &c, and on his
return, made lengthy and able report of
his observations, and suggested the details
of plan for the Nashville free schools
The plan is similar to the one in operation
at Natchez, Miss. Mr.. Hume thought that
1--WE should have our buildings of the best
kind, we'll furnished, and rendered attractive
by all things around and in them; that we
should employ the very best teachers; add
opt liberal plan Of education; pass rigid
rules for the government of these schools;
enforce strict discipline; demand higher
degree of scholarship, and under no cir
cumstances permit any one to pass from an
inferior to a superior class until perfectly
prepared to do it,"
Mr.. Hume, himself teacher of reputa-
ton, was abundantly qualified to take the
initiative in our educational operations
But before the building was completed,
and whilst the system was in an embryo
state, he was called to his final account;
his death occurring on the morning Of the
29th October, 1858. The building finished,
the City Council determined to call it the
Hume High School, in perpetuatiOn of bis
memory.
The lot on which the High School is
erected, cost the city $4,000. The build
ing cost $40, 265.3s; though an additional
sum of about $4,000 had to be expended
in finishing of" making alterations in the
;ntar;or 60