Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-03-05

Of the Of the opportunities and advantages Of education
throughout sd sen portions of the State being highly
conducive to the promotion this end; It shall be the du.
II Of the General Assembly in all future periods Of this
government to cherish literature and science" The
same section makes provision for the permansncy Of the
School Fuad and for the invioabs appropriation of the
interest thereof 70 the support of Common Schools and
sWhole tsnsT asuch make evident that the people
intended to establish sad maintain system Of Common
Schools.
The constitution was adopted in 1884. The assembly /
during the session Of 1875 in compliance with the OBJ
vOus design Of the section referred to- passed an act to
establish system Of common schools in the State Of Ten
nessee This act was rsenseted with amendments at
the session Of lsS940 and still IN force the eighteenth
scholastic year having terminated with the month Of June
last The provisions Of this are the MAN, wise aad
proper and had the system established By it. been ad
mnistered according the true spirit and meaning Of
the act and especially if the Legislature had bestowed
upon reasonable share Of attention correcting such
defects and introducing such improvement as experience
suggested increasing the Of funds appropriated
o in proportion TO the growth of population and adopt
ing such measures necessary elevate the grade
OF the schools aud the standard Of instruction in them,
as to keep pace with the progress Of the age Tennessee
might now occupy high rank among her sister States
for the intelligence Of her people, she does for their
manly virtues and fidelity the Union By proper man
agsmeat the system would have grown into favor from
year gear, and would be the pride and boast of
every enlightened cz N; while in fact the people through.
out the State either Indifferent it. complain of its
ineficency and il opinion the resolutions o the
Lebanon meeting correctly declare that "ths object of the
LegislatFehas ffls3" Some Of the causes which have
led this failure will briefly noticed. In the first place
the fund annually distributed BY the Sae is waoy in.
sufficient Of ITSELF to sustain system of schools The
I amount distributed in 1885, which WIS unusually large
averaged only CO for each child between and six
teen years Of age Taking into account those between
sixteen and twsntyOns years. who permitted attend
The schools but estimated in making the appor
toument and the average would probably exceed 50
cents Iii necessary only to state the emOuu to prove
the nadequaey The evident design of the school act is
that the fund disrbn by the State shall be regard
e ed as the SOLE main reliance Of the system but
e that II shall operate merely encouragement to the
u people Of each district to keep up good school, by
ievng them of part Of the burden. The requires
" the school commissioners employ e0mpstsHt teqeher
AID when the public fuads usufi ;enI to pay their
- wages, the commissioners authorized to eOlet the
residue from parents guardians aud others who may
derived benefit from the schools There provisions
Tor enfor these requirements aud in m.ny they
are complied with. The law does not prescribe the
period during which the school shall be in ion con
dOns imposed t. entte district its share Of the
funds and the commissioners required to
examine the teachers in order to ascertain their quahca
10 tons The that many DISTRICTS instead
to Of employing competent teacher good wages and
keeping up school during the greater part of the year.
the expense Of the people h mseves the commissioner
ca select the who will the lo9gst period for the
amount received from the State and when the time agreed
upon expires The school is closed for that year. Under
The system the standard of instruction will be verJ
e low the teachers will not be qualified to give instruction
to any but the simplest elementary branches which every
so child should aqlre 10 eW months, or at most IN veal
an two How are the children benefited then by being
lar permitted to attend sss State Schools for fifteen gers
md from the age ofsix to h It Of tWeuOne yelr TIE tfse
of such system is moreover depreciae profession
Ext Of teaching in public estmaoD and to deter eompsen
IN persons from engaging it, b. Withdrawing portion,
least Of patronage from private schools,
til In the place the system without head TleCc
the oupeen6eut Public Instruction wsscleated durin
re the legislative session Of 1886. Tie duties dne
ate by the law establishing the otca aud subsequently b.
the school act were besides managing the school fund.-
Of superntend he operations of the system devise plan
Of for us improvement and report its condition 10 th
vel legislature each regular session. The Office abO
is ished however ia s8 since which the only infor
md nation en- the su cturnshed the legislature and tn
t, public is the amount IF school fund annually distributes
the and the of children of the scholastic egs in h
Stale There isLO means of ascertaining the number
The ah o what Of ledge taught them
ure or how many children each attendance Their
and reports bring the school system prominent
before the people and the legislature at each session
erv blowing what progress making in The great
pre- Ct eduea ing children what amount of good eC
OF ted by the money each year distributed by the State
ted what further legislation necessary perfect sehm
1ta of pup instruction No system succeed, hOWeVe
row perfectly organized in other respec wthoua compeen
soF person headOne who animated By degre
cia Of enthusiasm tbs great Cf popular edGcaOn
bic direct its operations aud by his reports and BY
cy public and appeals the people, keep their il
lew terest constantly excited.
Another Eerous defect IN the system is the absence
to facilities for prOTidnga sufficient number of competer
n- teachers certain quldcauons essential success
ing every pu suit and these acquired ordinarily only
a course study training adopted the end in view
ow The clergy thu physician the lawyer, the merchan
led and mechanic prOe Onal schools or sew
long apprent ceshp to acq lire the theoretical and pra
teal knowledge necessary to t them for their respectv
pursuits The teachers profession is perhaps second
Oo n0ne q christian community, in its INN nse re spons
0 biltes audn TIE degree Of skill it demands. To ent
any public confidence and patronage in this calling
to adapt the deieae task unfolding and gu
n ding the moral and intellectual faculties of children
must possess not Cnly hghtoned moral character an
thorough acquaintance with the subjects he proposes
tsach but slso-wha diff; ult of acquisition
skill! in mparting instruction. and tact in governing
stimulating youthful minds To meet werthiy the 1
slant demands on his energies and patience, he plaC
,pec estimate on the importance and dignity Of b
pursuit and be inspired with certain degree of snhus
as N and proiessiynl pride Much might be said 0
this interesting topic but the considerations already pr
scented ought be sufficient the sensible an
affecting u the necessity for professional schools in who
young persons Of both may receive such ms ruco
Ass as vail Izy them for the office of teacher Wlthol
be them TINS profession acquire the high rank
public estimation to which ii Is entitled exert lhi
~ powerful Influence for good society which it alone
'u pable of welding.
We have presented plainly and briefly, s only oFtt
LII Arguments that wall every thinking mi d. fave
OF popular education; aad have en0eavOrsd to iorl
with equal Pannes5 and brsTiIy Of the causes who
h have 10 Gu. estimation rendered system Of public il
@ srucon abOrtve, and made it rePro4cn US ratht
ny than objee. Of affection AID pride aim has bee
to SAY JOSS what seemed calculated excite attention
this ,u1j.c dseming tlat sufficient give deserve
0' the fist place thoughts 50 lar Stale policy
concerned to tho hearty ,pe,atiOn Of p
rents teachers and friends human progress in eor