Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-09-02
FHE EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES or RASH.
WILLIE

WILLIE.
There is nothing contributes 50 much to the per-
manent and healthy growth Of Nashville as its
educational advantages, nor GUILD there be more
controlling inducement influencing strangers to
locate in our midst In this age of hustle and strife
and eager pursuits in the acquisition Of fortunes
vast number Of parents apt to devote too little
Of their time and judgment in the selection OF pro-
per schools and colleges for their children Ana
the is this be regretted from the iamentaoie
fact that there are charlatans in our country who
engage in the noble profession of nstructing youth
With no more elevated or elevating idea than the
accumulation of dollars and cents. Not that the
teacher should not be rewarded and well rewarded,
according his capacity and attainments in his art
but it is humiating to this calling-secOnd only
to the sacred of those who obey the divine in
junction and preach the Word Of Life to Man
prostituted to purpose so ignobe. 1t is sickening
to witness as is not unfrequently the case flaming
posters with staring capitals scattered over the
country, informing the public how cheap Latin Greek,
the Sciences, the Modern Languages and all the
'ologies are taught at such and such a college.
Tuition fees taken all kinds Of produce As if any
thing gained at such colleges could be cheap. Nine
out of the student acquires nothing but bad
morals and worse Latin. These establishments,
yceped colleges annually confer the Degree of D.
d. of preachers, to some of whom the Greek
Testament is q sealed book and who believe the Lost
Books of Lvy contain true and authentic narrative
of the wanderings of the Lost Tribes of the House
of Israel. They manufacture yearly, hundreds of
B. AS, A. Ms and Ii. Ds, the whole hatch Of
Al
probably unable 10 tell the difference between
theorem aud problem and would eOnfound an
aphor SIN with an apOphthegm.
But the day of illiterate, itinerant pedants is
drawingt close in Nashville, and we trust a more
glorious day is out,dawning over the whole State
The Nashville system of free schools excells that of
any other Southern city and is perfect, in many
respects as could be devised by the wit of man. 1t
has become an important, and we hope lasting
feature of our city and should continue to receive
the fostering care of town authorities, notwith-
standing the opposition of of our enlightened
aldermen and sapient mayors. We know no better
argument to induce parents, and especially those of
limited means to come and settle in city, than
the advantages it possesses Of giving their children
a polite and thorough education. Certainly We
could use none which should exert a more potent
influence; for what parent when he sees the gate to
the fields of knowledge stand invitingly open could
restrain his child from entering and exploring them
to their remotest confines? Who in this day and
generation in sending forth his to minge in the
ssbattle OF life would prefer seeing him nter the
arena ignorant and defenceless rather than equipped
with arrows from the arsenal of Science and shielded
with the knowledge of the Past?
But Nashville affords facilities not alone for &C
curing common" or Academic education. 1t
has long been a faTorite scheme Of our most far
seeing citizens to build here institution oflearn
ing which should attract students from all sections
of our Union Everything seems to indicate this
as the chosen spot for such institution Its CEN
trail position, equidistant from the extreme North
and South the East and the West its accessibility
from all points and the extreme heahfuness of its
climate. Here it was designed to build, not college
merely, but a UNIVERSITY worthy of the name /;
where the four faculties of theology medicine law
and the sciences and arts should be taught, and
where the lover of classic lore could learn Of Greece
aud Rome and could revel in their poetry, their
history, their philosophy and their arts.
Without entering into detailed relation of the
efforts made to build and foster such an institution
aud of their failures we shall in brief manner
givei.s
HISTORY AND PRESENT CONDITION.
The University of Nashville was incorporated by
the General Assembly of North Carolina, in 1885,
under the name and title of Davidson Academy. In
1926, by an act of the Legislature of Tennessee it
acquired its present style. Inow comprises besides
the Collegiate Department, whichis conducted under
Military Organization, furnishing Medical
College, whose unparalleled growth is a subject of
peculiar interest.
During the two annual sessions, just expired, the
military system has been thoroughly tested. With
oil students in attendance it has been the means
of preserving in an eminent degree, the tranquility so
essential to good morals, successful mental labor
The citizens of Nashville will bear unqualified testi
mony to the quiet and orderly department of the
students under the salutary rules imposed by
military authority.
THE BUILDINGS