Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-08-08
NASHVILLE AS AN EDUCATOR.
Plea for the University Of NASH
VILE. it-

4 p.
We make the following extracts from
a pamphletrecently published in regard
to a subject Of prime Importance to the
interests of Nashville, and invite the
serious attention of this community to
its suggestions:
As popular intelligence, the result Of
universal education, is the, enconium OF
State, so is great university the crown
and glory of city. Wherever it is the
good fortune of city to possess such an
institution, invariably do We find the
citizens placing the highest estimate upon
its value and pointing to it as the fore
most and most honorable of their civic
institutions. Wherever city lacks this
GROWING gem, we always discover ample
evidences of the deficiency, and often see
imperfect efforts to supply its place by
various complementary establishments.
A university is an institution SuS
genertS and has its own mode of birth
and development. Its fundamental OBJ
iect is the cultivation Of knowledge for
its own sake. Hence from its very
nature it is broad and liberal and humans
izing and refining. ALI science is its
domain and the application of science to
all the wants and purposes of man.
Herein consists the peculiarly Of the
institution-its very universality-its
comprehending every branch of human
knowledge in minutest detail, and not
overlooking the practical application Of
this knowledge to the everyday affairs
Of man.
,'1*s togd <.
When nearly half Middle Tennessee
was erected into monument to one of
those brave men who lost their lives in
founding continental American nation
atty, under the name of the county of
Davidson, of the State of North Caro-
lima, and when little village, foreknown
to be city, was dedicated to the memo
~ of another illustrious North Carolinian
hero, Gen. Nash, then were laid unseen
and unnoticed, but deep upon rock, the
foundations of the University of Nash
vile. From that day to this has
the University advanced as rapidly,
if not much more rapidly than the
city, in fame, in influence, in numbers,
and has stamped with indelible perma-
hence, the highest characteristic, that Of
intellectually, upon her reputation.
Whatever of fame or note she may have
for commerce or industrial enterprise,
like that of Philadelphia and of Boston,
grows dim by the brighter rays Of her
intellectual renown. Her fame has ever
been that of seat of mind, of political,
religious, educational influence. and what
ever else may be superadded let this
continue to be the great aim of her citl-
zens. Let the abundant stores of wealth,
which mercantile, mechanical and agri-
cultural skill will profusely create, find
their fayorite luxury in promoting art,
and letters and science through the Uni-
versity and kindred institutions.
In looking back over the educational
annals of Nashville the attentive student
becomes impressed with the singular in
difference exhibited by the great MAORI
ty of her wealthy citizens to the interest
Of the seats of learning which gave re-
nown to her name and which, reasonably
supported, would have poured countless
thousands into her Golfers. As conseS
quence of this sadly unfavorable characr
teristic of Nashville society we find q
a singularly intermittent chronicle Of ed
ucational prosperity and adversely. Her
academy was as well taught and as well
attended as any such institution ordinarl-s
Iy is in a remote inland frontier village.
In 1906 it became Cumberland College,
under the presidency Of DR.. Joseph
Priestley, a very eminent graduate OF
Liberty Hall, now the famous Washings
ton College of Virginia, who left most
flourishing boys school in Baltimore
to undertake the charge. A few pub
lie spirited and liberal individuals
no doubt induced him to make this ex-
change of a great commercial emporium
for a village bordering upon the Indian
country as his scene Of labor. A tho
roughly learned man, in few years he
made his mark indelibly upon the genius
of the State, and so long as Bell, Foster
and Turley are clara nOmtna among the
worthless of Tennessee, so long will
Priestley's name shine as star of first
magnitude. Yet in the short space OF
ten years Cumberland College was sus~
pended for want of funds, to make tit~
full effort at life under the same dis
tinguished man a few years later. The
great mass of Davidson county weli>to-
do farmers stood by with apathetic
hands, and the burden was too great for
the brosd>hearted few.
After eight years of suspended ANNA
| ton we find this select and noble minded
few, represented by the Trimbles,
Nichols, Yeatmans, Crabbs, Ewings, ETC.,
etc., of that day plucking up courage to
| start again. And start they did with q
President called all the way from Prince
| ton, New Jersey, whom their eloquence
| and whole-souled enthusiasm for learn
ing and religion, induced to leave the
| presidency of the then foremost college
in the land for post of labor almost out
| of the world. And so the University o.
| Nashville was inaugurated, the educa
tional eyes of all America being turned
with fond affection and kind wishes upor
her auspicious birth. Twenty-six years
of poorly appreciated and worse requltec
toll and disappointment followed thu
hopeful beginning. In 1850 after haVlnG
acquired honor in Europe no less than IL
America through her alumni and pro
fessors, the portals Of the university wer'
closed for want of few thousand dollar
per annum to make up deficiency In tn
salaries of such men as A. ?. Stewart
Nathaniel Cross, and Gerard Troost
caused by repeated epidemics and To
excessive multiplication of colleges Il
| Tennessee and the adjoining States.
| The breath was no sooner out OF tn
collegiate department, than all the uni
versity, than half dozen medical me
of means and repute offered to put III
into the institution through a medic;
school, provided that their plans met th
hearty approval of the board. So it cam
to pass that on October IL, 1850, tn
great Medical School of Nashville w'
created, which has ever since kept tt
university living and loved in every han
, | let from the Ohio to Mexico. In all tt
future annals of the university the nam
of these six physicians will figure col
| spicuously among the Woods, Alison
Porters, Morgans, and others who ha'
! | contributed Of their means to the goo
{ cause.
1854 the literary department W
, rs-opened with splendid buildings al
: much good will from the public. In lie
than one year it proved a failure, ben
q unable to Withstand the competition
the city free schools.
In 1855, through the energetic ettoI
of r. G. Foster Sd, and the hberalty
# some thirty philosophical citizens, {
r literary department was again re-OPsnee
hut unon the military plan as to dress, d