Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-11-05
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
EDUCATION.
Proceedings Of State Teachers AsSOcia.
ton.

by the way, this seems to be the faV0rlte
stopping place for East TennesSeeans- And
surely this house deserves the name given
it by those who stop here and we take
great pleasure in saying that General Bat
tie is ready at all times to give good ac-
commodation to all who call on him.
The State Teachers Association, now in
session in this city, is of considerable in
terest, and efforts are being made by this As
ISOLATION to present the cause and needs of
education to the Legislature as to secure
some further enactments that shall make
the common school system more efficient
| in its workings. All cOncede the necessity
| of further legislation, but the question just
now is what can be done by the State, its
! embarrassed condition.
The Association was called to order
at the appointed hour to-day by Judge
| Whitworth, who took the chair in the alb
sence of Ex-Governor Brown. Prayer was
offered by Rev. r. d. Black. The minutes
! of yesterday were read and approved. The
| first thing on the programme was an adj
dress on Normal SCHOOL, and their rela-
ton on efficient system of Common
| Schools by President B. w. Mcdonald, of
| the Cumberland University. Mr.. Me-
! Donald alluded to the Normal Schools of
| Prussia and France, showing how those
| governments, and especially the former,
had perfected the system Of education by
The first Normal school i'll the United
States was opened at Andover, Massachu-
sets, in 1929, and was, for a time, an indi
vidual effort. And as late as the year 1914
| it was almost crushed by debt. But now
| that State apprOpriates $4,000 per annum
| for the support of the Normal schools
| alone.
| New York was five years making eXper-
iments, but now has the very best training
| al, tod
| for instruction alone III Normal schools,
| but afterward purchased the property that
| had been provided. That State now has
100000 worth Of property used only for
| Normal schools.
| Seventeen or eighteen States have tried
| these schools and none OF them have gone
| back an their efforts. All who are pre-
pared to be judges are in favor OF such
| schools At one time an opposition was
raised to these schools on the ground that
objections were made to the teachers. An
| investigation was had and objections were
| found to exist in the cases of eleven teach
| ers, and these mainly on personal grounds.
| By having teachers trained and tried in
! these schools, we prevent putting untrled
men into the work. Maryland, at one
time, found, by investigation, that most of
| her young men were being educated in
other States. And the few who did return
| to teach. usually influenced their pupils to
| follow their example in going to other
| States to attend college. Do we need such
! schools to educate our young men at home
| so as to furnish our own teachers L do
not object to having teachers from other
! States. We ought to thank God that we
can get them. [ have nothing against
| these not that 81 love Caesar less, but /
| love Rome moren Shall we have none of
these benefits? Many Of our teachers are
failures. Let us have the means of train
| ing our own young men. You may put in
competent men to pilot yout ship, but
| Heaven never forgiveS the murderer of a
! human soul.
| | love Tennessee, her hills and valleys.
| I've seen the storm of war and her
people standing apart like chasms, but
| we come here to-day to join heart and
hand in this great work. Let us not quar-
| rel about systems, but let US argue with
and get them to take these matters to their
hearts. Then we will not have to plead
with Legislatures for enactments. Let us
| have more teachers who are competent.
| These strong appeals were followed by
remarks of other gentlemen. All seemed
| to be greatly in earnest in the expression
of their ideas, but it remains to the future
development of sentiment in the Leglsla-
ture, whether any real good is done.
Prof. Baldwin said that we had better
repudiate our debts than to Tepudiate the
| education of the children.
| Prof. Minis said that, "as q people, our
development has been objective rather
than subjective, and we need to develop
| thought"
| Our policy has made US rich, but not
wise. To what source are We to look to
| for true development / answer to none
more than to the professional teacher. Let
the pupils be not only taught facts, but,
also, to think"
Many of these, and in fact, all the
speeches were very interesting.
| In the afternoon session items OF the
memorial to be presented to the Legisla-
ture were discussed. There are nine items
| in it, each of which is a vital point in the
present state of affairs. The first one calls
attention to the school fund as recogniz-
| ed by the present constitution, which now
amounts to the nice little sum of one mil
| lion and half On this no interest has
been paid since 1861, and which now
amounts to nine hundred thousand dol
lars. Another item ALSO a school board of
| six, who shall have control of school in
| terests generally for the State. Another
asks the appointment of State Superin-
| tendent of Public Instruction, who shall
| devote his whole time to the development
of the system of common schools. Inc
other items will appear in the minutes OF
| the Association. The officers for the next
year are:
President, Hon S Watson.
1st Vice President, Hon ] WhitWorth,
| of Davidson county.
I'd Vice President, DIR B w Mcdonald,
of Wilson,.
Sd Vice President, Prof ] D Smith of
Murray.
4th Vice President, Hon W Bosom, of
Rutherford.
9Th Vice President, DR. 8 II Stout, of
Giles,
9Th Vice President, Judge Humphrey,
9TH Vice President, Rev W Rankin,
of Greene county.
sth Vice President Prof w L Cate, of
Bradley.
9th Vice President, Prof H Nicholson,
of Knox