Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-04-02
COLLEGES.
why Tennessee Needs More Educational
Institutfons, .||.

Instttut1Ons,
EDITORS CHRONICLE: I was somewhat.
nay, much surprised, to see the statement
in your issue of this morning, that a
Christian newspaper had come out in OPP
position to the proposed College of the
M. z. Church. l had supposed that all
denominations rejoiced in the establish
ment of Protestant institutions oflearning
in our midst. Least of all did I look for
opposition on the part of that church,
whose leaders plead so earnestly for none
but Christian education for the young
The spirit which actuated such an article
is very different from that which | have
witnessed in those who have referred to
the recent donation of Commodore Van
derbilt to establish College for the NJ. T..
Church, South. / have heard men of
various religious views refer 10 it, and in
all cases with expressions of rejoicing and
of congratulations for the recipients of the
gift. That church has no college in Ten
nessee, so far as | am aware, whereas the
Nj. E. Church has had one for several years
and the movement which Is now on foot is,
if l understood it, to give a broader basis
TO its educational resources, both pecunia-
rily and in regard to the extent of educa-
ton 1t is to give, Can such movement
Can it be an injury to the State
Let us see how Tennessee stands in re-
gard to Collegiate Education. According
to the latest statistics of the Bureau of
Education at Washington, there were but
246 students pursuing a collegiate course
in the whole State of Tennessee. Surely
there is need of a few more, and there is
little danger of crowding upon any de-
nomination; and least of all, upon the one
in whose interest the complaint is profess
eddy made. / think if we could hear her
voice it would be 'saye me from my
friends
OF these 2i6, only l7S belonged in this
State-less than one to every 1000 of her
population Certainly there will be enough
youths left unprovided for to amply i'll
the Vanderbilt University, after that of
the M. Il. Church has secured all it can, or
even all it wants.
There were only 6S students from
other States pursuing collegiate
course in this State. Is that all
that the climate and scenery, and other |
advantages of our State, can reasonably |
expect to draw from other States? Ought |
there not to be enough attracted here to |
I'LL not only all the colleges now existing, |
and the proposed one of the M. +. Church |
South, and then leave enough for that of |
the M. Il. Church?
But again, the same statistics inform us |
that there are 100 youths of this State, who |
are aIIenulDS une colleges OF other States q? |
Is this condition of things satisfactory to |
the writer of the above noted article !
Does he prefer that our young men 90 to
other States to receive their education If
not will it not be well to have as many
first class colleges as we can secure and the
more the better? Whatever denomination
establishes q college in this State, will both
bring large sums of money from other
States, as the NJ. +. Church South is now
doing, and will also draw large sums from
its own membership, whom no other
Church wonld he able IN reach all OF which
will be used for the Christian but unsec- |
tartan education of our own youth, and of
those who shall be induced to come from
other States.
In conclusion allow me to present few
more figures from the valuable tables to
which l have referred. Let us compare
the number of students pursuing collie
giate course in our own State with those in
the States which surround us. Alabama,
far inferior as it is to our own State in
natural advantages, has 242 collegians-4
less than Tennessee. Georgia has 515, more
than double. Kentucky has 724, almost
three times as many. North Carolina 324,
nearly once and half as many. Virginia
1923, almost four and a half times as many.
think the above will sufficiently an
swer any objections that may be urged
from any source against the establishment
of first class educational institution in
our State by any Christian denomination.
OBSERVER.
Mach %, 1875.