Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1875-02-24

TO $500, aud with large academies,
intermediate and primary depart
ments attached, for practice In training.
These seven Normal Schools were all
opened between 1857 and 1871. SO in
THE great Empire State we see that af-
ter long aud patient experiment at
Albany, the Normal School idea has
made deep and wide lodgment in the
popular mind.
Illinois, pre-eminently All aKricul-
tursl commonwealth, has made very
handsome provision for Normal in=
struction. In 1851 the State n rmal
University was established. Bloom
ington and Mclean county, secured
the location for which there was very
animated competition, by the offer Of
$40, 900. The buildings and outfit are
first class. The annual appropriation
for its support $50, 900.
Wisconsin, one of the large, new
western States, with a population
gathered from all perts of the world,
has very complete system OF Normal
Schools, recently three, now four in
number. That at Oshkosh last year
had ten teachers, and 527 scholars ell
rolled; 26S of whom were Normal,
and the remainder in the Grammar,
1DltTIUttllhlt anu ITluldTY depart
ments of the Model School.
L have thus shown what is done for
Normal Schools by two of the great
States East, in which commerce and
manufactures predominant and also
in two of the great States West, main
~ agricultural. These four prosper
Gus and progressive States are types of
the advancing class, in all of which
D,,hlia SnkAAla OH HfnIra.t
planes, are literally fostered. How
great the con trast to our own beloved
Tennessee, in which our Legislators
and even our laws, have always prom
Used more than the people have enjoy
ed!
The speaker then alluded to the eff
fort made by the gifted and eloquent
Albert Halton, in the General Assem-
bly, session of 1856, to pass bill for
a State Normal School. The bill pass
ed the Lower House, but failed by one
vote in the Senate.
AT the last session of the Legislature,
DR.. VIM. Z. Jones, Senator from Da-
wilson, introduced bill providing for
Normal Schools in each division of
the State. This bill passed the Senate,
but too late in the session for the
House to act upon 1t.
Thus it appears that the advocates
of popular education in Tennessee
have been fully aware of the value of
Normal Schools, and If heretofore
their efforts have been without fruit,
the failure must be attributed TO the
general indifference to the whole
cause, and not TO opposition TO this
special feature. The very great pro-
gress which the cause of universal ed
ucation has made in Tennessee during
the past decade, as well as the aston
ishing expansion Of university educa-
ton within our limits, furnish power
full motives 10 the friends of Normal
Schools to be be up and doing. The
year 1875 should witness the establish
ment of a system of Normal Schools,
commensurate with the wants, posi-
ton and dignity Of their common
wealth.
Nearly ten years ago Governor
Brownlow called "A convention, which
became the State Teachers Associa-
ton. Governor Brownlow's object
was 50 tn organize the advocates of
popular education, as TO keep promi-
nently, before the voting masses, a
fundamental topic of legislation,
which had hitherto been sluTreI over,
by being freely endorsed in word and
ignored in action. So far the Govern
or's idea has accomplished all, if
not more, than he could have hoped.
Look at the century's history Of this
goodly State, and tell me in what
other ten years has the subject of edu-
cation for the toiling masses been so
fully discussed in the newspapers, so
much referred TO upon the stump, 80
much acted upon in the State House
AS fact, during all this eventful and
exciting two years, il has been second
to no other topic whatever. This of
Itself indicates progress, wonderful
progress
He then spoke of the aid the cause Of
education had received from the differ
ent Christian denominations, all of
which have now or will soon have
Colleges in the~ State, and of the aid
received from the Peabody fund,
which has acted as prize money, and
has stimulated the people to noble
works, which would have otherwise
been left undone, and added From
the statements above made, the
friends of education in Tennessee
can very well take the broad position,
that the State as such can afford To
nave SuptIlOI OF u HlV6TbliY lublTucllOn
to the churches Secondary, or the
Academy and High School 70 counties,
cities and interpretations endowed by
individuals concentrating, at all
events for the present, its whole ener-
gies upon the development of the Pri-
mary, Elementary or District School.
The Common School, and the Normal
College as essential to its efficiency,
being provided for by the State, aud
the other great divisions taking care
Of themselves, as | believe is infallibly
certain, Tennessee will have syst EN-
Of education as complete as that of
Massachusetts,.
He then stated that DIR. Sears, Trus-
tee of the Peabody Fund, had agreed
TO give the State $4,000 for a Normal
school one year, provided the State
would give an additional SO 900. A
bill had been introduced in the Legis-
lature to appropriate SO, 200, provided,
however, that none of this money Is to
be expended for the buildings. Al
ready liberal offers had been made by
different sections Of the Slate to furnish
hnflIinnu 10. hood