Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-12-24
THE FREE SCHOOLS.
An Important Circular from the State
Superintendent Of Public Instruc-
fion-Institute Districts and
The Normal College.
The Earnek and Active Aid OF County
Superinpnde Invoked to Assist
in Filling Up the Halls of the
Normal College.

The following circular was issued Oh Thurs
day by Colonel Trousdale, state supei1nten-
dent Of public instruction, to county SUI ul,erln-
tenaents:
. OFFICE STATE SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
NASHVILLE. TENN, December 20, 1873.
with view to systematize and stimulate tire
holding Of general institutes and conferences o.
teachers throughout the State during the next year.
ana thereby school officers, teachers, and the
friends e fee #5e0ls 70 the Importance Of lmproy-
Ing and evatitk The siandaEd OF public instruction
In every part OF the State, l have determined to
establish ten general institute districts correspond
Ing TO the ten congressional districts Of the Sta
At some suitable point or points within these dis
uicts at least one Institute or conference will be
held once or more during the year. which all public
and private school-teachers superintendents and d.
rectors Will be urged TO attend 1t Is particularly de-
sired that each county superintendent within the dis
tTict shall certainly be present. There can be no
better method by which he can increase his own eff
cheney, upon which, in great measure, will depend
his success In syStematlzing and improving school
work within his own county 1t Is also believed that
By securing the Interest of ccunty superin-
tendents In these general inatitutes. there
will follow permanent organization Of county In
stues in each county Of the State " here they have
not already been organized. FT0Fd such confer
enceS there will almost certainly rad late enthu-
siasm and influence which Will impe early and act
i've exertiOn to organize. aterniZe Id hghten the
efforts or all free-school teachers throughout the
State. Such an inspiration Is need ID, and will be
furnished BY making these distrlc ! conferences
worthy the attendance of the best ucatOT5 In the
State. The best local talent and exp erence will be
utilized In organizing them In add ltlon to which,
have the pledge of some OF the able st professional
lecturers to assist at each one In dew eOping educa
tional interest and imparting sound instruction.
find by experience that the institu tes heretofore
eVe en gsa q GG S has besn
general and systematic enough. l desire
that this Influence and insPlI atlon., which
county and every school dis krict in the
State however remote and obscure. 1t Is to this end
tnat earnestly invoke the active al i'd enthusiastic
0rl-n n dnnta fret
whose local work will thereby be sde more easy,
profitable and satisfactory to them selves, and will
assistance of their people. These Conferences will
commence early with the ensuing yeaE. 1t Is, there
fore. important that all county nperintent ,nts
should communicate their Views to tis Office as TO
the name and place of the institutes In their respec
tive Districts and such other views nd suggestions
NAV be useful In furthering the objects to be at
tanned
2-Ihe following are the counties composing tn
different institute districts. viz:
First Dstrict-Carter, Claiborne, Cbcile, Grainger
Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkip- /, johnson SUI
lvan, Unicol and Washington.
Second DlstTict-Anderson, Blount, Campbell, JEFF
ferson Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane,
Scott, Sevier and Union.
Third District -Bledsoe, Bradley, Cannon Cum
berland, DeKalb. Grundy, Hamilton, James, Marion,
MMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, SeQuatcflie, Van Buren,,
Warren and White.
Fourth District CLAY, Fentress, Jackson, Macon,
0yerton. Putnam, Robertson, Smith, Summer,
Fifth District Bedford, Coffee Fra nklin, Lincoln,
Marshall Moore and Rutherford.
Sixth DlStrict-Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson,
Houston, Humphreys Montgomery and Stewart.
Seventh District-Giles, Hickman, Lawrence,
Lewis, Maury, Wayne and williamson
Eighth Distrct-Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin
Henderson, Henry, Madison, M'Nairy and Perry
Ninth Dlstrict-Crockett, Dyer, Gibson Haywood,
Lake, Lauderdale Obion, Upton and Weaker
Tenth District-Fayette, Hardeman and Shelby
3-These district institutes, proposed to be sys-
tematlcally organized are Intended TO be auxiliary
city As the teachers of State, SO Will be the fu-
ture generations; for the former cannot fall TO i'm
press ~ upon the children, now growing to maturity
efficient teaching and loose principles or morals
the children will surely imbibe great share of the
qualities which are set before them daily for their
guidance And on the other hand. from high excel
ence In instruction and morality, they cannot fail
to rise to the hight Of their opportunities The State
normal college has been established In the build
ngs of the Nashville university by the Joint beraIi
+ ard glsic spirit of the general agent of the Pea
body fud In administering that great benefit for the
best interests of free education and the trustees of
the University OF Nashville. 1t is now In its second
year. the next term commencing January 3, 1877.
The highest trained talent, attainments and expe-
rlence, within the circle of the Union, have been
brought Into service to render 1t all that normal
college can be In any state Tuition is offered to the
obtained In good families in the village at four dol
lars pei week. But more pupils are needed. The
throughout the State is therefore, invoked to assist
in filling up its halls with deserving persons of both
sexes who can undergo an examination In the Eng
lsh branches taught In our free schools, and who
have attained the age of sixteen. The opportunity
for professional education to the youth of both
sexes In Tennessee In a profession Offering the
widest and most promising field for future extended
usefulness and superior atanments cannot be ey-
aggerated, and should be appreciated by a people
who have never heretofore scOrned any rare ooa-
SOns for eevatng the condition of our civiliZat ion
and aff0rding equal advantages to the children of
Tennessee fer future advancement to those enioyed
by the most favored States. 1t is the peculiar duty
II every county superintendent to lend his most
-Tenuous and constant exertlons to the active en-
c0uragement OF this recently begun great work.
LEON TROUSDALE, State Superintendent