Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-05-09
Mr.. Anderson, OF the committee on
normal schools, made minority report,
nn fnllnrua.
Minority Report.

normal schools, made minority report,
as follows:
Minority Report.
To the Honorable Board OF Education of the
City of Memphis:
The undersigned, a member of the special
committee raised to report on the propriety
Of continuing what is known as tn normal
schools, now being kept in the Market-strcet
school building, b. gs leave 10 report:
First AS this board is fully advised the
branches taught in those schools are Latin,
Greek, German, algebra, geometry, chemistry
and the higher branches of an English educa-
Iol. Those subjects which constitute nor
NAL school, in the accepted meaning OF that
word, are not taught ihe-e. the ruIiments OF
teaching, or that training TO become teachers,
which makes any school normal in the Ordi-
nary meaning of the word, is only taught by
one Of the principals of the city schools. The
schools, tn -refOre, are high hOOls, employ
ing four teachers who have under their charge
one hundred and ten 10 one hundred and
twenty five pupils, who study the branches
mentioned RUJVe.
Second The writer does not believe II is
wi>e, or in accordance with the Tennessee
system OF public Instruction, TO maintain
such a school at the public expense.
Thrd-AslGe from the question of policy or
eXpeiienCy, tits, in my judgment, very an
wise To ntinue the g schools in our present
financial condition. The gross amount of
revenue for the schools OF the city for 1873, as
II appears on the sssessment-bookS OF the city
and county tax collectors, is Sjl,796 %. II 10
per cent. Of this amount is collected, 1t will
give Us Si6 347 Is. Ne can hardly Gx-
ton Of the tax. We have hfIy-eig
teachers employed. Our payroll for the Schol-
sstic year uow closing Will amonnt 10 fully
$4,000. The other expenses Will amount TO
fully $1,000 al a very low estimate This will
leave u nearly 5000 in deot at the close OF
the year. Any one who Will look for a mo-
ment at the condition Of the city, and eXa
mine the changes made and to be made in
the city assessment, will see that the gross
yield or funds for school purposes for 1876 will
faIl short OF 1873 al least 5000. This Will give
Us about 5,CJO 10 $4,000 for lS17. We had In
April, 1876, not quite $500 pup pills In 1872 during
the same months We had 2645. IN 1873 we
had 2sli pupils. We may expect an Increase
OF from % TO 400 pm piis IN 1871. OuF expenses
will, therefore, be greater Than for the past
year. Ihe plain question is then presented:
Shall We continue this school and 90 in debt
or discontinue it, and paw we go.
FOuTth-HiZh Zh-SchCOls, when supported at
public per sc, ought 10 be practical and lorthe
beneIit OF The pubic. II such a school is TO be
ke5tnp IL ought 10 be only for the purpose OF
teaching mechanics, book keeping, engineer
ing and such stu les as ale useful to the gen.
e.al Ju bile. A classical educ ltlOn is us.sfnl
only to professional men. 1t is polish which
Is not desired by the majority of men. H.
then, we want something taught In our pub
lie schools, let a comparative school be estab-
llshed in which thUss of extra studious habits
10 a certain fixed number may te admitted.
Entertaining these views, the writer Ie-
spectfully recommends that what is now
known as the normal school shall he discoE-
tinued after the close Of the present term.
All OF which Is respectfully submitted,
b, p. ANDERSON, OF the Committee.
A motion to postpone the ccnsidera-
ton OF the reports was discussed by sew
eral member, some thinking the mat
ter should be investigated at more
/ length, while others claimed that the
normal school question had been agi
ts.ed for q long time, and might az w Il
/ be settled st once. Messre. FOlkes,
/ Townsend, Rsndle, Robbins and other:
! we're in favor Of settling the question, &C
! that the pupils in the grammar schools