Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1876-03-09
EAST TENNESSEE.

LASn NkSSEE.
Twenty years have hardly elapsed since
this portion of Tennessee was opened to
the world by steam communication
Surrounded by mountains On all sides it
was a p%ent.up Utica, the road wagon, the
numbering stage.coach aud the fiat. bot
toned boat being the sole means of trans
pOrtatiOn of our news and commerce. The
tourist rarely visited our magnificent but
isolated regions. East Tennessee was
known on the map as but little more
than a wild and desolate waste of noun
talns. The people were poor and enjoyed
but few educational advantages. 1t is
true, that here and there a school or
college struggled for life, but considering
the extent Of territory and number OF
population, these educational establish
ments were exceedingly scarce. Agricul>
ture, the mainStoy of the people and the
only source of money was not esteemed q
science but a calling depending upon q
vigorous employment OF muscle for success,
and remuneration. Industry was not
diversified, there was but little
and money was scarce. 1t was amid such
embarrassments that Washington College,
a germ of educational enterprise planted
In a savage wilderness by Rev. Samuel
Doak, a fearless pioneer from the East
maintained its existence and gave to the
world q long array Of brilliant and pow
erful men who made a lasting impress
upon The age in which they lived. We
mention Washington College first, be-
cause it was the first institution founded
west of the Alleghaunies. Greeneville
and Tusculum College, and Maryvllle
College deserve honorable mention. They
were confronted with the same Difficult
ties that bcset old Washington the
mother Of Western Colleges, and were
eminently successful in giving to mankind
mighty minds Of polish and culture.
But we have been referring exclusively
to institutions Of, high standard whose
influences only reached the masses in the
most indirect way. Within their cloisters
the rugged angles of gifted minds were
polished and rounded, whilst the vast
majority Of the intellects of those primes
val days was a mass OF intellectual power
IN dormancy or inertia. Such a thing
as a common school system was not even
dreamed of. 1t was not until about
twenty-five years ago that State aid to the
Common Schools received any considera-
ton. This aid it was true, was meagre,
but the practical benefits derived there's
from were apparent to all careful OBJ
servers. Since the war the progress Of
educational sentiment has been wonderful. |
and exceedingly hopeful and gratifying.
The unwarrantab!e perversion of the
School Fund, after the war was a serious
loss, from the effects Of which we can
hardly recover in a decade. Besides this
drawback, there was . formidable oppo-
sition among the people to the system
that required State and County Super
vision to make it efficient and compre-
hensive.
Notwithstanding these difficulties and
discouragements, the friends of education
labored steadfastly and haroically, and
We now have attained a beginning that
promises glorious results.
East Tennessee has made rapid strides
in educational enterprise, and
her people are waking up to a sense of
their duty to themselves and the gcner>
ations that are to follow. Her leading
men and newspapers ere bestirring them
in the work. Politicians, who hope
to win by appeals to ignorance and pref.
udice, aud the few who can see no Justice
in being taxed for the education of the
masses, constitute the opposition to
public Schools. Aud this opposition is
weakening before the growth aud advance
ment Of liberal sentiment and progressive
ideas.