Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-01-28
Educational.

the Board Of Education gave me per-
mission to attend the Public School Off
GERS Association of Tenn. at Nashville on
the 10Th, Goth and Dist of January.
While it cost me $500 to make this
trip, yet feel that 1t is money well spent
in order to contribute what could in the
way of personal influence to the great edu-
ca tionai movement in our state. Besides,
it is wise fos all teachers to keep in touch
with work of the Teaching Profession as
far as possible and thus keep his work
abreast Of the times.
The meeting was very interesting one
f 81 think will have considerable in
auence upon the next legislature in secur-
ing the passage of laws that will advance
the interest OF our Public School System.
The Association discussed many impor-
tant propositions-but will mention two
of these.
~ The Association unanimously decid-
ed to recommend to the legislature the
establishment of three Normal Schools for
the training OF Teachers and superinten-
dents, one 10 each OF the three divisions of
the state for whites, and one near the
geographical center of the state for the
colored teachers. These schools are to
have courses Of study peculiarly suited to
teachers and hence no one except those ex-
pecting to teach would enter them. To
spend one hundred thousond dollars in this
way would do more TO increase the efficien-
cy Of the teachers Of our Public Schools
than could be accomplished in any other
way.
(2) The next most important subject
considered was the Practical work of the
Montgomery County Board of Education.
The last legislature passed a bill empower
ing Montgomery County to have one
School Board for the whole county instead
Of Board OF Directors in each district.
The report Of P. L. Harmed County
Supt, of Montgomery Co., and Of W. l..
Lawrence, teacher, as well as a report
from a member Of the Board, showed that
the experiment had proved to be an emf.
| nent success.
One Board OF Education acting for the
whole county is vastly better thing than
for so many boards TO act. | feel sure that
it is only a matter of time till this County
Board System will displace the old Dis
trict Board system which has been in use
so long The Association was very much
impressed with the working OF the County
Board in Montgomery County and asked
Supt. P. L. Harmed to reduce his verbal
report to writing that it may appear in the
printed report OF the Association.
The last legislature passed this bill for
Montgomery in order that the experiment
might be tried in some one county for the
| purpose Of finding out whether the plan
would work in actual practice before at
tempting to make il apply to all the coun-
ties in the state, A committee of County
Superintendent was appointed 10 bring
before the next legislature as effectively as
possible the suggestions OF the Association.
Our present State Supt., Captain s. A.
Mynders, is visiting as fast as he can all
parts OF the state, and he promised me that
he will certainly visit Tracy City and
Grundy County.
The spirit of the Association was unani-
nous for consolidation of two or more
weak schools into one strong school with
better teachers at better salaries in our
country districts. w. G. DILLON