Evening star., 1909-04-20
USEFULNESS TO BE WIDER
City sand State Finally Complete
Their Share of Contribution.
INTEREST AT LENGTH EXCITED
Change of Name From Normal
School-Checkered Career Of Old
Establishment.
BY WILLIAM r.. CURTIS.

Chicago Record Herald
NASHVILLE, Tenn, April IL 19O9
When George Peabody, the banker-phil-
anthropist of Baltimore and London, died
In 1867. he left In trust to self-perpetu-
ating board of trustees, consisting Of
Robert C. Winthrop Of Boston and four
teen other gentlemen selected by himself,
fund Of about two and one-half million
dollars, the income thereof to be used
and applied in your discretion for the pro-
motion and encouragement Of intellectual,
moral and industrial education among the
youth OF the most destitute portions of
the southern and southwestern states Of
our Union; my purpose being that the
benefits intended shall be distributed
among the entire population. without
other distinction than their needs and
the opportunities of usefulness to them"
He Furthermore gave them Isower. after
the lapse of thirty years, to use the fund
for the endowment Of institutions. pro-
vided two-thirds OF the trustees should
consider 1t expedient.
Used for Training Teachers.
The income Of the fund thus far has
been used largely in the training of
teachers. The principal beneficiary has
been the Peabody Normal College of
Nashville.
In 1908 the board decided to close the
trust and offered the sum of s1.OOOOOO OF
the principal to that institution, provided
the name was changed to George Pea
body College for Teachers" that the
state of Tennessee should add 1870, 900,
the city of Nashville s2DO.O0O and David
son county. in which Nashville is located.
should give 10000. making the total en-
dowment $1.55OOO0, and that the property
belonging to the Peabody College for
Teachers should be conveyed to a new
board qualified to receive the gifts named.
The eabody trustees are body of en-
inent gentlemen. including Chief Justice
Fuller ex-President Roosevelt, ex-Secre-
Island j. Pierpont Morgan, Joseph H.
Choate. Bishop Doane of New York.
Bishop Lawrence of Massachusetts and
Hoke Smith of Georgia. who intrusted
the negotiation of the arrangements to
Mr. Olney and Mr.. Choate.
These gentlemen have been working
three years to persuade the legislature of
Tennessee and the common council Of
Nashville to comply with the conditions.
Their work was completed In a satisfac-
tory manner March II last. few days
more than fortytwO years from the date
of the Peabody bequest.
James d. Porter. president Of the col
lege, formerly Governor OF Tennessee.
once assistant secretary OF StaI3 ana
again United States minister to Chile.
represented the local interests. and is en-
tirelv satisfied with the final arrange
ment. AS soon as the legislature can take
action the old institution will assume the
new name. and, with the same board of
trustees. will be permanently established
with a fixed income of not less than
$4,000 for the purpose OF educating
teachers for the public schools OF Tennes-
see and the other southern states.
College Has Checkered Career.
The institution hereafter to be known
as THE George Peabody College for
Teachers is one of the oldest In the
United States and has had a checkered
history and suffered many changes.
1t was originally known as Cumberland
College, and was created by an act of the
legislature of Tennessee passed September
II. 1905. In 1926 1t became the University
of Nashville, and as such continued un-
TIL the civil war, when Ii suspended educa-
tional work and the buildings were used
for military purposes.
After peace was restored. Gen. f. Kirby
Smith and Gen. Bushrod Johnson. two
eminent educators and soldiers resucitat-
ed and reorganized it. In 1879 the Pea
body trustees. in the distribution of the
interest from the generous bequest Of the
Baltimore philanthrOpst. agreed to give
it an annual allowance of $4,000 provided
the legislature made an equal appropria-
ton to maintain there a normal school
for the education of teachers.
The legislature failed or neglected to
fulfill its part of the bargain. The Pea
body trustees and the trustees of the Uni
versity of Nashville maintained the school
without any help from the state for six
years.
The lack of public interest. and the dis
couraging attitude OF the state officials.
caused the Peabody trustees to seriously
consider whether they should not withdraw
their aid from the Nashville institution
and give 1t to some other school in the
south, located among people who took
more liberal view OF education. The
merits Of Atlanta as a location were care
fully considered. and might have prevail
ed if the citizens of Nashville at the
last moment had not awakened to the
situation and guaranteed to pay the run
ming expenses of the school until the
legislature relieved them from that re-
sponsibility.
After many days and under the most
urgent appeals the legislature. in 1881,
made an appropriation of $4,000 and con-
tinued 1t annually for ten years when the
amount was raised to $4,000 and in
1901 it was increased to $4,000.