Evening star., 1909-04-18
DRAWN TO NASHVILLE
Thousands Attracted to Its
Institutions of Learning.
IAN EDUCATIONAL CENTER
Great Development Of the Wander
bilt University.
HAS OVER THOUSAND STUDENTS
It's Law Library One Of the Best in
the South-Usefulness Of the In
stitution Might Be Increased.
HAS OVER THOUSAND STUDENTS

stitution Might Be Increased.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record-Herad.
NASHVILLE. Tenn, April 16, 1909.
am told that there are nearly $4,000
pupils and students In the schools Of
Nashville, Of whom about 1900 are in
private institutions, including several
universities colleges and eeminaries. OF
these nearly all come from outside the
city, and make Nashville one of the great
est educational centers In the country.
Indeed. the people here assert that, ex-
cepting New York, Boston. Chicago and
Washington, Nashville has larger school
population from outside Its limits than
any other American city. This IL prob
ably true, SO far as young colored men
and women are concerned, and the pro-
fessional schools for colored people here
rank very high. There are also q number
Of high-class schools for the education
Of young women. having altogether about
1900 students from the north as well as
the south. who are attracted here by
the climatic as we'll as the educational
advantages.
One of the first things in Nashville was
a school. The city was founded In the
spring Of 1779, by James Robertson, who.
with seven others, planted q field OF corn
near the mouth Of French Salt Lick. They
left three men here to keep the deer and
buffalo from devouring their corn and
went to see Gen. George Rogers Clark.
out In Illinois. to obtain land titles or
cabin rights" as they were called IN
Virginia and North Carolina to get their
families. The women and children. their
household furniture. camp equipments.
agricultural implements and the rest of
the meager outfits of these pioneers were
Cumberland rivers. but the men folks
came overland.
Early Woman Suffrage.
The state Of Tennessee was created In
1895; the city OF Nashville was created
in 1906 and everybody who owned q
foot of land. women AZ we'll as men.
black as wen as white. were allowed to
vote for mayor and commissioners. and
believe II sis one OF the earliest cases Of
woman suffrage on record.
The first school was set up before the
city was founded. James Robertson's
sister taught the children on the boat
during the journey down the river.
Davidson Academy was founded IN 17So,
as Cumberland College. then the Uni
versity of Nashville, and now George
Peabody College for Teachers. In 1858
the Methodist missionaries among the
become Walden University. and the
American Missionary Association estab-
lished the Fisk University the Same year.
Commodore Vanderbilt founded the uni
versity which bears his name in 1873,
and Roger Williams University for col
ored people arose shortly after. The
Meharry Medical College for colored
people was founded In 1879. and Is the
largest and most complete for that race
in the United States. The Belmont
Boscobel and other institutions for young
women have held pre-eminent positions
ever since they were started. and have
contributed materially to the reputation
of Nashville as an educational center.
Founding Of Vanderbilt University.
Commodore Vanderbilt married a SOUTH
ern woman who was related to Bishop
Pyrei of the Methodist Church, and 1t
was through the influence of that good
man that Vanderbilt University was
founded, first by q gift Of half a million
dollars, which was afterward doubled.
William H. Vanderbilt. the son of the
founder. gave half a million more for
buildings and endowment; Cornelius Van
derbilt, the grandson, founded the school
of mechanical engineering enlarged the
library and in his will left $4,000 toward
the endowment. William X. Vanderbilt.
another grandson of the founder. built
in 1907 contributed $4,000 toward other
buildings. The citizens Of Nashville raised
$4,000 toward the purchase of grounds
and contributed $4,000 toward the re-
building fund. Mrs. Mary ]. Furman be-
queathed $4,000, which has been used to
erec- a science building and laboratories.
in 1907, in memory of her husband. who
was originally a tailor OF Dayton, Ohio.
He came here after the war In the same
business and prospered. and finally es-
tablished large dry goods store on the
public square.
Mrs Sarah E. Atkinson founded bib
lical school with $4,000 and there have
been several legacies and gifts from $1,CO0
productive endowment of the university
is now $1,37O,OOO. and the annual income
is about $15O,OOO.
pus of Seventy-six acres occupying an
elevation on a level with Capitol Hill
about two miles from the center of the
city. and reached by lines of trolley cars
Not long ago 1t was on the outskirts of
the city but is being rapidly surrounded
by handsome residences. Few institutions
have so noble a situation. The buildings
are imposing and of architectural merit
They are surrounded by groves in which,
L aim IOlO, tneTe are lOU varieties OI Trees
and walks and driveways have been laid
out with taste. The president, Or. Kirk
land. and several members of the faculty
have comfortable cottages on the campus
There are several fraternity houses also.
and a base bail and foot ball field.
The value of the university grounds is
reckoned at $iG0.OcO, the value of the
building at saO.O0O and the value of the
apparatus at $225, ,0O0 which. with the en-
dowment. makes the total assets OF the
institution 50 SsA5COO.
Tributes to Vanderbilt.
Occupying a commanding position is
statue of the late Commodore Vanderbilt,
the founder. which was erected twelve
years ago, and bears this inscription:
Presented to Vanderbilt University.
May ~. 1897. by the citizens of Nashville
in honor of the generous founder, whose
broad patriotism had its highest express
sion in this institution of learning. and
whose name and memory will be forever
cherished by the people Of the South"
Upon the second side of the pedestal is
the following highfalutin resolution pass
ID by the Tennessee legislature. January
8, 1877:
Mr.. Vanderbilt has achieved fame as
enduring as the builders of the pyramids.
So long as Tennessee shall remain free.