The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1910-12-16

According to an act of the last Leg
islature the State Board of Education
has authority to locate a Negro Nor
NAL and Industrial School at some
point in the state. Efforts have been
made in Nashville and Chattanooga
to get the institution. Mr. Ben j.
Carr, who is the chairman of the cit
izeEs committee named some time
ago, has an been active worker to get
the institution located in this city. In
talking of the proposition and the
reasons for locating the institution in
Nashville he said:
Nashville is in the center of the
large Negro population of the state.
East Tennessee all told. has a Negro
population of 60,183, while Middle Ten
nessee and the western division have
a combined Negro population of more
than 100000 East Tennessee has at
Greeneville, at Riceville, at Athens, at
Cleveland, at Bristol, at Rogersvine
and at Morristown and at Knoxville
private schools for the education OF
the Negro, all of which were gifts to
them. The Morristown Normal and
llOOlIUJC 10 lOCdlCu uDOIl S6N6uly-
five acres of fine land with eight build
ings valued at $4,000 This school,
with Knoxville College, built by the
Presbyterians upon seventy-five acres
of good land with fifteen buildings
valued at $4,000, would seem to af-
ford excellent opportunities for the
education of the small Negro popula-
ton of East Tennessee, even if there
were not the smaller institutions. And
then, too, the state has already given
them some aid for Knoxville College
received in 1907 $3.50 from the state.
These schools are all so located that
they give easy access to those who
wish to attend.
Nashville is now prepared to make
as good offer or inducement in a sub
stantial way for its location as Chat
tannooga has made. In addition to
this its location at Nashville in the
very heart of the Negro population,
gives large advantage in the cost of
travel, This should not be over
| looked in determining the schools To-
cation. Nashville is the center of the
higher education of the Negro in the
entire United States, being blessed
with Fisk, Walden, Roger Williams
and Meharry, and not all of these can
accommodate the students who would
/ attend. The location of the Negro
Normal and Institute in proximity to
these will largely benefit the students
of all, for knowledge is required to
some extent by contact with the edu-
ucated.
1.-TWO of the largest Negro publish.
ing houses in the world are located in
| Nashville, to say nothing of the other
splendid Negro business enterprises
that are successfully managed by men
of the race, All these would serve
as inspirations for the students of the
school to be located by the state.
Again, the very best of feeling exists
between the white and cOlored citi.
zens of this county There is scarce
ly jar between them. and | believe
do not exaggerate when say that
The Mayor of Nashville has not an
enemy among our people here, No
place in the Union offers or has finer
building sites for such an institution
as the Normal and Industrial will be
than has Davidson County. So far
as can learn, the white people are en-
tirely willing that the school should be
located here and in proximity to 9th
er Negro institutions.
THE question of the location of the
State Normal and Industrial School
for Negroes is one of great import.
ance, as it concerns the interests of
the colored population of the state.
The competition in this respect has
narrowed practically to Nashville and
Chattanooga and to the mind of the
Banner there are cogent reasons why
Nashville should be selected for the
permanent location.