The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-02-23
PROF. BRISTER
BRINGS NEWS
HE WENT ON EDUCAT-
IONAL TOUR
Greatly Encouraged
Over the Outlook
Sees Bright Future for Negro Normal
in Tennessee-visited Hampton
and Other Ponts-Industria
Feature of Work Appealed to
Hlm-State's School Must
RANK With Best.

Prof. ]. w. Brister, who recently
returned from Washington, had the
following to say about educational
matters:
| have had pleasant, and hope
profitable trip. went first to Washing
ton, where l had conferences with
DR.. Clayton, United States Commits
sioner of Education, and with ex-
perts in his Office on educational ques-
tons; also with Messrs. Rose and
Bourland, old Nashville men, who
represent the Peabody Education
Board and the Southern Education
Board; and with specialists in the
Agricultural Department on the prob.
lens of rural life and of the rural
school as one of the important factors
in that life.
| am thoroughly confirmed in my
Judgment that the condition of edu-
catonal progress in the rural dis
tricts is the consolidated school, and
it Is interesting to know that our sit
uation Is not unique in this respect:
the leading educators of the whole
country who are trying to improve
the rural school situation are insist
ing upon consolidation and transpor-
tation as absolutely necessary.
Another pressing need of the rural
school, as We have already pointed out
in Tennessee, is in the matter of gu
pervisicn. Here is another problem
on which educators are at work, and
we hope in Tennessee to join with
the other states in securing more adj
equate and capable supervision and
direction, Of the rural schools.
may say just here that we propose
to conduct an educational campaign
in the state this summer covering
every county with the special purpose
Of creating sentiment in favor of con-
solidation. We realize that we need
to agitate this question and inform
the people as to it's advantages, and
know that when they are informed as
to the greater efficiency of consoli-
dated schools they will respond to
our APPEAL and cooperate with us.
OF course there will be other issues
to be presented in this campaign, but
the matter OF consolidation will be
made prominent in all our meetings.
My special purpose, however, on
this trip was to visit some Negro
schools to study their organization
with a view If more intelligently as
sisting in the organization of the Ag-
ricultural and Industrial Normal
School for Negroes that will soon be
opened in Tennessee. l went to Hamp-
ton, the site of one of the greatest
Negro schools in the world. l also
visited the Virginia Normal and In
dustrial Institute for Negroes located
near Petersburg, Va, state school
very similar in size and equipment
to that which we can start in Tennes-
see. At both of these schools / was
impressed with the emphasis which is
placed upon tne agricultural and in
dustrial features and the serious en-
deavor to dignity labor, to create re-
spect for those occupations which
have generally been regarded as most
mental. All Of the instruction, even
in the purely academic studies, so far
as l could observe, was concerned
with problems of real life. It seemed
to grow out of human needs, and the
various activities of the school were
directed towards the accomplish
ment of things that were vital and
necessary to be done ] am sure that
these features of the educational proc
ess would be helpful to all our
schools, white as well as colored and
it is my hope that we shall be able to
establish here at Nashville this
school Ter Negroes that will give them
that typs of education which will be
best for them and for the State. We
have chance to organize a splendid
institution for them here, and I know
nothing that I would rather do than
to assist in directing it along right
limos