TRAINING SCHOOLS IN TENNESSEE AND THE SOUTH.
By James H. Kirkland, D.C.L., Ph.D.
Illustrated by views of the Campus, Vanderbilt University.
It is the purpose of this paper to describe an educational movement that has grown largely out of the influence of Vanderbilt University. In its relation toward secondary schools this institution has been impelled by the necessity of securing students. At the opening of the University there were two methods of procedure open. One was to put the requirements for admission at a point where they could easily be met even by untrained pupils; the other was to adopt a high standard, exclude unprepared students, and accept the burden of getting them ready to meet these requirements. It has been this latter policy that has brought about the vital connection between Vanderbilt University and a large number of preparatory schools.
Southern educational conditions are bad enough now, but they were far worse in 1875, the year Vanderbilt University opened its doors. At that time the public school systems of the South were striving to get under way and make some impression on the mass of illiterates. Nothing could be attempted outside a few favored cities in the way of public high schools. The common schools were running ninety-three days in the year, spending 81 cents per capita of population and meagerly educating 45 per cent of the school population. Clearly it was useless to await the coming of the public high school. The old antebellum academies for the most part had passed out of existence. Here and there a few survived, preserving charters that antedated the war and memories of happier and more prosperous existence. If the early copies of the reports of the Commissioner of Education are consulted there will be found few secondary schools having any historic background. The Episcopal High School near Alexandria, Va., has a charter dating from 1854. The Abingdon Male Academy was organized in 1822, and the Bingham School at Mebaneville, N. C., in 1793. These and quite a number of others opened again after the end of the Civil War, but most of them had a brief and uncertain career. In the report for 1877, the earliest one at hand as this is written, we find also mentioned the old Mt. Zion Institute of Winnsboro, S. C., then in charge of R. Means Davis, who was afterwards prominently known in the educational history of that state. Others are the Hanover Academy, Taylorsville, Va., the Yeates School, Belleville, Va.; Fletcher Institute, Thomasville, Ga.; Dawson Institute, White Plains, Ga. The Madison Academy, Rutledge, Tenn., has now become a public high school, the Sam Houston Academy at Jasper, Tenn., has given place to Pryor Institute, and Green River Academy at Elkton, Ky., to the Vanderbilt Training School at the same place. Of all those mentioned only two, the Episcopal High School and the Bingham School, seemed to be really taking up the task of preparing students for college. Each of these sent ten students to college from the class of 1877.
As an attempt to meet the educational needs of the South, quite a large number of new schools sprang into being between 1870 and 1880. These were generally considered academies or secondary schools, but undoubtedly most of their pupils were of an elementary age. In many cases the teachers were unprepared for their tasks. They were doing the best they could, trying to instruct according to the needs of their pupils and trying to make a living for themselves. Many an old soldier and many a good woman, whose property was gone and whose natural supporters had fallen on the battle field, took up these opportunities to earn a scant subsistence. From such schools, few if any students went to college. The preparation was insufficient, the atmosphere of school life was not such as to awaken a desire for a college education, and the colleges made no effort to get in touch with the schools. In the report just mentioned, of 1877, about forty such schools—male academies—are enumerated in Tennessee, yet it was a rare thing for one of their pupils to go to college.
In general the preparation for college was done by the colleges themselves. Practically all established preparatory departments; in many cases the college professors taught these departments, and frequently they contained more students than the college classes proper. As endowments had been swept away and state appropriations hardly begun, the faculty had to be supported from the fees alone. In 1877 East Tennessee University, now the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Tenn., is credited with 195 preparatory students and 90 college students; the University of Mississippi with 257 preparatory and 174 college students; South Carolina College with 95 preparatory and 89 college students. Where some other institutions give no reports of preparatory students, we are inclined to believe it was because these had been fully incorporated with college students, under a most injudicious system of grouping, rather than that they were altogether lacking. From that system with all its faults we have not yet recovered. The best Southern colleges and universities have tried to eliminate this preparatory work, and where this could not be done, they have established independent academies, dissociated from all connection with the college proper. But quite a large number have not been able to take this step and still maintain the confused practice of reconstruction days.
Worse than the evils above enumerated was the creation of a number of chartered colleges and universities that were really nothing more than high schools, and in many cases did not furnish as good an education as an honest academy. Such institutions of course never sent students to college, but rewarded with baccalaureate and master degrees attainments insufficient to grace a freshman. Instead of being friends and fosterers of education, these institutions have often been its worst foes. They have served to transform ignorance into conceit, and make impossible true progress on a substantial basis. Boom towns have started universities as an advertisement; local high schools are called colleges in order to gratify local pride, and college degrees have become a farce. Thus we have in every Southern State colleges whose libraries contain less than a hundred volumes, whose scientific apparatus could be hauled away in a cart and cost less than $100, and whose endowment is nothing.
When Vanderbilt University opened its doors in 1875 it had no intention of receiving preparatory students; indeed, its first plan was to receive only such students as had completed half of their college course. Hence, preparation was made for two college classes and two university classes. But with the coming of the first class the ideals of the faculty were rudely shattered. A crowd of earnest but untrained students poured into the college halls. A large number of the courses that had been provided was found to be unsuitable and uncalled for, while there was an imperative demand for elementary classes in English, mathematics, Latin and Greek. In his report on the first year’s work Chancellor Garland stated that if the University had stood firmly by its rules it would have rejected fully two-thirds of those who had presented themselves for matriculation: “few had any power of fixed and prolonged attention or any practical knowledge of the modes of successful study.” In this way, then, Vanderbilt University found itself compelled to begin preparatory classes. These were continued for twelve years under protest. They were not advertised, no effort was made to secure students for them, but there were always enough candidates to make them a necessity. This continued until 1887 when they were finally abolished and the task of preparing students for the freshman class was boldly thrown upon the schools of Tennessee and the South. The immediate result of this step was alarming. Many prospective students saw it was needless to apply for admission, and of those that did apply a large per cent had to be rejected. The number of literary students fell to 112 in 1889-90; only 29 students finished the year in freshman English, and only 16 had been enrolled during the whole year in freshman Greek. But slowly the situation began to improve; schools arose to do the work demanded by the University and the number of students surpassed even the totals of former years. Gradually, too, it was seen that the University had not merely furthered its own interests, but had been the means of building up a whole system of training schools, thereby directly influencing for good the educational development of Tennessee and setting an example to the whole South. The results of this movement are worthy of special consideration.
Perhaps the University would not have dared to make the experiment it did if it had not felt sure of at least one strong school on which entire reliance could be placed from the very beginning. This was the Webb School, which had then been in operation seventeen years and which had recently been moved from Culleoka to Bell Buckle, Tenn. Shortly before Vanderbilt University was founded Mr. W. R. Webb came to Tennessee from North Carolina to engage in school work. Educated at Bingham School and the University of North Carolina, he had become familiar with the best methods of school work and realized the great need of such work in the South at that time. The establishment of a university in close reach of his school gave him an objective point for his labors, and his students were very promptly turned in that direction. So successful was the Culleoka school, from the very beginning, that in a few years Mr. John Webb, a younger brother, was brought in as partner. It would be hard to overstate the value of the work of these two men for Tennessee and the South. For thirty-five years they have labored, and have put their stamp for good on at least 2,500 Southern boys. Their patronage has come from every Southern State and the size of their school has been limited only by the number they were willing to receive. Their old students are scattered over all the world. A year ago when this writer was in Constantinople without an acquaintance, as he supposed, within a thousand miles, he was surprised to receive a call from the resident physician of Robert College, who was an old Webb boy, delighted at the chance of seeing some one he had known while at school. The Webb School has always been considered unique. Its buildings are plain and its furnishings are of the simplest kind. It has no scientific apparatus, for it is strictly a classical school. But it has a good library, the doors of which stand open winter and summer, day and night, and the books are used. Life is keyed to a high tone in the schoolroom, and the boys feel it. Form counts for little—perhaps too little—but substance counts for much. Professional students of pedagogy, visiting the school, go away surprised—and grieved, for they do not find much respect shown their pet theories. The whole school is wrapped up in the personality of the two men who have made it. Some of the Tennessee training schools could not have come into being or could not now continue without the support of Vanderbilt University, but the Webb School would have been a success under any circumstances. When the surroundings at Culleoka did not seem to be suited at one time to the success of school work, Messrs. Webb quietly informed the citizens that they would move the school, and they did. The success of the Webb School, as well as the demands of Vanderbilt University, have made it easy for other schools to come into being.
The Mooney School deserves mention next on our list. In 1886 Messrs. S. V. Wall and W. D. Mooney took charge of the school at Culleoka. After three years they removed to Franklin, Tenn., where they built up the well-known Battleground Academy. About eight years ago Mr. Wall removed to Honey Grove, Texas, where he still has a large school. Mr. Mooney continued the work at Franklin. In 1902 his school building was destroyed by fire, and he was induced to move to Murfreesboro, where handsome grounds and buildings had been provided for his use at an expense of about $30,000. The Mooney School has furnished many students to Vanderbilt University and they have frequently carried off the honors of the University for high scholarship. The Wallace University School was opened in Nashville, in 1886. The principal, Mr. C. B. Wallace, impressed himself so strongly on his pupils and patrons that a building was soon erected for his use in order to fix his school at Nashville. The Wallace School has sent more pupils to Vanderbilt University within the past ten years than any other school except Webb’s, and in proportion to its enrollment it is far ahead of any in University attendance. Fourteen of its graduates of June, 1904, entered Vanderbilt a few months later.
But it is necessary that our sketch proceed more rapidly. The popularity of the training school idea began to be manifest in many quarters. In McKenzie there had been established an institution known as McTyeire College—a college doing the work for an academy. Later this was transformed into McTyeire Institute, and Joshua H. Harrison, a Vanderbilt graduate, was put in charge. At present this school has for its principal James A. Robins and is growing in strength and influence every year. In 1892 the Louisville Methodist Conference established the Vanderbilt Training School at Elkton, Ky. This action was taken against the efforts of many who wanted a college, and is another proof of the recognition of sound educational values.
Quite a large number of other schools can be enumerated that owe their origin more or less directly to the policy of Vanderbilt University. Among these are the Branham and Hughes School, Spring Hill, Tenn.; the Peoples School, Franklin, Tenn.; the Morgan School, Fayetteville, Tenn.; the Smyrna Fitting School, Smyrna, Tenn.; Pryor Institute, Jasper, Tenn.; Union City Training School, Union City, Tenn.; Dresden Training School, Dresden, Tenn.; McFerrin School, Martin, Tenn.; Howard Institute, Mt. Pleasant, Tenn.; Jonesboro Training School, Jonesboro, Ark.; Fordyce Training School, Fordyce, Ark.; Bridgeport Training School, Bridgeport, Ala.; Luna Training School, Franklin, Ky.; Smith Grove Academy, Smith Grove, Ky.; Weatherford Training School, Weatherford, Texas; Hawkins School, Gallatin, Tenn.; Fitzgerald School, Trenton, Tenn.; Cornersville Training School, Cornersville, Tenn.; Training School, Anniston, Ala.; Bowen School, Nashville, Tenn.; Training School, Thomasville, Ala.; Culleoka Academy, Culleoka, Tenn. Not all of these schools have been equally successful; some of them, perhaps, have ceased to live, but the training school idea is stronger to-day than ever before. In some communities this kind of work finds little support or encouragement. Consequently, no training school can live or succeed there. Honesty and thoroughness are the qualities that have marked Vanderbilt training schools, and some people wish neither of these in educational work. Educational shams and fake universities and colleges still command the admiration and patronage of many.
Special attention should be called to the Branham and Hughes School at Spring Hill, Tenn. Though one of the youngest, this is now the largest and one of the most flourishing of the Tennessee training schools. Recently $15,000 has been spent for improvements of property. The enrollment for the present year is 316, and nine teachers are employed. The Peoples School at Franklin, Tenn., and the Morgan School at Fayetteville, Tenn., are also meeting with great success. Both of these have strong local support, having been provided with splendid new buildings, with dormitories and gymnasium; both have strong men at their head and more than 200 students apiece.
The result of this movement is that Vanderbilt University now receives a majority of its incoming class from the best schools in the South. In the fall of 1903 seventy-five students entered the University from schools more or less directly affiliated with Vanderbilt and imbued with Vanderbilt ideals. In September, 1904, four schools furnished the University fifty students. Within the past ten years ten schools have furnished the freshman class with more than five hundred students—that is, more than fifty every year.
Greater still is the result that has been accomplished for the general cause of education. While the Webb School has furnished the University about one hundred students in ten years, it has in that same time assisted in educating seven or eight hundred. Many of these did not finish their course at school, some finished and attended other universities, more finished and went to work. But on all the influence of those years of earnest, thorough school work will be an incalculable benefit. Similar is the record of all the other schools.
Still another outgrowth of this movement has been that training schools, owing no allegiance to any particular university, have sprung up in many points and are contributing largely to the intellectual development of our people. Excellent schools of this character may now be found in Memphis, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, and many small places.
Stimulated by Vanderbilt’s example, the Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools of the Southern States has been formed, an organization that is devoting itself to the upbuilding of good preparatory schools, whether public or private, and the enforcement of a respectable standard of admission to college.
Finally, we may ask the question whether this work will be permanent. Will not these schools disappear before the advance of the public high school? Perhaps so, to some extent, but never entirely. The public high schools have made great progress in Mississippi and Texas, stimulated by the demands of the state universities, but elsewhere in the South their progress is still slow. A recent article by Commissioner Harris gave a most cheering account of the growth of public high schools in the South. In that he records one hundred public high schools for Tennessee, with more than 5,000 students. But the records of the Commissioner himself will show that not as many students go to college from all this number as from half a dozen Vanderbilt training schools. In fact, one is forced to doubt the accuracy of many returns. For example, twenty-five of these hundred schools report a four year high school course; but only three years are reported for the high schools at Nashville, Knoxville, Jackson, Murfreesboro, and Columbia. Only Chattanooga and Memphis, of the larger cities, claim to have a four year course. The twenty-three other superior high schools are in many of the most unexpected localities. White’s Store reports a four year course, with one teacher and twenty-five pupils; Piney Flats, a four year course, with one teacher and twenty-one pupils; Dancyville, with one woman teacher and twenty-two pupils; Chuckey City, with one woman teacher and six pupils. From statistics such as these it is dangerous to make hasty generalizations.
Let the public high school come as rapidly as possible. Vanderbilt University will be its friend and fosterer, as it has been in the city of Nashville. But in any event it will ever remain true that a great work for education has been accomplished in its relation to private secondary schools. It was truly said by President H. N. Snyder, of Wofford College, some years ago; “If ever Vanderbilt University has had a mission, and has fulfilled it greatly and even gloriously, it is in the way it has helped to form what we understand as training or fitting schools.”
