DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. To His Excellency, Gov. M. R. Patierson: The chief function of an annual report is to furnish as nearly as possible a correct standard of measurement for ascertaining our educational progress. The present biennial report in many respects furnishes unmistakable evidence of rapid and substantial educational advancement during the past two years. THE GENERAL EDUCATION BILL. The General Education Bill passed by the last legislature unifies the school system, and provides for the growth and expansion of all its different parts. The State is interested alike in the full and harmonious development of all its schools. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. The function of the elementary school is to banish illiteracy from the State, and to prepare all the children of the State for good citizenship by giving them at least a rudimentary education. A large majority of our children never go beyond the elementary school, and for that reason the efforts of the State Department have been very largely directed toward the improvement of the elementary rural schools. This can be more clearly shown by the following: In 1900 there were only 23 counties in the State levying as much as 40 cents on the $100.00 worth of property for elementary schools; in 1905 there were 40 counties levying as much a 40 cents school tax on the $100.00 worth property; in 1910 there are 89 counties levying as much as 40 cents school tax on the $100.00 worth of property. This shows a consistent and substantial growth in school interest for the past ten years. A similar growth is shown in the increase of the value of school property, teachers' salaries, length of term. The above tables, taken from the records, indicate more explicitly what is being done for the elementary schools of the State than many written descriptive pages. The elementary schools are at present undergoing an evolution; they are yet to be thoroughly and closely organized. A State graded course of study has been prepared, (a copy of which appears elsewhere in this report), but no course of study is of much avail till it is understood, appreciated, and felt in every fiber of the public school teacher. COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS. Chapter 279 of the Acts of 1899 empowers the County Court "to provide for establishing and maintaining one or more County High Schools for the instruction of the children of the County", with a further proviso that a special high school tax may be levied in addition to other taxes for schools, not to exceed fifteen cents on the $100.00 worth of property. This Act made the high school strictly a County institution, operated and maintained wholly by the county, with practically no regulation or restriction as to what the course of study should be. It could have been made only a secondary school, or if the Board of Education so willed, it might have a course of study co-extensive with the college. In order to define and limit its field, and to standardize and systematize the work, and to encourage counties to establish and maintain a system of high schools, Chapter 264 of the Acts of 1909 provides that: "It shall be the duty of the State Board of Education to grade a'l high schools now established and maintained, or that in the future may be established and maintained under the provisions of the County High School Law; to prescribe their minimum courses of study, requiring the elements of agriculture and home economics to be taught in all schools; and to classify them as high schools of the first, second and third class." Acting in conjunction with the State High School Inspector, all high schools have been classified by the State Board of Education, and furnished proper courses of study to meet the requirements of the above Act. (A full statement of the High School work, prepared by the State High School Inspector, will be found elsewhere in this report.) The function of the High School is to offer, free of cost, to every child an education that will fit the individual for good citizenship by better preparation for the various activities of life; to furnish the connecting link between the elementary school and the college or university; to perfect and unify the County system of schools; to furnish better prepared rural teachers; to stimulate the elementary school by giving opportunity and encouragement to the individual to go higher, thus prolonging the period of school life. STATE NORMAL SCHOOLS. Section 7, Chapter 264, Acts 1909, provides: "That thirteen per cent of the General Education Fund provided by this Act may be used for the establishment and maintenance of Normal Schools solely for the education and professional training of teachers for the elementary schools of the State as herein provided. One Normal School for the education and professional training of white teachers shall be established and maintained in each Grand Division of the State, and shall be open and free alike to white males and females resident in the State of Tennessee; and one Agricultural and Industrial Normal School for the industrial education of negroes and for preparing negro teachers for coinmon schools shall be established and maintained, and shall be open and free alike to negro males and females resident in the State of Tennessee; but no person shall be admitted to either of these schools who is under sixteen years of age and who has not finished at least the elementary school course prescribed for public schools of the State; nor shall any person be admitted to either of the Normal schools for white teachers who does not first sign a pledge to teach in the public or |