XXII. TENNESSEE.

Capital, Nashville. Area, 44,000 square miles. - Population, 1850, 1,002,717.

IN 1823, we find the first provision made for public schools by Tennessee. Certain lands north and east of the so-called Congressional Reservation Line were set apart to constitute "a perpetual and exclusive fund for the establishment and promotion of common schools in each and every county in the State." In 1827, a more specific bill was passed, constituting the Common. School Fund, as follows:-1. All the capital ($1,000,000) of the new State Bank, except the one half of the sum already received, and the interest on that capital. 2. The proceeds of the Hiwassee lands. 3. All lands previously appropriated in the State to the use of schools. 4. All vacant and unappropriated land to which the State holds, or may hold, title. 5. All the rents and mesne profits of school lands, accrued, and not already appropriated, or to accrue. 6. All the funds denominated school funds in the act of 1823. 7. All donations to the State, not specifically applied. 8. All the stocks owned by the State in the old State Bank at Knoxville, with the dividends due thereon. 9. Escheated lands. 10. The personal effects of intestates having no kindred entitled by the laws of distribution to the

same.

In 1834, this provision was incorporated into the amended Constitution; and provision was made for its management by a permanent Board of Commissioners, consisting of the State Treasurer, Comptroller of the Treasury, and an executive officer to be appointed, and called Superintendent of Public Instruction. This Board is entitled Board of Commissioners of Common Schools for the State of Tennessee. In 1838, the Bank of Tennessee was established, and the whole of the Common School Fund, except such as had been invested in works of internal improvement, was made a part of the capital, the State holding certificates of stock therefor. And $100,000, from the dividends of the bank, was to be annually distributed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the counties, according to the number of white persons between the ages of six and sixteen years.

It appears that this fund had accumulated, in 1855, to nearly $1,500,000, yielding an annual income of about $115,000. But the State still holds 3,543,824 acres of vacant lands, received from Congress for the support of common schools, hypothecated only as security for the State scrip issued as capital of the Bank of Tennessee. Their value should be sufficient, certainly, to double the invested Common School Fund. At present, they are not supposed to be very available.

At present (1858) the State Treasurer, Wm. F. McGregor, is ex officio Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The amount of money distributed for public schools on the third Monday

of July, 1856, was $202,726.30. The scholastic population was 289,609, each of whom received 70 cents. The amount distributed on the third Monday of July, 1857, was $ 201,976.60. The scholastic population was 288,538, each of whom received 70 cents. Great obscurity exists as to the School Fund, and the present Legislature has appointed a committee to make out its history.

TENNESSEE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

This Society is one of the most flourishing of all the historical associations in the United States. Its object is to collect and to preserve records relating to the early history of the country, and especially of the State. By a provision of its Constitution, if the Society ever becomes extinct by failure to keep up its organization, its library of books, papers, relics, curiosities, &c. revert to the State of Tennessec. Its meetings are held monthly at the Capitol.

Officers for 1857-58 (elected May 5, 1857): - President, A. W. Putnam. VicePresident, Thomas Washington. Corresponding Secretary, R. J. Meigs, Jr. Recording Secretary, A. Nelson. Librarian, John Meigs, Jr. Treasurer, W. A. Eichbaum.

XXIII. KENTUCKY.

Capital, Frankfort.-Area, 37,680 square miles. -Population, 1850, 982,405.

KENTUCKY has an educational system which has been in operation sufficiently long to have given it a somewhat fair trial. It is organized with reference to the peculiar wants and exigencies of the State, as these grow either out of the character of the population, or out of its distribution over the territory. For several years, the State has been territorially divided into districts of a convenient size; local officers have held the care of these; and a Superintendent of Public Instruction has had the general supervision of the interests of public education. And the provisions of the present School Laws [Revised Statutes, 599] are explicit and complete.

By these provisions, there is a permanent School Fund established, which can never be alienated, or encroached upon, for any other object. This fund amounted, January 1, 1856, to $1,443,164.73, with an available income, 1856, of $164,513.50. One section of the law is in the following words: "No part of said income shall be expended for the establishment of any school or seminary, other than common schools, in each county." And it is declared by law, that every school, which is put under the control of Trustees and Commissioners, pursuant to the system, "which shall be equally accessible to the poor as to the rich, and which has been actually kept for three months during the year by a qualified teacher, and at which every free white child in the district, between the ages of six and eighteen years, has had the privilege of attending, whether contributing toward defraying its expenses or not, and none other, shall be deemed a 'common school,' within the meaning of this chapter, or entitled to any contribution out of the School Fund."

As at present arranged, the general control of the school system is in the hands of a Board of Education, consisting of the Secretary of State, the Attorney-General, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction; the lastnamed member being the President of the Board, and, of course, its executive officer. From this Board are to emanate the regulations of the common schools, the recommendation of the courses of instruction to be pursued therein, and of the text-books to be used by the pupils. The Superintendent is appointed by the Governor, and is required to report to the Legislature a detailed account of the condition of the schools and their prospects.

Two acts of legislation of the year 1856 plainly indicate the position of educational interests in Kentucky. First, an act was passed to re-organize the Transylvanian University, so as to introduce into it a thorough plan of Normal School instruction, at the expense of the State. By this act, the County Commissioners are authorized and required to appoint State beneficiaries equal to the number of representatives in the lower branch of the

General Assembly, "making the number of pupils of this description, at the present time, one hundred and sixteen," for the purpose of educating so many persons, annually, as teachers for the public schools. Each beneficiary is required to teach a school in the State as long as his period of tuition, at public charge, at the University. $12,000, annually, is appropriated to carry out the provisions of this act. Second, an act was passed increasing the annual tax from one to three cents on a hundred dollars, 'for the purpose of increasing the Common School Fund' [income?]. This act was referred to the people, who voted upon its adoption; and the result is a striking illustration of the value put by the people upon the common school system. Yeas (in favor of the tax), 83,736; Nays, 25,756; or a majority of more than three to one voted to triple their taxes for the support of schools. — Am. Ed. Year-Book, 1857.

From the Superintendent's Report, dated February 28, 1857, we find that several changes have been made which render the organization of the gov ernment of public schools much more efficient than formerly. The Superintendent is required to report annually, and not biennially, as before, to the Legislature. The school year is changed from the 10th of November to the 31st of December. The appointment of one Commissioner of Common Schools in each county, instead of two or three, as in previous years, seems to meet with general commendation. Each Commissioner is appointed by the County Court, and holds his office for two years. He receives two dollars for each day of service, and is required to report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and to perform the duties which usually devolve upon such officers.

The School Funds are represented to be in a flourishing condition. The whole amount of bonds and bank stocks available for educational purposes was, in 1857, $1,455,332.03. The amount of income from all sources, apportioned among 104 counties for 1856, reached the very large sum of $291,630. The whole amount disbursed the preceding year was but $149,016.10, making an increase of $142,613.90, for 1856. The amount of the additional tax of three cents on $ 100 of taxable property, which was imposed by a special act of the Legislature, February 5, 1856, gave the large increase thus presented in the distribution.

The probable income for the year ending December 31, 1857, as estimated by the Auditor, was $ 289,013.50. This calculation was based on returns to the Auditor for 1856, of the taxable property of the State, which was $428,806,648. In concluding the subject of school finances in his Report, the Superintendent remarks: — "Thus the friends of universal education will perceive that the original sum of $850,000 devoted to public instruction by the Legislature, has gradually augmented until it has reached nearly a million and a half of dollars; the amount expended for common schools in 1846 was $ 9,002.20; in 1856 it was $291,630, an increase of $282,627.80 in ten years!"

The whole number of scholars between the ages of six and eighteen, reported to the office of the Superintendent for 1856, was 245,181. The highest number at school during the year was 139,805; the lowest number was 47,397; the average number was 92,367; whole number of districts in the State, 3,888, making an increase over the preceding year, in the whole number, of 30,179; in the highest number at school, of 26,042; in the lowest number at school, of 10,148; in the average number at school, of 19,334 and in the number of districts, of 514.

In the sixteen years since district schools, under State authority, were reported, the whole number of children reported to the Superintendent has advanced from 4,950, to the number of 245,181! and the average attendance in the same time has increased from 2,160 to 92,367 scholars, in 3,888 districts, in 104 counties.

This Society was incorporated February 1, 1838. Its objects, as set forth in a circular, published at the time of its organization, are to collect and preserve whatever may relate to the antiquities, the natural, civil, literary, and ecclesiastical history of this country, but more particularly of the State of Kentucky and the Mississippi Valley. The Society has generally held stated meetings at Louisville, and gathered quite a large quantity of pamphlets and books into its Library. It celebrated the first settlement of Kentucky with an oration from Rev. Robert Davidson, on the 5th of April, 1840. The oration was printed in a small volume, which contained a notice of the Mammoth Cave.

The first President of this Society was John Rowan. We have not received the officers for the present year.

For a full account of the origin and history of this Association, the reader can consult the American Quarterly Register, Vol. XV. p. 72.