James Robertson, known as the "Father of Tennessee", and John Donelson are credited with founding Nashville after heroically leading the first group of settlers to this area in 1779. Both men envisioned a community with schools and churches. Robertson's wife, Charlotte Reeves, was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. She taught her husband to read and write, and her legacy lives on in the honor of having Charlotte Avenue named after her. Robertson was elected as Tennessee's county representative to the North Carolina legislature. In that capacity, he pushed through legislation to incorporate Nashville as a town, to provide 640 acres to each of the original inhabitants or their heirs, and to establish a school.

As a result of his efforts, Davidson Academy, Nashville's first school, was opened in 1786 at the Spring Hill Meetinghouse on Gallatin Rd. Tuition was fixed at four pounds per annum, "hard money", but revenues from a ferry were designated to maintain the school. This one-room school was held in a small rustic stone church, but prestigious in being taught by Thomas B. Craighead, a Presbyterian minister with excellent credentials. Classes were six days a week, with the Sabbath being set aside for preaching. James Robertson's own sons, Jonathan, James Randolph, Peyton and Felix walked eleven miles everyday to attend, while his daughter was tutored at home. The young scholars, wore "homespuns" and moccasins. They studied from a library of 48 books and wrote with goose-quill pen using pokeberry ink with the only lighting being from small windows. Keeping firewood cut for the fireplace was among the student's responsibilities. Less than ten students were enrolled, but Nashville had a population of approximately 400 people then. School was totally on a volunteer basis.

In 1799, the school was merged with Federal Seminary. When the school was relocated, it gave birth to Cumberland College in a three story brick building downtown. Craighead's leadership was so established that he continued to serve as Cumberland's president from 1806 to 1809. In 1816, Nashville Female Academy opened. There were money problems, and even with selling off land, the college had several years of being closed. By 1826, the college was renamed the University of Nashville. Benefiting from a fund set up by George Peabody, a wealthy northern capitalist who wanted to improve the faltering southern school system, the university was christened Peabody College in honor of their benefactor.

Tennessee School for the Blind founded by James Champlin, was established as a "state" school for the blind in 1844. The first facility, built on Lebanon Rd. at Asylum St. was appropriated as a military hospital during the Civil War by the Federal troops, who later destroyed it by fire. The school was relocated to the donated Claiborne mansion at 108 Hermitage Ave. where it flourished for 80 years. In 1952 one hundred acres of Clover Bottom Farm, part of Andrew Jackson's estate, was allocated for new facilities. Tennessee School for the Blind moved into their new building on 25 acres of this historical plantation in Donelson, while the remaining 75 acres was set aside for farming. Nashville was home to one of the first seeing eye dogs, Buddy Fortunate Fields. The dog's owner, Morris Frank was a pioneer for people with disabilities.

One hundred years ago, Tennessee had no state supported schools, and less than half of the eligible children attended. In 1853, Nashville became the first Southern city to start a public school system by laying the cornerstone of Hume School giving it the honor of being the first public school. Three stories high, it originally housed all grades with the high school students upstairs with separate halls for boys and girls . Greek and Hebrew were among the subjects taught. The Fogg School was built in 1874. The two schools were consolidated into the Hume-Fogg School which has survived intact since 1911. Today Hume Fogg, which offers specialized study in foreign languages, is a beautiful gothic stone fortress with dark wooded high ceiling hallways. High academic requirements are a must to be enrolled as it is now a magnet school.

Pearl High School was built in 1883 as a grammar school for Negroes on old South Summer Street, but moved to 16th Ave. North in 1917. Pearl was considered one of the leading black academic high schools in America. It was moved again in 1936 to it's current location. As a result of court imposed busing, Pearl was closed in 1983. Three years later, it re-opened as Martin Luther King Magnet School at Jo Johnston and 17th Ave. North.

In 1913, a compulsory school attendance law was passed. County high schools were built, and teacher's salaries were supplemented. Enrollment or transfer requirements for all public school students are a birth certificate, immunization record, medical examination and transcript from any former school. Students must be five years old by October 1 to enter kindergarten. The school year begins in late August and usually ends in early June, dependent upon completing any make-up days. With the reverence most Tennesseans have for learning, taxpayers support improvements to our public schools of today for a good educational system. While not having enough or the best of computers, Tennessee was the first state to wire all its public schools to the internet with a fiber-optic link in their libraries.

Sixty local private and parochial schools offer parents and their children even more choices in education.

Education is further emphasized with sixteen higher education colleges and universities including Fisk, Lipscomb, Belmont and Trevecca Nazarene. Started in 1850, Vanderbilt, a prestigious medical, research and hospital school, merged with Nashville University in 1874. Interestingly, out of the first combined class of 84 graduates, only 13 chose for their diploma to read "Vanderbilt". Meharry Medical, certifying more black doctors than any other medical college in the world, was the first black medical school in our nation. T.S.U., Tennessee State University was founded in 1912. George Peabody College for Teachers and Blair School of Music were part of Chancellor Alexander Heard's expansion of Vanderbilt. Aquinas College, administered by the Dominican Sisters, offers the only Catholic program for a degree in elementary education for both public and parochial schools available in Middle and East Tennessee.

College tuition is increasing. Governor Don Sundquist is advocating a new 3-1/2% flat state income tax to fund higher education for college students, professors, employees and research facilities. Our universities are claiming they need more money to attract the best teachers, but their governing boards are handing out large pay raises and bonuses to the top and retiring administrators first. For example, the successor to Chancellor Charles Smith is expected to receive a salary of $250,000 a year, while the Regents propose to pay Smith another $38,960 a year as an emeritus stipend. Thirteen other retired administrators get similar stipends in addition to retirement pay.

In Nashville, you can also find specialized education in various career choices at Nashville State Technical Institute, Watkins, Draughons Junior College, John A. Gupton College, Institute of Art & Design, Law Enforcement Training Academy, Nashville Auto Diesel College, Flight Training at AirTech, and Nashville Auction School.

Nashville has a Public Library system which offers a multitude of services in widespread locations. They not only are a reference center for books, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, photographs, government archives, video rentals, etc. but also have computer terminals and copying machines. There is additional assistance for the hearing impaired and a "talking library" for the visually impaired or disabled. For the children, there are marionette shows and story hours.

Books are an important aspect of education. Nashville has a Southern Festival of Books at Legislative Plaza every October. Books are signed by authors from around the U.S., and discussions can be very lively.

Elder's Bookstore in an easily overlooked short strip of older shops is definitely unique. Elders advertises one of the South's most complete collections of Southern non-fiction, particularly Civil War era. With its stunning collection of stained glass lamps, the store is dusty with piles and rows of vintage, rare and interesting books. My experience has been the prices are negotiable, and a real bargain for an avid reader or book collector. 2115 Elliston Place

NASHVILLE

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