TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY'S PROGRESS
AS REPORTED IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE JOURNAL
OF THE
STATE OF TENNESSEE

58th General Assembly
January 6, 1913

        In the summer session of the Agricultural and Industrial Normal School there were 250 teachers from the various sections of the State. The fall term began with 230 students, and the enrollment has since increased to 340. No special opening ceremonies have yet taken place at the school, but the buildings were far enough advanced to hold a summer session in 1912, and it has been in successful operation during the present fall. The school has not yet been formally dedicated.

        Additional funds are badly needed to equip the Agricultural and Industrial Normal School for negroes. It is the policy of the State Board of Education to make the industrial features of that institution especially prominent, but they can make no greater progress until funds are available for tools, machinery, farm implements, etc.

59th General Assembly
January 4, 1915

        A portion of President Hale's report to the State Board of Education:

To prove that industrialism is the keynote of the institution, let us call your attention to these facts:

  1. All of the cleaning of dormitories and main building is done by students.
  2. All of the keeping of the grounds is done by students.
  3. All thoroughfare, including gravel roads and cement walks have been built by students. These same boys have erected an iron fence of more than a mile around the campus, each point being imbedded in rock.
  4. All work on farm is done by student labor and as result of their willing labor, nearly all vegetables used in the boarding department are raised on the farm.
  5. All of the bread used in school is made by our girls and likewise all of the cooking for the entire school is done by the students.
  6. The laundry of the school is done by our steam electric laundry, operated by students.

        Our school affords various departments; namely, the Mechanical-Department, Agricultural Department, Domestic Science Department, Domestic Art Department, and accompanying these are those literary subjects necessary in making them efficient in their various industries.

60th General Assembly
January 1, 1917

        Selected portions of Dr. Hale's Annual Report to the General Assembly:

Dear Sir: I have the honor of submitting the following report on the work of the Agricultural and Industrial state Normal for the year of September 1, 1915 to September 1, 1916. This has been the most successful year in the history of the school, both in point of attendance and work accomplished. The colored people of the State are rapidly waking up to the importance of industrial education and are sending their children here in increasing numbers each year for the purpose of preparing them along industrial lines. So great has been the demand for industrial work that it has been necessary to employ additional teachers in almost all industrial departments.

Enrollment: First year, 250; Second year 656; Third year 883; Fourth year 1,311; Fifth year 1,246.

        On account of the limited dormitory space we have been forced to turn down applications of students from various parts of the State, when suitable homes could not be found in the surrounding community. We, therefore, need dormitory space for four hundred instead of two hundred. Among other needs of the institution some of the most urgent are: Trade building for girls, addition to present trade building for boys, agricultural building and teachers' home.

        The school is one mile from the car line. We recommend that the Legislature adopt suitable resolutions asking the Nashville Street Railway and Light Company to extend its lines to this school. We further recommend that our Senators and Congressmen use their efforts to have the school made a Military Training School. We further ask that the City of Nashville extend its corporate limits to include the school campus and buildings, so as to give them fire and police protection.

        In conclusion, I would say that we attribute the success of this year's work, the greatest in the history of the school, to the hearty cooperation and liberal support of the Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

        Thanking you in behalf of the colored people of the State for past favors, I am Sincerely yours, W. J. Hale, President.