University of Virginia Library

THE CURRY MEMORIAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

EDWIN ANDERSON ALDERMAN, Ph.B., D.C.L., LL.D.

President of the University

JOHN LEVI MANAHAN, B.S., M.A., Ph.D.

Dean of the Department of Education

                                             

CHARLES GILMORE MAPHIS, Ped.D., LL.D.	Professor of Education
JOHN LEVI MANAHAN, B.S., M.A., Ph.D.	Professor of Educational Administration
GEORGE OSCAR FERGUSON, Jr., M.A., Ph.D.	Professor of Psychology and Education
WILLIAM ROYALL SMITHEY, M.A., Ph.D.	Professor of Secondary Education
LOUISE OATES, B.S., M.A.	Sadie Heath Cabaniss Memorial Professor of Nursing Education
GEORGE BASKERVILLE ZEHMER, B.S., M.A.	Associate Professor of Education and Director of Extension
EUSTACE EVANS WINDES, B.S., M.A.	Associate Professor of Secondary Education
FRANK ARTHUR GELDARD, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.	Associate Professor of Psychology
HENRY GRADY ACKER, B.S., M.S.	Assistant Professor of School Supervision, and Elementary School Supervisor
ALBERT LUTHER BENNETT, B.A., M.A., M.S.	Assistant Professor of School Administration
[1] ARTHUR MERRITT JARMAN, B.S.Ed., M.S.	Assistant Professor of Education
ADELAIDE ADELIA MAYO, B.A., M.A.	Assistant Professor of Nursing Education
AMELIA McLESTER, B.A., M.A.	Assistant Professor of School Supervision, and Elementary School Supervisor
EDWARD ALVEY, Jr., B.A., M.A.	Instructor in the Teaching of English in Secondary Schools
EARL BENTON BROADWATER, B.A., M.A.	Instructor in Secondary Education, and Principal of Meriwether Lewis High School
RUFUS CLAUDE GRAHAM, B.A., M.A.	Instructor in Secondary Education, and Principal of Greenwood High School
CLARENCE WILLIAM MILLER, B.A.	Instructor in Secondary Education, and Principal of Crozet High School
OSCAR GARTH FITZHUGH, B.S.Ed., M.S.	Instructor in the Teaching of Natural Science in Secondary Schools
CALVIN HALL PHIPPINS, B.A., M.A.	Instructor in Secondary Education
ROBERT EARL SWINDLER, B.S., B.A., M.A.	Instructor in the Teaching of Social Science in Secondary Schools
ROBERT CORNELIUS WINGFIELD, Ph.B.	Instructor in the Teaching of Mathematics in Secondary Schools
EDGAR STUART KIRACOFE, B.A., M.A.	Instructor in School Administration
MOLLIE B. WHITLOCK, Normal Diploma, University of Virginia Summer Quarter	Teacher in Liberty Experimental Rural School

HISTORY

The Curry Memorial School of Education was founded in 1905 as one
of the academic schools of the University. It was endowed by gifts of $100,000
from John D. Rockefeller and $50,000 from the General Education Board,
and was named in honor of Dr. J. L. M. Curry, the Southern educator.
There were originally two professionships in the School, the Curry Memorial
Professorship of Education and the Professorship of Secondary Education.
In 1914 a chair of Educational Psychology and Principles of Teaching was
added to the School, and two years later a Professorship of School Administration
was established.

In 1919 the School was organized into a Department of the University,
with four professorships, and was placed upon a professional basis similar
to that of the Departments of Law, Medicine and Engineering. The relation
of the Department of Education to the various academic schools of the
University remains close, however, since the academic training of students
of Education is obtained in the academic schools, and courses in Education
are credited toward the academic degrees.

In the spring of 1928 plans were matured to provide more adequate
facilities for observation, practice teaching, and experimental studies. The
school authorities of the City of Charlottesville and the County of Albemarle
joined with the University of Virginia in establishing a program of experimental
education and teacher-training. After the preliminary program
of organization had been approved, the General Education Board of New
York City granted to the University a subsidy of $20,000 a year for a period
of two years to forward the program and make possible its operation for the
session of 1928-29. The Rector and Visitors of the University made a supplementary
appropriation of $5,000 annually for a period of two years, thereby
giving the Department additional funds amounting to $50,000 for the biennium,
1928-1930.

PURPOSE

The rapid development of educational science and practice has made it
necessary that ample provision be made for the professional training of those
who expect to teach or to administer school affairs. The Department of
Education, therefore, aims to provide the following:

1. An opportunity for the study of Education as an important function
of society.

2. To give the necessary technical training for teaching and administration
to:

• a. University students, with or without experience, who intend to
  teach;

• b. Secondary school principals;

• c. Normal school teachers and administrators;

• d. College teachers of Education;

• e. School superintendents, supervisors, and other executives of schools
  of all grades in cities, counties, and states.

3. To develop scientific methods of testing school work and to furnish
demonstrations of the way in which these methods may best be applied, thus
developing a spirit of observation and experimentation tending to increase our
knowledge of the science and art of education.

4. To become a center of educational influence to which teachers of all
grades and kinds may come for information and educational guidance.

5. To furnish to the general public information on any phase of school
organization, administration, and supervision, thus helping to create a clearer
general understanding about Education and the State.

PEABODY HALL

Peabody Hall, the Education Building, was named in honor of George
Peabody, who in 1867 made his great gift to the cause of education in the
South. The building was made possible through a gift of $40,000 from the
trustees of the Peabody Education Fund. This amount was supplemented
by an appropriation of $12,000 from the Rector and Visitors of the University.
The building was completed in 1912, and is the home of the Curry Memorial
Department of Education.

The plans were drawn by a modern school architect, and approved by
some of the leading authorities on school architecture in this country. It is,
therefore, a model of excellence in this regard. It is one of the best equipped
buildings in the University, and has ample classroom and laboratory
facilities, and an excellent auditorium equipped with a modern motion picture
machine. Modern requirements in heating, lighting and ventilation are
exemplified in its construction without sacrificing conformity to the general
style of classic architecture prevailing in the University.

Adequate provision is made for a Departmental library, seminar rooms,
classrooms, psychological laboratory, and offices for the administrative officers
and teaching staff of the Department.

THE HECK MEMORIAL LIBRARY

The Department of Education maintains its own library in Peabody Hall,
named in honor of the first professor of Education in the University, the late
Professor William Harry Heck. The library was made possible through the
gift by Mrs. Anna Tuttle Heck of Professor Heck's private library containing
approximately 2,000 well-selected books on Education, and the transfer of
all books on Education from the General Library of the University. Splendid
equipment was procured through a gift of money from students in Education,
the Education Club and friends of Professor Heck. A gift of $3,000 from
Mr. Alfred W. Erickson of New York City has enabled the Department so
to strengthen its professional library as to offer very superior facilities to its
rapidly growing student body, by making possible the enrichment of every
course now offered. At present the library consists of several thousand select
books covering most fields of Education, a complete file of publications of the
United States Bureau of Education, various national, state and foreign documents,
state school laws, annual reports of state superintendents of public
instruction, city superintendents' reports, etc. Files of the leading educational
magazines are available for free use of the students. Exhibits of elementary
and high school texts for comparative studies are made available through the
generosity of various publishers.