University of Virginia Library

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.