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 professorships 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 1928-1929. 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.
