Dorn compiles history of Peabody
by Ann Marie Deer Owens
The development of Peabody College into one of the preeminent institutions
of American higher education is documented in the recently published book
"A Brief History of Peabody College" by Sherman Dorn.
Dorn, research assistant professor of special education at Peabody, offers
historical perspective for Peabody's continued commitment to preparing teachers,
conducting educational research and serving the community.
James W. Pellegrino, dean of Peabody College, wrote in the book's foreword,
"I could not help but be struck by the uniqueness of this institution,
its many contributions and its entrepreneurial spirit. I am especially impressed
by its commitment to a set of principles and purposes, a commitment that
remains resolute."
One of Peabody's unique aspects is that it modeled itself after a university-based
school of education, even though it was independent until its merger with
Vanderbilt in 1979, according to Dorn, who is an associate of the John F.
Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development.
"Peabody as an independent school earned a national and international
reputation for having the research and graduate functions of a university
school of education," Dorn said. The George Peabody College for Teachers
included at times a demonstration school serving elementary and secondary
students, a school of farm life, a division whose staff conducted surveys
of school systems across the country, a library school, a music school and
liberal arts programs.
Dorn researched documents in the Special Collections department of the Jean
and Alexander Heard Library at Vanderbilt for his book, which begins with
George Peabody's $1 million gift in 1867 to rebuild public schools in the
South after the Civil War. His endowment of the Peabody Education Fund led
to the establishment of a teacher education school at the University of
Nashville. Tuition and travel scholarships enabled hundreds of teachers
from throughout the South to receive their training at the school, which
was called Peabody Normal College. Peabody also served as a local liberal
arts college for Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
In 1905 trustees of the Peabody Education Fund decided to move the school
from its downtown location to one closer to Vanderbilt University "both
physically and in spirit." George Peabody College for Teachers opened
in 1914 at its present location with 78 instructors and 1,108 students for
the summer. For the next several decades, there would be a pattern of more
students enrolled in the summer than the regular academic year.
"It is no accident that summer enrollments dwarfed academic-year enrollments
for much of the 20th century at Peabody, for the college explicitly sought
to train school leadership," Dorn said. "The college actively
recruited educators for advanced training, and until World War II, it held
a virtual monopoly on graduate programs in education in the South."
Dorn said that Peabody maintains close ties with public school officials
and continues to blend research on education, leadership and child development
with the practical aspects of classroom teaching, special education and
higher education administration.
The author also noted Peabody's renowned research into disability-related
issues and the creation of the John F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human
Development in 1965.
In his chapter "Presidential Strengths and Weaknesses," Dorn provides
a clear analysis of the persistent financial problems at Peabody from the
1950s that led to the merger with Vanderbilt. Peabody's small size and endowment
were two reasons the school was unable to stay independent. Many teachers
colleges had become part of state university systems and developed extensive
graduate programs after 1945. Dorn said Peabody was still a prestigious
teachers college, but had to compete for students with less expensive state-supported
institutions.
Under the merger agreement, Peabody retained its campus, its teacher education
and research missions, and its endowment. Unlike many other public and private
schools of education, Peabody kept its teacher education programs at the
undergraduate level. However, programs that were not directly related to
education and human development were eliminated, including Peabody's liberal
arts, music and art departments.
Dorn said Peabody has retained its commitment to teacher education and has
placed an even stronger emphasis on research in areas such as special education,
the use of technology to enhance learning and teaching, and organizational
leadership and social policy.
Peabody continues to be recognized for the services it directly provides
children and educators, such as the early intervention services at the Kennedy
Center's Susan Gray School; the FAST Track program, which works with families,
schools and young students at risk for chronic behavior problems; and the
Schools for Thought project. Schools for Thought encourages middle school
students to use technology to construct and manipulate their individual
and cooperative learning environments.
"Peabody has developed a significant service role because it asserted
leadership in the South in specific areas," Dorn said. "Peabody's
legacy is best represented by the work of its people and continued leadership."
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Document last updated Jan. 16, 1997