Unveiling history, 差 exploring the writings of first president

Sidney Gilbreath was the first president of 东 田纳西州 State University, then called 东 田纳西州 State Normal School, from 1911-25.  

The Archives of Appalachia has recently curated an online exhibit, “Presidential Ponderings: The Writings of Sidney Gilbreath,” showcasing his published writings from the 1920s and for the Johnson City Press-Chronicle, 从1943年到1985年. 

“He was an intelligent and caring man, but he had no tolerance for slackers or ignorance,” said Sandy Laws, curator of the exhibit. “And by ignorance, I mean those who do not take the time to find out all the information about something before they get angry 把它说出来. 他是个讲求事实的人.” 

Gilbreath is well known for choosing the site for the original administration building, 现在叫做吉尔布雷斯大厅. He went against the spot the committee favored, a site on a steep hill to showcase the beauty of Johnson City – most likely where the Davis 今天的公寓.

The president, it turns out, was concerned about the practicality of forcing workers to haul materials up the incline. Gilbreath also oversaw the construction of the first library on campus, now the beloved Reece Museum. 

Gilbreath was born in 1869, a mere four years after the American Civil War ended. 他于1961年去世.   

His writings are “very true to the period in which they were written,” Laws said, noting that English and history students could well take an interest.  

What is especially striking is Gilbreath’s strong advocacy for education and teachers’ 权利.  

He wrote passionately about how underpaid and mistreated the profession was. 东 田纳西州 State Normal School was originally a two-year teacher’s college and expanded into a four-year teacher’s college that awarded bachelor’s degrees under Gilbreath. 

“The most important of our internal problems is the education of its citizenship ... this nation is becoming more poorly educated in the schools as a result of the war. The better teachers must be kept by better salaries,” wrote Gilbreath during World 大战. 

During his tenure, Gilbreath oversaw multiple new features for the college. 一些 这些包括:  

• 
  The organization of the alumni association 
• 
  第一支足球队 
• 
  辩论队 
• 
  The first yearbook, “Old Hickory”  
• 
  The student army training corps  
• 
  The first school newspaper, “The Chalkline” 

Laws is only partially through 12 folders of Gilbreath’s writings and is publishing new batches of content monthly.  

His distaste for daylight saving time, critique of the imagination of the American people and strong opinions over the importance of having good penmanship are just a few of the topics covered in his writings. Gilbreath’s 80-page autobiography, “Good Morning, Professor,” is also included in the exhibit. 

Part of the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services at 差, the Archives of Appalachia is home to scores of documents, many that are unique to the area. Personal letters, images and even sounds note what life was like generations ago in the Appalachian Highlands.   

The public is welcome to peruse digital collections, as well as pay a physical visit.   

 欲知详情，请浏览 差.edu/cas/cass/archives/.    

东 田纳西州 State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, 差 is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. 大学也 boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. 差 serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of 债务.