to go to school.”56 Thayer‘s first faculty consisted of himself and one assistant. By 1878 more teachers had been added to the faculty.57 The principal improved his own education by completing a Master of Arts degree58 from Wesleyan University.59 Thayer and his faculty of "assistants" were praised in an 1881 article for their fine work.60 An unusually large number of students, two hundred fifty, was reported for the year l878ml879.61 Three courses of study were offered to the students that year--—Eng1ish, Normal, and Theological. The de- signation “English“ usually referred to the elementary levels; there- fore it was described in the 1878 advertisement as "Embracing a thor- ough drill in all the common branches.“ The Normal course for teacher tpreparation included the subjects of physiology, philosophy, Latin, algebra, history, physical geography, map-drawing, bookkeeping, and the special course, "Science of Teaching.” The Theological course was

62

based upon studies prescribed in the Methodist Discipline.

“—

56Greensboro Carolina Beacon, June 20, 1880.

57N.

C. Conference, Minutes, 1878, p. 11. ssFreedmen's Aid Society,Twelfth Annual Report, 1879, p. 37.

59“First Head of Bennett College Recalls Early Days in Letter to Dr. D. D. Jones,“ Greensboro Daily News, January 19, 1938.

60 Greensboro Daily Battle-Ground, June 9, 1881. 61

62 N. C. Conference, Minutes, 1878, advertisement on back page.

Freedmen's Aid Society, Twelfth Annual Report, 1879, p. 39.