In this era of the practical, education is keenly alive to the need for the purposive; and “vocational training” is the watchcry of the majority of educators, as well as of those parents who would anticipate lives of definite usefulness for their children. America is one of the most businesslike of nations and her commercial leaders are demanding an ever better preparation of those who would enter the arena of business life. In lieu of this need, much credit is due the men who conduct and supervise institutions for thorough training in both educational foundations and the practical superstructure of business courses. Among these we note Charles Andrew Derryberry, who is personally responsible for the present School of Business in Jackson, the first institution of its kind ever organized in this place. Of its originator and head, not only professional data, but also genealogical and biographical information of a personal kind will he of interest.
In Uptonville, Madison county, Tennessee, Charles A. Derryberry was born on May 9, 1870. His parents were William Jordan Derryberry and Narcissa Weathers Derryberry. On the parental farm which was his birthplace and his father’s lifetime residence, Charles Derryberry spent his juvenile days, attending the rural schools of his vicinity. From these he passed to the high schools of Hayward county. On completing this period of his education, he entered professional life, deferring special and more advanced courses until a later time. The schools of Madison county were the first field for Mr. Derryberry’s activities as a teacher. After his service in that region, he followed the same line of work in Henry county. Having thus served his own state for a goodly term of years, he then accepted positions in the high schools of Graves county, Kentucky. Altogether his period of public school teaching continued until 1901.
In the year mentioned Mr. Derryberry became a student in the Southwestern Baptist University in Jackson, where he carried full courses for two years. At the end of that time he was tendered, in recognition of his proficiency and his pedagogical acumen, the position of principal of the Stenographic Department in this same institution. Tn 1905 the university authorities deemed it best to confine the college curricula to classical, literary and scientific lines, leaving the commercial training to independent outside enterprises. This gave Professor Derryberry an excellent opportunity to further define his own work along individual lines. He therefore established the Jackson School of Business in that same year of 1905. This was the first school of business ever established in the city of Jackson. It has flourished in gratifying degree and stifi continues its important work, with Mr. Derryberry as its head.
Professor Derryberry has become identified with many of the prominent movements of Jackson. He has numerous fraternal associations, including’ the following: The Free and Accepted Masons, Lodge 45; the Knights of Pythias, Lancelot Lodge 13, of which he is a past chancellor; and the Woodmen of the World, in Lodge 469. He is an intelligent political thinker, adhering ‘to the main doctrines of the Democratic party. The religious connections of the Derryberry family are with the Baptist church. The home of Charles Andrew Derryberry was established in 1892, on which date he was united in marriage to Miss Pearl Birge Graves, of Grundy Center, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Derryberry are the parents of two children, named Voris Graves and Flo S. Derryberry. The family is one of both intellectual and social importance in Jackson.
Source: Tennessee and Tennesseans Vol. 5
