Passed on April 27th, 1909 by the 56th General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, the General Education Bill of 1909 established state funding for the establishment and maintenance of normal schools devoted to the education and professional training of teachers in the state of Tennessee. One normal school was established in each division of the state.Two years later, using funding from this act, East Tennessee State Normal School was founded in 1911 and would eventually become East Tennessee State University.