Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-03
DIR. A. ID. MayO's Address at Leu
brie's TheAter.

At Leubrie's Theater last night, DR.
A. D Mayo, of Boston, lectured befor
a delighted audience on the interest
ing question, How Does Universe
Education Pay?" The speaker,
pleasant voiced and courtly gentleman
was accompanied on the stage by Su
perintendent Collier and other gent.e
men connected with the Board o
Education, and introduced to tn,
audience by MIR. Rambaut, Presiden
Of the School Board.
DR.. Mayo reviewed an extensiv,
field of thought, introducing statistics
and anecdotes in support and illustra
ton OF his subject, and held fast tht
attention Of his hearers for the two
hours consumed in his address.
He had long entertained the idea o.
personally inspecting the educationa
institutions Of the South, and three
years ago began a tour as an eduCa'
lional missionary in the Southern
States, meeting everywhere with
kindness and encouragement. His
experience iE twelve States of the
South, where he had lectured and
travelled, was most gratifying. The
whole body Of the people Of the
Southern States was aroused to the
Importance Of two great questions
the development Of their industrial
resources and the education of the
masses. Universal education en-
braced the common school, the acad-
envy and the university; it meant the
proper training Of the body and the
mind OF man as q social, political and
Christian being. No people anywhere
or at any time bad done so much for
this nohle purpose, under euch ad-
verso circumstances, as the people Of
he South. Three years ago, when
ne began his mission, he had visited
Memphis. The city was then just
emerging from the darkness of the
cloud Of afiictioD With Whioh Provi-
dence had visited her. She bore
che evidences Of desolation every
where. The current Of public thought
ran loy aud feebly on the question Of
public schools. There were not want.
ing those who seriously discussed
whether it would not pay to abolish
the system Of pYblic instruction alto
gether. He was greatly grati6ed to
note the favorable change that had
taken place. Memphis now looked
bright. and prosperous. A decided
change for the better was observable
in her material prOgrepg aAd in her
system of public instruction. Improve
ment was visible everywhere aud
brightness and health were in her
streets. Her teachers had taken stand
among the best in the country and
many of them were as we'll and favor
ably known in Boston as in Memphis.
He had inspected the schools, public
and private, Of Memphis, and noted
their progress. She had hard work
ing and fpithful Superintendent Of
public schools and had enly to 60 for
ward in the good work to win . repu'
tation Of being not only hrst,clasS
city, pOpulous and wealthy, which she
was destined to be, but to have her
citizens widely known for their gen
eral culture and intelligence,
The speaker went on to illustrate
how universal education reccc.mmend..
ed itself from an economical point OF
view, showing its resulting influences
upon the home, going even into the
kitchen and converting that apartment
into a laboratory of health instead Of
disease. He showed its effects upon
the practical workings of everyday
life, and upon the State. What was
wanted was good schools, There