The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1885-01-07

The Kentucky State Teachers Asso-
citation assembled in Louisville last
Monday week, and having finished
their labors adjourned on Wednesday
following to meet next time at Lexing-
ton. The session has been pronounced
by the Louisville papers as a satisfae-
tory one. Much business of importance
was transacted. The aim was, to i'm
prove the common-school system. The
association favored the establishment
and maintenance of normal schools and
Federal aid. The attendance was very
large.
Prof O'Flaherty, of this place, was
elected Secretary of the association.
Col. Allen was re elected President.
Robt. f. Woods is Vice President for
this Congressional district.
The committee on Local Taxation
reported that the present methods were
insufficient, and recommended alter
ations i'm the existing laws which would
enable the trustees on motion Of the
County Superintendent to levy the
necessary taxes Prof O'Flaherty, of
the, committeedid not agree with COM
mittee's recommendations, and offered
a minority report, proposing that the
necessary funds be raised by taxation
of intoxicating liquors, tobacco, hemp,
etc, produced in the State, and on
firearms offered for sale in the State.
Both reports were received and post
poned for discussion at the Lexington
convention.
The President showed his pedagogical
and reformatory spirit during the ses-
sion by requesting the members not to
spit tobacco juice upon the floor.
On the second day Of the meeting
Judge Beckner. of Winchester, deliv-
cred an excellent address on "The
Educational Outlook in Kentucky"
which was frequently interrupted with
applause. He began by thanking them
for the compliment of the invitation
He accepted it not as a personal tribute.
but as the expression Of their belief
that he was zealously devoted 10 the
cause which, more than any other,
should at the present time engage the
attention of the people. He asked
their attention while he brit fly consid-
cred the educational outlook in Ken
lucky. The cause of popular education
had made most ereditable progress
since the war. Money talked more
eloquently than words, and the in
creased taxation voted by the people
showed the growth of their interest in
the purposes to which its proceeds were
devoted. The State levy was now four
and half times as much as it was
when the new era began. The cities
and many of the towns had supple
mented State aid with local efforts that
put them abreast with the most ad-
ysneed communities in other States
Each General Assembly had dealt with
the question IN friendly spirit at least
The press had done its duty, and the
people ON every occasion had shown
themselves in favor of improved ed
Vocational facilities. Even an intense
prejudice Us to the capability of the
negro for higher culture had yielded 50
far that we have agreed to divide with
him on equal terms the limited funds
arising mostly from the taxation of the
whites. The work done by the Presi
dent of the Association had shown
that Kentucky has men rs tit to be
pioneers in her intellectual, as our faith
ers were i'm her material development.
Yet in spite of the encouraging ele
ments i'm the situation, the unpleasant
fact remained that throughout the
country districts and in many Of the
towns the provision for schooling the
masses of the children was inadequate
and inefficient. In only one State in
the Union was the average pay of
teachers less than il was IN Kentucky.
The hire paid to the laborer indicated
most surely how his work was appre-