St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-06-13
The PRESS GANG.
Annual Meeting of the Missouri Press AS.
sociation-The Officers Elected and Prizes
Awarded-Of to Mackinaw.

sociatiOn-The Officers Elected and Prizes
Awarded-Of to Mackinaw.
COLUMBIA, Mo, June 2.-The men who
| "sway the destinies of this great naton,'' as
| was said of them this morning, so far as
| they are represented by the Missouri Press
| Association, convened in the new chapel Of
| the State University, at ten O'Clock. Presi-
| dent r. NJ. White, of the Mexico Ledger
| called the body to order. Prayer was Of
| fered by the Rev. s. +. Taylor, and an appro-
| pirate address of welcome rendered by DR..
Woodson Moss, Mayor OF Columbia, re-
| sponded to by President White. After roll
! call and the appointment of the commit
tees, the association adjourned till the after
! noon.
At the afternoon session Joseph III. Tur-
| ner, of the Carrollton record, read q paper
| on "The Duty of the Press Toward the Pub
| lie School SYSTEM There were, he said,
| higher duties connected with a weekly neWs-
! paper than running it for what it is worth in
| dollars and cents, and one of the highest du-
| ties was to encourage the public school sys-
tem in every way possible. "Having done
all they could heretofore, through sunshine
| and storm, through good report and evil re-
port, to build up the school system, it was
time now for the newspapers to attempt
to make that system better and better,
until it should accomplish the grand
work for which it was inaugurated
universal education. Having always been
friends of the schools the newspapers might
be conceded the liberty of pointing out some
of the defects of the present system, and how
to remedy them. First, every county in the
State should have a good County School Su-
perintendent, with salary sufficient to enable
MIN to fulfill the duties of his office faithfully,
fearlessly and impartally. We should have
for school directors the best, most progress
siVe, live men in each district, and they
should be paid reasonable compensation
for their services Newspapers do not en-
courage sufficiently the formation and work
of teachers institutes Most important of
all is the question of the proper qualification
OF teachers
The speaker did not advocate curtalling
the course of study, but did believe in lay
ing the foundation broad and deep in the
primer. ''In order that every child in the
State should have a good common school
education there should be compulsory ed
ucation, and books should be furnished to
those pupils whose parents are too poor to
pay for them. The country schooI-house
should be made the most attractive place in
the county. There should be a graded or
high school in every township in the State
where the pupil can get at home sufficient
education Tor the ordinary duties of life.
The public schools of Missouri ought to be
State universities in miniature, rather the
State University ought to be public school
on a grander and more magnificent basis of
idea and principle
In discussing this, Dir. Turner remarked
that lie knew he was treading on dangerous
Missouri ought to be the best educational in
stitution in the world. But was it the best?
'HaVe its graduates taken prominent places
in the ranks of their fellow men? If there is
any old fogyism in the methods of the Uni
versity it should be rooted out. We want
modern ideas and live, progressive men.
Conservatism may be a good thing in it's
place, but we don't want any of it in the
State University. 1t seems that there has
been strange kind of musty smell about
the University, kind of suggestion of cob
webs and silver threads of musty and an
tiquated theories, with patches of venerable
dogmas hanging about the arches and corri-
doris. ItseemS that there have been too many
old ruts about the University. Our young
men and women are liable to travel in too
strong attachments for old things because
they are old, and have too much prejudice
against new things simply because they are
new. The institution needs stirring up. 1t
needs blowing up and narrowing. [Applause
and some hissesI. If it can be done with the
present officers, all right; II not, turn them
out" Applause.
BY request, Miss Genevieve Rogers gave a
recitation.
The next exercise on the programme was
announced to be the reading Of poem by
the "poet laureate of cheyenne" and an
swering to this description appeared Col
onel j. T. Child, of the Richmond COnSerVG-
tor, who was received with great applause,
as was his poem.
The committees not being ready to report,
the association adjourned till tomorrow
morning.
Missouri Press Association closed to-day.
One of the most interesting papers read was
r. p. Yorkston s, on '"The Machinery of the
Printer
eThe Practical Printer was discussed by
j. A. Hudson, of the Macon Times
In connection with Mr.. Yorkston occurred
the most spirited debate of the session on
the adoption of a resolution recommending
him to the President or the office of Public
Printer of the United States Mr.. Bradfield,
not support the resolution, not because OF
any objection to Mr.. Yorkston, but because
he thought it beyond the province of the As
socation.
Mr. LingIe, of the Clinton Democrat, warm
ly favored the resolution and said he thought
Missouri should come up and have some of
the apple pie that had long been going to the
East If Colonel Yorkston got the office the
speaker said he felt sure that before long
many MssOUrian printers would be holding
good cases at good paying prices in the Gov
eminent Printing Office.
The resolution was adopted with only four
dissenting votes, and was 'afterWard made
unanimous
The first prize for the best general display
of job printing, $25 in gold, given by the AS
ISOLATION, was awarded to the Columbia
Herald, and the second prize, the Sn1der &
Holmes gold medal, to the independence
Sentinel. The Richmond Democrat captured
the same amount for the best specimens of
lob printing, and the Montgomery Standard
retained, for second prize, the Central Type
Foundry gold medal now in its possession.
Votes of thanks were rendered the citizens
of Columbia for their unequaled hospital
ity, and to the Reception Committee for
their eminent success in the arrangements
for the Association.
The Gle ction of officers resulted as follows:
President j. A. Hudson, Macon Times.
First Vice President, L. N. stephens, Co.
Iumbia Herald.
Second Vice -President,sF. A. Weimar. Stan.
Third Vice President, 7. D. Bogie, Carthage !.
Recording Secretary, j. w. Jacks, Mont
gomery Standard.
. W. III Kerns, Corresponding Secretary, and
w. i. Thomas, Treasurer, both of st. Louis,
were re elected.
OF the Association, addressed the
l,nlI Y in the a fnrnOnn Is a rEnr nf