The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1897-06-12
THE Meeting
Held at Falk's Hall Thursday
Night Was Entertaining and
Instructive.

Probably one of the most enter
tanning and instructive popular
meetings in connection with the
Summer Normal now in session at
this place was held last Thursday
evening at Falk's opera-house. A
very large and intelligent audience
assembled on short notice evidence
ing very strongly the deep interest
aroused in the public mind upon
the subject of education through
the jnstrumentality of the distin-
guished educators in charge of the
institute.
DR.. T. B. Hopkins, president of
the parish School Board, called the
to order. DR.. g. A. Mar
tin then addressed tie audience
upon the subject of education.
The doctor paid eloquent tribute to
the efforts now being made to adj
vance the cause in our midst, and
while admitting the unpleasant fact
as to the educational standing of
Louisiana in the sisterhood of
States, found grounds for congratu-
lation in the wonderful impetus
now being given along this line
throughout the State. The vital i'm
portance of education was dwelt
upon. and compulsory laws advo-
Gated. DR.. Martin was heartily
applauded at the conclusion of his
address.
Prof. A. L.. Smith was then
called upon, and in his usual happy
style favored the assemblage with
most interesting and instructive
talk on s'Child Study and Mother
Clubs.'' The learned professor
drew from his own rich experience,
as an educator, to illustrate his ar
guments in advocacy of child study
and the formation of mother clubs.
The culpable negligence of parents,
due to utter ignorance of the most
ordinary principles of mental and
physical development, was too Of
ten responsible for defects and de-
ter years would blight the useful
ness and enjoy ment of life. Apt
and forcible examples were intro
duced in support of the position
taken and there can be no doubt
that beneficial results will flow from
the impressions and convictions
made.
The feature of the evening, how
ever was lecture delivered by Miss
Clara Baer, of New Orleans, on
"Physical Culture" This graceful
and charming advocate of physical
development and training began by
making an apology for the promi-
hence and importance attached to
the subject of physical culture, by
many considered new and really
ante-dating the christian era by
some three thousand years, having
been practiced at that early time by
the Chinese. BY classical illusions
the distinguished young lady showed
the wonderful effects Of the science
in the physical and intellectual
development of ancient Greece.
A strong plea was entered
for this culture, not for the purpose
of developing animals of the Cor
bett and Fitzsimmous type, but to
furnish the proper foundation for
moral and mental development on
the principle of sound mind in a
sound body. Miss Baer's lecture
was replete with apt illustrations
shown from personal experience and
observation and was most enthusi-
astically applauded.
Supt. Latiolais on behalf of the
audience requested a recitation of
Miss Baer, who gracefully complied
by rendering in her own inimitable
style ssMammy's Baby" The
young lady's elocution was only
surpassed by her exquisite concep-
-: 81, ~ al