The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-07-08
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL
CONFERENCE OF EDUCATORS
AT MILWAUKEE,.
The PRESIDENTS annual address
The Subject of President SINNERS
Z. Address Was "The Best Edu-
cation of the Masses"-Ad-
dresses of Welcome.

citation opened in the exposition building at
8 o'clock tonight. The auditorium was
crowded to its utmost capacity. Rabbi S.
Hecht d. D.. opened the convention with
prayer. America" was then rendered by
chorus.
Addresses of welcome were delivered by
Governor Schofield on behalf of the COM
monwealth; j. Q. Emery, superintendent
of public instruction, of the state; Mayor
w. c. Rauchcnberger for the city, and Ii.
o. II. Siefert. superintendent of public
schools of Milwaukee.
Responses were made by A. Il. Winship,
president of the American Institute of In
struction of Boston: ]. l.. Holloway, SUI
perintendent or puDnc schools, Fort Smith,
Ark; Aaron Cove, superintendent of
schools. Denver. and Albert G. Lane, SUI
perntendent of schools, Chicago
"Thc Soldiers Chorus" from Faust"
was then sung by the male chorus.
President Charles II. Skinner, superln-
tendent of public instruction of the state
of New York. then delivered his address
on "The Best Education for the Masses.
"A little more than two centuries ago
Governor Berkeley said of the conditions
then existing in Virginia: Il thank God
there are no free schools nor printing
presses, and l hope we shall not have
them these hundred years; for learning
has brough disobedience and hercsy and
sects into the world. and printing has d-
vulged them, and libels against the best
government God keep us from both
1--WE will not now consider Berkeley 5
foresight or his religion, his politics or
his patriotism. Neither will we seek the
source of the spirit which moved him to
pray that what he termed the best gov
crnment' might be spared the calamlties
which would follow learning. We pause
only to note the fact which history
teaches that other colonies did not follow
Virgnia's lead, and that the state which
he hoped to save from printing presses
and public schools became ere long the
Mother of Presidents The two cen
turtles since his day have witnessed III the
United States Il marvellous development
of intellectual life, Il wondrOus transfer
nation in educational standards. 80,
To-day as nation we spend S2O0.WO.-
600 upon our free common schools. Today
the printing presses against which Bcrkc-
ley uttered his philippe furnish every year
on an average, two weekly newspapers
and a printed book for each family in our
land, and Il daily newspaper for every
two families
"Thc powers which control the affairs
of this republic believe with Aristotle,
that a state can he no better than the
citizens of which it is composed and
with Dionysius that the foundation of
every state is in the education of its
youth Napoleon believed that public
instruction should be the first object of
government and we all accept the mod
crn gospel: Seek yc first the education
of the people. and all other blessings will
be added unto YOU He who is now
president of the United States gave ex-
preston to the truth when he said: This
nation. if it would continue to lead in
the race of progress and liberty. must do
it through the intelligence and conscience
of its people"
''rhe fine old conservative policy as
it was called two centuries ago of keep
ing subjects ignorant i'll order to make
them submissive has happily given place
to one which seeks to educate all the
people in order to preserve liberty, to en-
force law. to develop manhood and wOm-
anhOod. and to perpetuate the blessings
of good government. Free common
schools are open today all over our broad
land. Colleges and universities, high
schools and academies, and schools for
their privileges TO all who seek them.
Two glorious centuries of educational
growth, unmatched in the history of the
world. What wOndrOus changes! What
stupendous strides!
TO. quote again: AN open school
house, free to all, evidences the highest
type of advanced civilization. 1t is the
gateway to progress, prosperity and
honor. and the best security for the
liberties and independence of the people"
If enlightenment is the best security for
the liberty and independence of the peO-
pie, and this enlightenment can be obtain
ed by the expenditure of money for edu-
cation rather than in providing military
safeguards, then this nation has reason
for hope.
1.-The United States, today the youngest
of all. is the only great nation of the world
which expends more for educate than
for war. France spends annually $500
per capita on her army and 20 cents per
capita on education; England, S3.72 for
army and 81 cents for education: Prussia.
$2.O4 for her army and 80 cents for edn-
cation; Italy, $1.52 for her army and 30
cents for education; Austria, 81 SO for her
army and 81 cents for education; Russia,
S2.O4 for her army and cents for educa-
ton; the United States, 30 cents for her
army and S135 for education. England
l.
The United States, to / for education!
The United States spends more per capita
annually for education than England,
France and Russia combined.
"Many centuries have witnessed the
growth of Oxford and Cambridge, and the
world famous universities of France and
Germany. They have had, and still have,
the support of royalty and nobility, of
gentry and yeomanry, and have all the
prestige of age and wealth and numbers.
But our higher institutions of learning
have no cause to apologize for their youth,
and with justifiable pride we point to the
high place which they occupy Learned,
high minded men, with noble aims and
broad intellectually, have guided their af
fairs, guarded their interests, and have
sent from these institutions to places of
highest dignity and honor, men like them
selves. More will follow, and as the
years 90 by. our American colleges and
universities are destined to rank among
the best in the world. More money was do
mated to these institutions last year than
was expended by scores of our states
combined upon all their schools genera
ton ago. For their support millions of
money will be generously given as in the
past by those who happily possess great
wealth and who are imbued with deep
interest in the welfare of their fellow
men. Fortunately. the time has arrived
4