The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-19
Distinguished Educators from All Sections of the State Listen to Eloquent Words of Welcome and ReponSeS--Ad-
 dress by Pres
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of our boys and girls. We have before Us the rough marble which needs but the chisel of the sculptor to discover the hidden angel
 : Yet, notwithstanding all this some wculd-be statesmen act as If in every breast there turks demon which can be held In subjection only by the iron hand of ignorance. The common schools are the hope of the country. Their protection and support cry out daily to our supposed statesmen for bread. If our institutions are to en- dure. if they are to enjoy their just fruitage, they must be supported by an intelligent constituency. We need educa ton not simply tor these who are to vote but for all within the limits of the commonwealth. For any other condition we have the words of Ten nyson, though with changed meaning. Thou are mated to clown. and the grossness of his nature will have weight to bear thee down.
 For several years this Association has resolved, memoralized, aud used every honorable means to secure even the privilege of local school taxation for the people of this State. We doubted not that when Convention was called this would be one question
  ment and something done. Can it be that the labors of that body will end and leave nothing done for this cause? Hope springs eternal in the human breast, then let us hope yet awhile.'
 We come not as politicians with an axe to grind, but as teachers with all the term implies. We arc not con- cerned with political issues except in so far as they affect the cause we rep resent. We as teachers should he act i've in politics. not as politicians, but as statesmen, yea, even. as teachers.
 Scientists tell us there is no life excent through death. Every move ment of the muscle causes the death of thousand, perhaps millions, of tiny cells, which give up their lives that the act may be performed, The flower blooms but to die. It ia said that the century plant grows in beauty and majesty for a hundred years, then shoots forth a single stem, blooms. and dies. If the office of teacher means aught. 1t means self-sacrifice. He gives of the fullness of his own life that he may produce a yet higher life. .....,-..-.....
 When God gave the earth to man be commanded him to subdue 1t; beat 1t, bruise 1t, crush. it, subdue it, chain It's forces and make them do his bid ding. Man is master only in so far as he controls. Weeds destroy flowers. Why do not flowers destroy weeds? i? Ask Him who, made the weeds and the flowers. All that we know is that weeds destroy flowers. If we would that the flowers live, we mus. destroy the weeds. n ,s s5A e,sl ..s.gl. s.. ,s
 "Mr. Presid5nt. we come, ,, together from every section of the State, and represent every department of educa- tion Both new and old problems will come up before us for discussion, and, perhaps, solution. I used to wonder why educators had not come together and settled all the questions and agreed upon a scheme of. education. and were not devoting their energies towards carrying them out. Well. they had. The trouble is they won't stay settled. New conditions. new environments. call for new solutions. Every generation must solve it's own problems; and we may almost. say that every person must work out his own scheme in fear and trembling. My own view may be narrow. yours may be broad. but 1 can not use yours until I have made 1t my own. With different minds. un- der different tuitions, surround ed by different environments, we each have worked out a scheme more or less complete. None Is alto- gether right, none is altogether wrong. Somewhere within the depths of the in- finite there is g perfect system. In some lucid interval one grasps a thought from out the depths, wraps it in his own personality, and straight way exclain1s, eureka-only later to learn that he had not discovered it at all. Let each present his thoughts with confidence and look with charity upon the faults of his brother; and let all work together forgetflu of self, and with an eye single to the good of the great cause which we represent"
 Address of Prof. .Selman.
 Professor John P Selman. a we'll known educator of Troy. also respond ed to the address of welcome:
 We have listened to the music of the sweetest word in the English lan- guage," said Professor 'Selman. Tt cheers us all the moro because of its Anglo Saxon meaning and association. It's song Is the story of human hospi- tality, blending with human endeavor and leading to the sublimest human achievement We have heard your gracious welcome and with grateful hearts accept 1t in everything 1t im- plies. We are glad to be in our Capi- tal City. mingling our common pride in its history and development Your many improvements excitA our admi- ration. your many predictions invite our praise.
 We hope to show an active appre- ciaticn of what is extended. Your com dodious school halls will listen 10 the ring of earnest voices, your miles of paved streets" will respond to the tread of pedagogical feet. We are proud of the Alabama Educational Association.