The age-herald., 1901-06-09

first in the hearts of the sons of his coun- | trymen as teacher, while first In the Ia thers' hearts as soldier ant hero. Robert
 E. Lee said, "Education embraces the | physical intellectual and moral instruc- | ton of a child from infancy to manhood It abases the coarse animal emotions ol human nature, and exalts the higher 1ac- ulties and feelings" It Is impossible that the public school system of any age or country could produce a greater man than Lee; but, it Is not impossible that you can frame a system that will make Southern children compare as favorably with the children of every other state as faVorapiy as Lee compared with the great pen or the world It is not the one summit or few mountain peaks that make coun- try's climate pure and bracing-it Is the general elevation above the sea level. You might have for every crisis in Alapama history men like the distinguished com mittee chairman and others who compan- ion your president, but never till you bring
 all her citizens all the time into sympa- thy with principles patriotism and culture | like theirs, will you have great State. l When does the individual begin to be such l a man? The answer Is, When chlid | Your associates in the convention know this as well as Brutus knew that Casca was quick mettle at school.
 Referring to the report of Mrs. John- ston let us say:
 First-On our State Superintendent of Education and his co-laborers much oe- pends We could scarcely be more fortu- nate and highly favored in the State Su- perintendency than we are in the present incumbent, Hon. J. w. Abercrombie. A law that insures to this office his equals in efficiency, and co-laborers worthy Of such A chief woulr bethe greatest bless ing to the schools. Every county super1n- tendent should be in touch with high ideals; he should meet the ever-changlng requirements of teachers and pupils In ms county; he should be jealous with knowl- edge for progressive studies and methods and watchful to introduce that manual training which Is putting states far less resourceful than Alabama in soil and nat ural products leagues ahead of her Tn the race for prosperity; and deeply sohcitous should he be for the industrial training (so emphasized in your eloquent address to the Montgomery High SchooD which Is making the girls of states less rich seize on the home economics and science that build the health and fortunes of people Of such high moral character should ne be that the boys he supervises today Will not be the politicians of the future, to De spoke nof as property" but statesmen or honest voters not having as motto, stand by your friends" degrading public conduct whose motto should be stand by your country" men who will 'let desert In pure election shine and fight for freedom in their choice" A law requiring the ex- pert and exalted characttr in county su- perintendents exists in almost every State in the Union Alabama is one of the very few where a county superintendent need be but an ordinary clerk.
 The laws of Mississippi. Texas and | Georgia are especially to be commended as they are framed to meet conditions in their neighbor states. There are several | r1.A 1. Yanf
 ouire of the county supervisor that exami-
 nation given by the State to teachers who
 would hold first grade certificates, but the
 laws which define his duties are immi-
 nent with the purpose that he shall be
 person of the highest educational qualifi-