The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-29
TO MEET AT ATHENS
IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL CAM
PAIGN BEGUN.
NORTH AND SOUTH TO UNITE.
PROGRAMME NOW BEING AR
RANGED AT COLUMBIA.

Distinguished EducntOrs and Phi
of Education in South-The Cam
paign for Local Taxation for Pub
lie Schools VIII BE Urged-An
OutgrOwth of the ogden Party's
Visit to Georgia-GeOrEe Foster
Peabody One of the Moving
Spirits.
Columbia, S. c., Dec. 2S.-Just before
the close of the mornings session of
the Southern Educational Association
to-day President Charles d. McIver. in
behalf of the Southern Board of Edu-
cation made a statement to the asso-
citation in regard to the conference for
education in the South which will hold
it's fifth annual meeting about the first
of May in Athens, Ga.
The Campaign Committee of the
Southern Education Board acting for
the conference, has been in session in
Columbia during the past two days
and has begun to arrange the pro-
gramme for the meeting at Athens.
There will be at this conference sew
eral hundred people from every South
ern state and about sixty Northern
friends who are members of the con-
ference.
The origin of this conference five
years ago at Capon Springs, w. Va,
was explained. At first it was con-
ference of a few Southern and a few
Northern men, all of whom were anx-
ious to aid in any possible way in the
educational struggle going on in all
parts of the South. Three annual meet
ings We're held at Capon Springs,
where the members of the
conference were entertained by Maj.
Sales at his hotel. Last year at Wins
ton-Salem, N. c., the fourth annual
session was held and 1t was very
largely attended, both by Northern and
Southern people. The Athens meeting
will evidently be much more largely at
tended.
Objects of the Conference.
AS the name implies, this is con-
ference between people interested in
the same cause. Its object is to pro-
mote in every possible way universal
education. At the Winston-Salem con-
ference provision was made for
Southern Education Board. which
should have the right as the executive
board of the conference to collect
money and to apply II to carrying out
the purposes Of the conference. This
board consists of twelve men. Robef
c. ogden of the firm of John Wanna
maker, New York, is president of the
board. Charles d. McIver of North
Carolina is secretary. George Foster
Peabody of the firm of Spencer, Trask
& Co.. New York, is treasurer. The
other nine members are President
Charles w. Dabney of the University
of Tennessee; President T.. A. Alder
man of Tulane University, New Or
leans; DIR. II. B. Frissel of Hampton
Institute, Virginia; w. H. Baldwin,
Jr, president Of the Long Island Rail-
way Rev. DIR. Wallace Buttrick of AL
bany N. Y; II. II. Hanna of Indianap-
oils; DR.. Albert Shaw, editor of Re
view of Reviews; Walter H. Page, ed
itor of Worlds Work. and DIR. ]. l..
M. Curry, executive agent of the Pea
body and Slater boards.
Associated with the president as ex-
ecutive secretary, though not mem
Der OF the board, is Rev. Edgar G..
Murphy of Alabama.
This Southern Education Board will
undertake with funds now in hand to
aid in certain portions of the Southern
States campaigns now being maintain
ed for local taxation to improve the
public school systems. To do this
they have divided the work into two
parts: A bureau of investigation and
information is to be conducted under
the directorship of DR.. Charles w.
Dabney at Knoxville, Tenn. The bus
mess of this bureau will be to collect
information and print 1t in such form
as shall made effective cam
paign documents in favor OF
increasing public school facil-
tiles. The field work is placed in
charge of three district directors,
Messrs. Alderman, Frissell and McIver.
and both the work Of the information
bureau and the field work is to be un-
der the direction of Hon. j. l.. M. Curry
as supervising director.
VIII Distribute No Money.
The campaign committee which has
been in session here this week and
which has absolute charge of the work
undertaken by the conference, Is COM
posed of Messrs Curry, Alderman,
Frissell, Dabney and Mclver. The en-
tire work of the campaign will be for
strengthening at every point the pub
lie school system. No money will be
distributed by this committee to insti-
tutions of learning. The committee
simply proposes to conduct a cam
paign in favor of better school facili-
ties for our children.
The Campaign Committee is arrang-
ing an attractive programme for the
three days meeting at Athens. Ques-
tions discussed there will be local tax
alton for public schools, industrial edu-
cation, the training OF teachers and
methods of securing better public
schools.
1t is not the purpose Of the Southern
Education Board TO undertake to in
augurate new enterprises, but simply
to strengthen what already exist.
Whatever work II does will be done in
harmony with the efforts OF local school
authorities.
The friends from the North have
asked for the privilege of making lib
eral contribution in money for this
purpose and they ask that the South
ern members of the board appointed on
the Campaign Committee shall take alb
solute charge of the work and conduct
Il as seems best TO them.
George Foster Peabody, the treasurer
of the board and the most liberal con-
tributor, is "A native OF Columbus, Ga,
where he spent his boyhood. He has
made liberal donations 10 educational
and phllanthropic enterprises in four
or Ave Southern states during the past
year. his gifts being especially liberal
70 his native state Of Georgia.
Mr.. ogden VIII Come.
Mr.. ogden. president Of the board.
last year brought a large company Of
friends on a special train chartered at
his own expense. Whether he will
pursue the same course this year or