The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-08
ALABAMIANs CELEBRATE
 THE FOURTH
At the Summer School of the South A Declaration of Educational
 Principles

The Alabama teachers were we'll repre- sented in the summer school of the South's great celebration of 'the glorious | Fourth"
 The number of Alabama teachers in at- tendance on the summer school of the South at Knoxville, Tenn, is 155, and a | brave showing they made as they march | ed in the procession under their Staee | flag. a flag red on both sides with the white St. Andrews cross.
 And when the hill top was gained and all were assembled in the vast open air | amphitheatre right lustily and loudly | rang out the strains of Alabama, Ala bama," the words of the song written | by that gifted Albama woman, Miss Jul lia s. Tutweiler of Livingston. The Alabamians present heartily con cured in passing the following resolu- | tions which constitute the South's Decla- ration of Educational Principles: We, the 1,70O teachers, attending the l Summer School of the South. representing | every Southern State, do on this the day of our national independence, unanimous ly adopt the following declaration of edu- cationll policy:
 1. We bear grateful testimony to the l great sacrifices made in behalf of educa- ton of the people of the South, who ir | their desolation and poverty have taxed themselves $70O,OOOOOO to educate two | races.
 ?. Notwithstanding these efforts. we are confronted with the appalling fact that | the large majority of the 3,500,0O0 white children and 2,5O0000 black children oi | the South are not provided with good schools. In 1900 ten Southern States hay | ing % per cent. of the school population l of this country, owned only per cent f of the public school property and expend | ed only 1-2 per cent of the public mon | eys. We must recognize these conditions | and frankly face them. We, therefore declare ourselves in favor of public school system, State supported and State | directed, in which every child may have the open door of opportunity. | 8. Conscious of our dependence upor l the God of our fathers, and believing that the highest and ,ruest civilization can be attained only by following. thu precepts of the great teacher, Jesu. 1 Christ, we favor the recognition of tho | Bible in our public schools. l 4. We regard local taxation as thu | foundation upon which a public schoo system should be built. and. therefore
 favor an agitation in behalf of such tax | ation in every community.
 | g. If an increased expenditure of mon 1 ev is to be of lasting value, a more in telligent public interest must be brough
 to bear upon our schoJ Jls. But ever | greater than the need of money and in
 terest Is the need of intelligent direction
 G. A mere extension of the presen
 school term with the practical course O
 study will not meet the needs of thu children. The lines of development h the South must be both agricultural an(
 mechanical. Our people must bring z trained brain and a trained hand to thu daily labor. Education should not be { | means of escaping labor, but of making l it more effective.
 The school should be the social cente
 of the community, and should activel! and sympathetically touch all the socia l and economic interests of the people
 In addition to the usual academic studies | therefore, our courses should tnclud
 manual training, nature study and agri culture.
 T. To secure more efficient supervision to encourage grading and to broaden tn
 social life of the children, We favor tn
 consolidation of weak schools into Stronl
 central schools. It Is better In every wa!
 to carry the child to the school than t
 carry the school to the child. We in
 dorse the movements recently made t!
 the women of the South for model schools
 built with due regard to sanitation, ven
 tilation and beauty.
 s. Teaching should be profession
 and not stepping stone to something
 else. We. therefore, stand for the high
 est training of teachers and urge thu
 school authorities of every State to en
 courage those who wish to make the edu
 eating of children a life profession. w
 call upon the people to banish foreve
 politics and nepotism from the public
 schools, and to establish system il
 which, from the humblest teacher to thu
 office of State Superintendent, meri
 shall be the touch stone.
 9. We express our hearty appreciation
 of the noble work of the Southern anC General Education Boards. which, b!
 their earnest sympathy and generous
 means. have made possible this grea
 Summer School of the South. and il
 numerous other ways are strengtheninl
 the patriotic efforts of the Southern peo
 pie to improve their educational condi | tions.
 10. With gratitude to our forefather for the heritage of a noble past. witt thankfulness to God for the many bless ings bestowed upon our people. with du recognition of our present problems an' 1 their deep importance, we face the futur with faith which we, by our works shall endeavor to make good to the Ast l ing glory of our republic.
 | Chas. w. Dabney. Chairman. l Chas. McIver, Secretary. | Committee-ESlgar Gardner Murphy Arthur Williams. Joseph smith Mir. Er nest Wiggins and others of the differen | State delegations.