The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-04-25
Sixth Conference for Edu'
cation in the South.

cation in the South held last April at Athens,
Ga, sis the largest event in the direction OF
rational American unity which has occurred
in this pereraiicn. This is an assembly OF
the representatives of all classes of educa-
tional forces. Heads IF great universities
that once sat apart in Olympic isolation are
here. and humble school teachers, clad in
new robes of civic usefulness and civic self
respect Men aud women of the North and
OF the South are here with their memories
swept clean of all bitterness and misunder-
standinp: men of affairs of the North and
South are gathered here with constructive
purpose in their minds, with willingness to
con,promise to readiust the old viewpoint, to
shed old prejudices and reconstruct new
theories and above all to covenant highly
with themselves that this educational cru
SADIE shall not cease until every child in this
nation. high or low, white black, BOND
or free, shall be ernaucipated from the great
black empire of ignorance and of night
These words of this Southern educational
leader are invested with fresh interest
when one contemplates the sixth Conference
for Education in the South that opens next
Wednesday at Richmand, Va. 1t is, indeed
we'll RICH impossible to magnify the social
lance OIL thiS SdthS' HS' an - ~'A-
meet men who are doing work than which
there Is none more enduring that now at
tracts the attention of public spirited citi-
zens The supreme need of the South to-
dav NAV be compressed into the one word,
education. 1t is imperatively necessary that
the school teacher armed with his primer,
be abroad in this land of ours, aud it is due
in no small measure to this Southern Educa-
ton Board that he is become a familiar Oh
iect in the homes of all the people. The
time is come, and it is right that it is come,
when the people are ceasing to discuss abs
tract questions that have no value in pracu-
cal life and are concentrating attentl on upon
subjects of concrete and immediate interest
ssIt had to vote for a candidate for Cover
nor'' said the Hon. Hoke Smith of Geor-
ga last year at Athens, 81 would want 10
know first: How do You stand about the
education of the children Of Georgian Are
YOU going 10 waste your time in Office study
ing some great national problem that you
have nothing to do with? Are you going
to disturb your mind about he condition
of Cuba and the Philippines, or will you
seek to handle subjects which reach and
develop the power of the children Of the
State2 How easily we forget what IS
US and wander off after something
we have nothing to do with! My fellow
citizens, my countrymen Of the South, you
are to blame well as your representatives.
If you will take proper interest IN the
SC hooIs of the State, if you show real zeal
for the education of the children, the public
will open and the schools will never
be without funds.'
To waken the interest Mr.. Smith has IN
mind IS the purpose of the Conferences for
Educ alton in the South. Education for |
all the people; good, well equipped school |
houses with competent teachers and an |
eight term in every school district,'
said DR.. Robert c. Ogden, the presiding
officer of the conference in his address at
Athens last year, s'let this and nothing less
De the aim of this conference. The road
nay be long, and some of us will fall by the
vayside before the end is reached. But it
IAN be and will be reached if and such
IS we De true and faithful" We quote
his excerpt from DR.. Ogden's address to in
I,cate the object of the Southern Board of
Education. This work of that board, like
he work of these conferences, is, in our
altogether admirable. To 1t no
,iectiom may be raised by we'll informed
ersons. Whatever unfavorable criticism
nav have been directed against it in the:
outh has emanated from persons who were
OF, we believe, intimately acquainted with
,e purpose of the board. The feeling that
as obtained in certain circles that this
,ovement was devised by Northern men in
rder to shape the political destiny of the
outheru States in conformity with North
n views is not well founded. 1--WE have