The Gainesville star. [volume] (Gainesville, Fla.) 1903-19??, 1904-02-26
Great Convention of Depart
ment Of SuperintendenCe
HOLDS FORTH IN ATLANTA
Members and Delegates from National
Educational Association Take
Georgia Capital City
by etorm.

Fully 1000 delegates from all parts
of the Union assembled at the Grand
Opera house In Atlanta, Ca, Tuesday
morning at the opening session OIL the
convention Of the National Educational
Association, department OF superin-
tendence. 1t was a representative au.
dience OF American culture that filed
the lower floor, the balcony and the
boxes of the opera house.
In the audience were representa-
tives Of colleges, noted schoolDook au'
thors, educational authorities, super
intendents of complicated school sys'
TENS and experts In all lines Of edu-
catlonal EFFORT.
The session was opened with prayer
by DR.. Theron Rice. Of Atlanta, who
asked the divine blessing on the as.
semblage of educators. President Hen
ry p. Emerson. OF Buffalo, who presld-
ed, then introduced Governor Joseph
M. Terrell, who welcomed lne educa
tors. He alluded to the fact that Geor'
gia, even as far back as the colonial
period. had planned system or public
education, and he traced the growth
OF the original plan up to the present
when win Its system of local taxation,
coupled with state aid, every county
and town In the state had its public
school system. He hoped to to see the
time, he said, when the children In ey
cry county attend school the entire
scholastic year.
I'VE take pride said Governor Ter
rell, "ln referring to the general in
terest throughout the state in educa-
tional matters. The very air you
breathe here Is charged with the SEN
timent that the children of the state
shall be educated by the people
thereof"
President Emerson rose, and after a
State School Commissioner william
b. Merritt was next introduced, and
addressed the audience He expressed
his appreciation oil the visit Of so many
distinguished educators to the city.
and spoke Of the mutual benefit that
such visits always occasloned. He also
referred to the tremendous good the
association had accomplished In its
eighteen departments, and the benefit
that teachers an over the land had
derived from its exhaustive reports
and researches. Speaking OF education
itself, Commissioner Merritt said:
"The point that needs emphasis In
our work is educational research. IL
lIteracy among the people IS a point
too much stressed. It at least is not
our long suit, whatever II may be In
other sections. We need proficiency IN
manual training, child and nature
study and the like In the hftles the
south led In education, and now II sur
prlses mahy people to know how we
accomplish so much and pay so little
The reason is evident. For small pay
our teachers find compensation in sun
shine and glorious atmosphere"
In President Emerson's response, he
spoke of the good meetings of this
kind did both the north ana the south
In the matter Of wipirg out all yes
tlges of sectlonallsm. Said he
1.-THE members OF this association ap-
preciate the hearty welcome extended
them by the people Of Atlanta and
none appreciate this more than the
northern delegates. 1t is good policy
for us to hold meetings in the south
There Ia nothing like exchanging Ideas
and methods. II there had been more
OF this In the old days, the conflict
OF which your cItX was one OF tho
bloodlest battle gfodS,s, would never
have occurred. Let us use this occa
sion to still further blot out this mem
Dry"
The main body OF the program was
then taken up, the subject for discus
sion being EDUCATION at the Universal
Exposition 1904"