The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-27
Address of Ogden to the
 Conference for Education

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 allure of money. the distribution of liter ature. the organization of conferences. the utilization of the press. which mark a great political campaign Out of this united effort are coming Increased appro- priations by the States, a great exten- sion of local taxation. improved school houses. consolidated schools. great free summer schools for teachres. improved courses, heightened terms. higher salaries better teaching. expert supervision. This Is the most hopeful feature of the edn- cational progress of the year; and at the meeting of the National Educational As- scciation in New England here in this city of the Puritans. 1t Is an especial privilege to award the well-earned palm of greatest educational progress during the year to the splendid iabors of our brothers and sisters of the South"
 An explanation of the life of this Con- ference would be deficient and mislead- ing if 1t failed to recognize that the Con- ference owes much of its continued growth and broadening influence to the sympathy and support of the higher in stitutions of learning. The great Univer- stiles and some of the leading colleges of the North have been represented in the membership year by year and the higher institutions of learning in the South have been constant and generous in their sym pathetic aid. But the Confluence Is not merely an organization of educators, It Is a popular body. Business men and professional men. public spirited citi- zens. patriotic women, good people of various stations in life attend the meet ings in such numbers that no buildings used for the sessions in the several cities that have thus far made the Conference welcome have been equal to the audiences desiring to attend. It Is therefore unique. Associations for the promotion of local public interest in education or in some special study are not rare. Great profess sionai organizations exist. notably the National Educational Association with it's splendid executive equipment and truly national character. But 1t has remained for this conference to command the direct interest of eleven States and sympathetic representation from as many more in a movement to influence the people. and especially the rural people. in the devei- orment of a larger interest in and intel- ligent demand for improved popular edu- cation. This fact is so significant and important as to require especial attention and wide publication.
 The ordinary citizen has duty to per- form in respect of public intelligence. Democracy is a social organization. Po- litical liberty demands solemn surren- der to social service. No man rightly ur- derstands the truth of Democracy until he recognizes its demand for the great est nobility of self sacrifice. True Democ- racy Is Christlike; its essence is that of charity and love, 1t suffereth long, and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself; seeketh not it's own, Is not easily pro- voked. It has been said. by whom, know not. that the greatest American failure is found in the lack of civic self sacrifice; that the greatest American suc- cess Is the development of certain indi- viduals of the highest type, and great est American hope is that the body polite may rise even by the slow process of so- cial evolution toward the ideals present ed by these prominent individuals.
 It is the duty of a conference to confer. This convocation will fall far short of its opportunity if the several representative groups of citizens here assembled fail to get a more accurate conception of mutual relations and responsibilities in respect of public education, and especially of rural public education. in the South. To be more direct would say to my brother men. men of my own group--business men,
 men in trade, manufacturing. transporta-
 tion finance, that we especially have les sons to learn at this Conference. As a rule we have not cared to be informed
 upon our civic duties. In more than one sense we have considered ignorance the
 synonym of bliss. To educators and edu'
 cational officials we have been too mucf
 content to leave the whole question oi public educational responsibility. Too
 apt we are to pay our taxes with reluc' tant tardiness after swearing down ar 4t,,au Itaa tHs satire that in so doing we exercise thu highest and most sacred right of citizen ship. . The question often rises Nunbidden Why should pay taxes for the edu' cation of other peoples childrenT The question suppressed begets degrada'
 ton of spiritual life even though it hold the mirror of truth to persona meanness. The question uttered is lesI
 ignobie. for only error born of igno' rance would inspire expression to thu thought. Perversity is more blame
 worthy than ignorance. How true thu epigram coined by one of our number Ignorance cures nothing" Whatever the cause. brutality or vacancy. fol | opposition to taxation for education | the result Is the same. intellectual rac' suicide.
 The proposition seems clear and ac curate that the one supreme and spe ciaI end to be secured here is the sym l pathetic accord of the citizen, the edu cator and the official. The place is ap propriate. Business is regnant in thi
 city of Birmingham. that proudl! echoes back across the sea the nam | of an adopted parent, both proclaim ing throughout the world the triumph of brain and brawn, of progress aEs prosperity; Birmingham the antiphoI
 of Pittsburg. the great industrial cen | ter of the new South, the municipal | ity that in two decades has place, Alabama second only to Pennsylyanii
 in the production of iron. The Yicin age reminds us that commerce is thu
 servant of education and civilization Fitting then the time and place h
 which to acknowledge the dictum o
 the highest educational authority fl this country that business is to b. | numbered with the professions, ant l that the recognition Is more than graceful courtesy. It Is the avowal O
 condition that pervades all educa ton. Manual training, domesti'
 science the fine and industrial arts h primary and secondary education; econ
 omic, scientific and technical training
 for business in the higher institutions i all emphasize the fact that the world
 work demands technically instructed
 workers.
 The aristorcracy of education hal passed. The importance of the aver age citizen is more than ever appar
 ent as the experiment of our Democ racy proceeds in its evolution Not tn, least present evidence of this fact il | the appeal of this conference to the | business man and the chance here Riv