The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-06
OPENING NIGHT IS
 BRILLIANT AFFAIR Mississippi Teachers are As- SembIed in Meridian. COMING IN BY HUNDREDS Ladies of Women's Clubs Tender Re- ception to the visitors-Is Nine
 teenth Annual Convention
 of Organization.
COMING IN BY HUNDREDS

Meridian, Miss, May 5.-(Special )-The opening session of the Mississippi state teachers convention here tonight was a brilliant affair, for almost the whole city turned out to attend the exercises at the opera house, and the reception later at the Masonic temple Teachers from all parts of the state have poured into Merid- ian today on every train and over 300 have already arrived. As many more are expected tonight and tomorrow, and this the nineteenth annual convention promises to be one of the greatest in the history of the association in point of interest and attendance.
 The opening exercises of the convention at the opera house consisted of addresses of welcome, responses and the presidents annual address, and were very interest ing. The reception at the Masonic tenn pie was rendered the visitors by the Fed eration of Womens clubs and was attend ed by about a thousand persons. The ladies of the different clubs of the city were hostesses and were assisted in en- tertaining the visitors by nearly all the prominent young ladies of the city.
 Music and refreshments tended to make the occasion enjoyable until a late hour The sessions of the association will con tinue through Friday and Saturday.
 Opera House Packed.
 The opera house was packed when the exercises began and the opening session of the teachers convention was marked by the presence of over 300 teachers from all parts of the state and in addition fully 800 citizens of Meridian added inter- est to the occasion by their presence On the stage were gathered the officers of the association, the speakers for the even ing and 150 high school pupils who rem dered vocal music for the occasion.
 Sput. J. c. Fant, as master of cere- moines, introduced the Rev R. A Vena- ble of the First Baptist church, who asked divine blessing upon the gather ing and commended the educators to the master of all knowledge. Following the invocation Hon. R. F. Wibourns, repre- senting the city government and people of Meridian, delivered the address of welcome to the citys guests, and in fit ting words threw wide the gates of the metropolis of the state and bid all well come.
 He bespoke the hearty aid and co-oper- ation not only of the city fathers but the whole population of the city in the noble work of the teachers and expressed the hope that the work Of the convention would be of the greatest benefit to teach CTS and citizens. Prof. J. H. Woodland principal of the Meridian High school delivered the address of welcome on be- half of the teachers of the city and county.
 In his address Professor Woodard first paid a high tribute to the condition of the schools of Lauderdale county under the supervision of Superintendent J. R. Ellis and declared that he had done great work in advancing the cause of ed ucation in his territory. The speaker enumerated the educational facilities of the city Meridian, speaking modestly but with pride of the splendid city school system and it's benefits to the citizens. He gave a brief history of the education al progress of the city and county aid and closed by extending a hearty well come to the visiting teachers
 Audience In Good Humor.
 The earnest welcome extended by the two speakers put the audience in the very best humor for the reception of the response on behalf of the teachers by Superintendent J. N. Powers of West Point, who spoke in felicitous manner of the object of the convention and ac- cepted the hospitality extended feellngly, his address being punctuated with hu- morous allusions that elicited ready ap- planse from an apprepiative audience. The speaker declared that the teachers say and felt welcome on every hand which made everyone of them feel per fectly at home.
 In concluding his address Superintend- ent Powers emphasized the development and the resources of the south and stat ed that the manufacturing interests were only in their infancy and under the in- fiuence of a broad education now being given to the children of the south the fu- ture progress would be extremely rapid This fact. he declared, was particularly true of Mississippi and with the large re- cent legislative appropriations the edu- cational future of the state is gloriously bright
 The last speaker for the evening was Prof. P. II. Saunders of the University of Mississippi, president of the association. who delivered his annual address, splendid paper presenting in detail the progress of education in Mississippi and giving valuable statistical information regarding educational appropriations in tEe state and county schools.
 After adjournment the teachers and oit- izens repaired to the Masonic temple to attend the reception given the visitors by the Federation of Women's Clubs.