The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-17
TALKED TO TEACHERS
GOVERNOR CUNNINGHAM AND ST.
PERrNTENDENT HILL SPEAK.
Fl. J. wiilineham IL Elected President
of the Alabama Educational
Association for the En-
suing Term.

Tuscaloosa. June I6.-(Special 1.-The
exercises at the University of Alabama
last evening. which marked the close of
the second days proceedings of the
Alabama Educational Association. will
be remembered as one of the most brill
liant events in the history of the As
sociatfon on. account of the two elo-
quent addresses made by Superintendent
of Education l. w. Hill and Governor
Il. L. Cunningham.
The evening session was opened
with prayer by the Rev. DIR. Snedecor
Superintendent Hill mapped out the
course education had taken during the
past century and gave interesting sta
tistics from the early part of the CEN
fury to the present time. He told of
the dark days during the sixties, when
carpet baggers and scalawags had pos
session of the State. and now, instead
OF using the States money for the edu-
cation of the youths of Alabama, IL
was stolen by incompetent and un-
worthy ofticeholders He paid a glow
ing tribute to Alexander B. Meek, the
poet. legislator and teacher, who, in
February 1858, framed laws so ad-
vantageous to the educational inter-
ests of the State, and who was a Tus-
caloosian graduated from the Univer-
sity of Alabama. He stated that Ala.
bama had not made the advancement
she should have made along educa-
tional lines and brought out the fact
that in the 70's reaction took place.
when General MacKelroy, Superintend-
ent of Education at that time, started
the machinery along the right line
He mentioned many superintendent
who had done much along the line of
development. mentioning President
Abercrombie, who, for a number uf
years. was Superintendent of Educa-
ton of Alabama. His address was most
interesting and proved of vast interest
to those interested in the educational
developments of the State.
Governor Cunningham said that he
trusted that he was before the Ala
bama Educational Association with the
teachers approval He spent his time
mapping out what qualifications it re-
CURED to make good citizens, and his
plea was directed to the teachers to
make the youths of the State not only
wise in text books but to teach them
the fundamental principles of good gov
eminent and good citizenship. He
told of the lawlessness that existed in
himself looking for the real causes.
He stated that the laws were good !;
that the code was all right The real
cause of it all, he said, was due to pub
lie sentiment. He told the teachers
that 1t was their privilege to shape tho
sentiment along the proper lines. and
that the youths with their help would
in the. coming days recognize the laws.
He said that he knew of no more nobla
band in Alabama than the teachers,
that they were making daily sacrifices !;
that their salaries were too small, but
said he, There are no set of people to
be found anywhere who have the OPP
ortunities-wonderful opportunities -
for doing good" -:
He spoke at length of the natural
rights of man; the right to live, lib
sisted that the teachers should teach
these principles to every boy and girl
of the land. He brought out the law
less way men had of carrying conceal
ed weapons. and said that only in ex-
treme cases was it mans right to
avenge. This right. said he, should be
the States. He spoke OF the essen
tials of good government, and said that
the law must be universal, alike and
for all, and that 1t was necessary to
have strict obedience of the law. He
said that boys and girls should be
taught that they should apply good
sense in obeying the laws, and that
each one of them should be taught that
1t Is an honor to hold high office in
their State, provided that office We 5
not bought. and that to vote shouSl
be high honor and privilege, that they
should be made to understand that
when young man voted It represented
ten Votes--it represented mothers.
wives. sisters and babes. criminals and
insane persons He said that voting
was solemn right, and when man sold
his vote he was no better than trait
or. He made many suggestions to the
teachers. who promised, by raising thelr
right hands. as to the courses they in
tended to pursue next session regard
ing imparting knowledge of a civil
character to their children in tho
State. The teachers were thoroughly
in sympathy with Mr.. Cunningham
and when called upon to raise their
hands, they voted almost unanimously.
The following were the officers elect
ed for the ensuing year by the Alabama
Educational Association: President,
H. ]. Willlngham; First Vice-President
c. w. Daughette; Second Viee-Presi-
dent, T. r. Walker; Third Vice-pres
dent. D. NJ. Banks; Treasurer, r. A.
Clayton; Secretary w. C. Briggs; Elk.
ecutive Committee, w. E. Striplin, j. d.
Mcneil and Miss Nimmo Green.