The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-27
MIR. OGDEN DELIVERS
 IMPRESSIVE ADDRESS
Reviews Conference Work and Makes Helpful uggestions-Feeling AL
 fusion to Governor Jelks.

l
 fusion to Governor Jelks.
 Mir Ogden, on being introduced by Col
 Bush began his remarks with a feel ing allusion to Governor Jelks' illness He expressed deep sympathy for the gov ernor, whom he knew personally and for
 whom he had the highest esteem. MT. Ogden read his address with impressive effect. The full text follows:
 This is the seventh annual conference for education in the south. The small
 numbers at the three z earlier convoca- 1 tions and the intimate social conditions >of meeting made explanatory opening | statements superfiuous. The three later 1 conferences have assembled under com l pletely changed circumstances and each with it's own special conditions. The wide l lying distances between the places of an- 1 nual meeting. the greatly enlarged au- ' diences. the varying personnel, the deep
 ening interest the national repute and
 widening influence of the conference 1 have combined to make some account of l its history and explanation of it's char l acter necessary for the information of
 each assembly that greets it with the
 welcome and hospitality of new local
 ity.
 
 1 inal member of this conference of edu- l cation in the south but in it's second 1 year l enlisted in the service more l through personal loyalty to Doctors Cur
 " and Frissell than because of any clear
 conception of its purpose Examination
 of the printed records of the conference
 reveals the spirit in which 1t was created
 and the fidelity with which its vital
 sence has been preserved.
 M,,e+ tne,..,kn .u Il..i Organized altrusm must incarnate an
 ideal. Without spiritual life a fraternity l becomes decadent. Therefore to assist
 us in the duty of continuing unimpaired l the essence of this conference it is well l to recite some brief sentences from the expressions of faith and experience re- l corded by it's former assemblies. At the first meeting in July, 1898, the
 conference made the following assertion | by resolutions Upon the principle that
 if one member of our union of states
 suffers all the members suffer with it, | the duty of the whole country to foster l education in every part is manifest In
 June, 1899, the conference recorded the l opinion: That the education of the | white race in the south Is the pressing and l imperative need, and the noted achieve ments of the southern commonwealth in | the creation of the common school sys- 1 tems for both races deserve the 1 sympathetic recognition of the country
 and of the world at large. In April. 1901,
 the conference reaffirmed it's conviction 1 that the overshadowing and supr me public need of our time as we pass k 1 threshold of new century Is the edu-
 cation of the children of all the people. ' We declare such education to be the fore
 most task of our statesmanship and the
 most worthy object of philanthropy In Aprib 1902, the declarations of the con- 1 ference opened with the words: The un- | ending campaign that this conference met to further Is a campaign not only
 for the free education of all the people, but for free education of such efficiency
 as shall make the coming generation of 1 citizens of the southern states the best
 trained men and women that an enlight- ened democracy can produce
 Each of these statements rings true l to its predecessor; each is a link in a
 chain that as it lengthens not only re- l tains all it's original strength of principle, 1 but creates broadening environment of l influence. This influence finds expression 1 in several forms
 Organized Propaganda. "The Southern Educational Board, the
 eldest child of the conference. Is now in l the third year of continuous and earnest activity. It appeals by many methods | to the people and educational authorities
 
 of all conditions of public instruction 1 an organized propaganda. inspired by a l zeal for the uplifting of the whole peo- l pie physically, mentally, spiritually,
 through the beneficient pofer of educa- 1 tion
 1 Associated with the Southern Board 1 through a community of membership is 1 the General Education Board, only few months younger. From the office of thls 1 board a constant investigation of local 1 and state conditions, of institutions of every class. Is going forward. It Is all ready quite important to every worthy institution seeking private aid to be reg stered in the office of the General Ed ucation Board. Increasingly as the pub
 lie understands the intelligence and jus 1 tice that mark all it's statements in the value of It's endorsement prized by both doners and recipients. The board has a national charter under which to admin ister such funds as may come to it for distribution.
 '"rhese two boards are unique in char acter original in forms of organization. peculiar in both the necessary division of responsibility and the unity of the work to be done. A some points each is vital to the other, and again each has re- spensibity that the other could not dis charge.
 Many in this audience have some in- formation concerning these boards, their personnel and their aims Familiarity with their interior detail is essential to | a comprehension of their character and scope. Few have this knowledge This | is my apology for a somewhat lengthy reference to a subject upon which this | conference should be fully informed. The Boards.
 "It is a misfortune that I am at once a meber of both boards and a presiding officer at this conference I will cheer fully admit apparent mdecorum in my all lusions to the boards. But these allu- sions are demanded by imperative duty to the audience and also to the larger public who will follow the record of these proceedings. The entire country has a debt of obligation to the execu- tive secretaries of these boards. Press and platform give their utterances to the people of this land, the result of careful study. upon topics that deeply concern the national welfare. The men in the boards hold opinions that some times are divergent. rightly so for they often represnt distinct geographical, pro- fesional and economic points of view, honest discussion of which leads to ac- curate conclusion. But these groups of men see eye to eye with a mutual confi- dence in aim and motive so strong that the tie that binds cannot be broken Out of 1t all comes unofficial statesmanship' sound, constructive, patriotic, that also finds printed and vocal expression. And now the aim of this morgan ic organization Is reaching the third