Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-07-05
convene
At WORLDS FAIR
EDUCATORS GATHER AT ST.
LOUIS FOR OPENING OF AN
NUAL CONVENTION.
ATTENDANCE EXPECTED
TO BREAK THE RECORD
Estimated That 10000 Persons Are
Already in the City to Attend
Meetings = Programme Is Ar
ranged in Departments.

Educational association formally con-
vened Tuesday at the worlds fair
grounds, when the first of the general
sessions was called to order in Fes-
tival hall. Later in the day the ses-
sions of the different educational de-
partments were convened in various
halls throughout the grounds, the
whole constituting the general conven-
ton of the association, which will ad-
journ sine die on Friday. The follow
ing departments will hold sessions
during the week: kindergarten and
elementary education, secondary edu-
cation, higher education, normal
schools, manual training, music educa-
ton, art education, business education,
child study, science instruction, phys
ical education, school administration,
library, special education, Indian edu-
cation, the National Society for the
Scientific Study of Education and the
Educational Press association. The
general sessions will convene at $3.50
each morning and the departmental
sessions will convene at 2:3O each aft
ernoon.
10000 in Attendance.
AS the majority Of the educators
failed to register upon arrival, but
went directly from the trains to their
various stopping places, it is not
definitely known how large the attend
ance is, but it is estimated that close
to 10000 persons have come to st.
Louis for the express purpose OF at
tending the national convention. It is
not considered probable that all will
endeavor to attend any series Of a
single days meetings, as the time will
be divided in viewing the exposition,
but at the same time each meeting will
have an attendance that will almost
intentionally fill the halls.
Several thousand more educators are
expected to swell the attendance be.
fore the middle Of the week, and it is
confidently anticipated that the record
held by Boston for the largest attend.
ance when the convention met there
last year, will be eclipsed.
Festival hall has seating capacity
Of about $500, but had the hall been
FIVE times as large it would not have
accommodated the crowd. Educators
from every portion Of the United
States and many from abroad consti.
tuted the vast throng that endeavorei
to find accommodation in the hall.
Convention Called to Order.
The convention was called to ordel
| by President John w. Cook, who I,
president of the Northern Illinois
state normal school, Dekalb, Ill. II
the absence of Rev. DR.. R. A. Holland
of st. Louis, who was to offer prayer
Superintendent Nathan G. Shelter, o.
Harrisburg, Pa, president of the IL
brary department Of the association
| invoked Divine blessing upon the pro
ceedings.
Several of the dignitaries of the OK
| position, city and state, were to hav,
made addresses of welcome, but wer,
/, not present, and after reading a lettel
from Gov. Dockery, expressing regre
that he was unable to be present
President Cook introduced the frs
speaker, Hon. w. T. Darlington, super
intendent of public instruction Of tn
state of Missouri. Superintendent Car
rington welcomed the educators to ST
Louis and to the exposition and as
sured them that in St Louis the.
1 would find the highest standard o
education and citizenship.
A second address of welcome wa
made by G. M. Woodward, presiden
| of the st. Louis board of education
who, on behalf of the merchants ex
change, gave a general invitation t,
the educators to visit the exchang
during the week.
| Mayor Wells, President Francis an,
others later made speeches, welcoming
the delegates to st. Louis and to tn
exposition.