The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-28

~ new wall are pictures which represent carpenters, masons, printers, seamen, farmers, sculptors, and painters, at their tolls. The sun marks upon a dial the flight of shining hours and the constella- tions invite attention to infinite spaces yet to be travelled In it all there is one life and companionship, while the school is the center of all. The legend of the picture runs: Behold! In consequence of the new and improved method, the door of the school is no longer closed against life. Trade, art. industry, and nature act with vital efficacy on the school, and the school, on it's side, no longer conceals its treasures behind locks and bolts, but distributes them to the whole world The path onward and up- ward is free to all and trodden by an eager and active throng. This is the voice of democracy crying to future gen. erations that the school is not an isoat- ed thing-a thing apart from ~nen, but the center of life and hope anS love.
 Union of Spirits.
 Nothing itself stands alone. The union of spirits produces the great things in life. The forces of this age as DOT trayed in the pictured prophecy three centuries ago are two divine spirits, born in heaven and expressed on earth: The one the spirit of democracy, equal priv ileges; the other the spirit of universal education, equality of opportunity. They, united make 1t impossible for any physi- cal power to avail against the infinite power of such forces. They are nearest the divine and will live, for mightier than matter is mind, mightier than mind is spirit. mightier than spirit is God
 '"rhe se eiation to man of his power to create and enjoy the blessings of democ- racy gave him the first glimpse of the immeasurable wealth that lay within his grasp, but the transformation in the school of poor, fallen man through the development of his God-like faculties in- to the likeness of his Maker is the mira . cle of the ages
 Universal Education Necessity.
 Tt Is good to educate the few, but uni- yersal education is the necessity of any permanent civilization. Democracy and universal education are the vitalizing forces of nations The one is living and helping others live; the other is knowing how to live. No nation lives without them, and nowhere do you find the one enduring without the other. They are in- ter-dependent and nseparable.
 These are the forces that give strength and courage to the department of education in Louisiana to undertake the task, however difficult and serious, of removing from the fair name of the state every stain of illiteracy. There are abundant evidences that the difficulties in our way are not to be overcome with out struggle or pain We have small school fund, a mixed population and two distinct languages, a sparsely settled country with poor roads and insufficient means of transportation, the Mississippi river with it's annual floods and expen- CiVp and tranaG pf n ariG- tocratic sentiment against free schools for the poor We know that we cannot lay any especial claim to greatness be- cause of past educational achievement, but, in spite of the hardships that we well foresee, there are unmistakable evil dences that we are approaching a period of notable activity in educational work.
 Not Inclined to Vail.
 "In this report l am not inclined to give a puny wall because of our trials and discouragements, but rather to speak of our plan of work before which we ex- pect difficulties to disappear and through which we hope to bring new life and power to every child in the state, how ever poor or neglected.
 "The department of education is not alone in this undertaking. The press of the state is making a gallant stand, ever ready to champion our cause. The peo- pie believe that we are now rich enough to have good schools for the children and that we are too poor not to have them. We believe that we are old enough to go alone to meet any problem but that we are young enough to receive en- couragement and inspiration from the experiences of other states We believe that we are strong enough to fight our own battles, but that we are weak enough to need the cooperative power that comes from united efforts like this to promote the interests of a common cause We are proud enough to demand the best, yet humble enough to be spent In service. We are hopeful enough to stake our lives on the future and yet cautious enough to handle, as no others can for us, the intricate and delicate questions of our educational life. We are aristocratic enough to believe in the supremacy of our name and blood, and yet enough democratic to stand for equal privileges, and liberal enough to grant equality of opportunity.
 Undeveloped Resources.
 That we are vastly rich in undevel- oped natural resources, the world well knows, but the important part of the life of a state. as of men, that part which controls, directs and makes great, is not matter. but spirit The state that ac . cepts this truth. that follows the Man of Gallilee in uplifting the minds of it's people and sacrificing itself If need be, to give equality of opportunity grows permanently rich and great. Witness the defference between Spain, the slave, and Scotland, the free; between India, the feeble, and England. the strong; be- tween Africa, the night, and America, the day. and tell me. If you will what gives this supremacy. unless it be the spirit of democracy made effective and permanent by the growing spirit of universal education.
 This spirit has taken hold of our peo- pie I would not have you think that in Louisiana we have just begun our edu-
 (continued on Seventh Paoel