The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-06
.STETS0N Makes
FINE ADDRESS.
Members and Friends Of Riel,-
illontl Education Association
Defy 1nclcmcnt Weather.
THOSE WHO KNOW SOUTH.
Speaker, Coming Fron, Maine,
Satirizcs Certain Know-Alls
From the North.

Tho first OF tho series OF addresses IN.
der the auspices Of the Richmond Edn-
cation Associaton to be given NJ ir-
tcrvals during tho scason, was that Of
Dr. W. w. Stetson, Of Maine, at the Y.
Al. e. a. Hall last night. Though tho In
clement weather greatly detracicd from,
What would have been n very large at
tendance, It is seldom that u moro repre-
sentative body Of educators has assem-
blcd IN this city than that which Iast
4 night listened for nearly All hour to the
speaker
Mr.. Stctson Is superintendent Of Public
INSTRUCTION OF the State OF Maine. and liz
man equipped for his official duties by
intelligence OF Il lilgli order, an cntn-
siasni which lie impnrts 10 Others II dis
eliminating und thoughtful mind and an
aptncsa and facility Of speech which en-
able him TO present his thoughts In
pleasing and Impressive mann CT, Willie
he lightencd and frightened his address
with wit and q quiet humor that were
relished by his hearers, his address was
noteworthy for Its carncstpcss and its
practical value. AL ig 43 "a
h1nong those occupying seats on the
rostrtim were Judge George L. Christian
who presided and presented the speaker;
\ Superintendent of Public instruction j. WI.
SouttiilI; Mr. w. a. BoWles. principal OF
the Virginia School for tile Deaf and
q Blind Captain G. u. NaWtcr. principal
of the Miller Manual School !; Or. II W.
I}oatwright president Of the Richmond
Il College; Dr. James Nelson. principal q
the Womnn's College; DIR. s. G. Mitchell,
Il Of tho Richmond College; Messrs. James
H. Gordon, u. .. Valentine. w. s. Cope
land. w. 4. Crcnshaw. r. i. Brent, sec
81etuiy Or tho state Board OF Educa ton y
Thomas Elicit and others. s i8 .3.s
Judge Christian presented Mr.. CopelatA5
ina brief Introductory speech, III tho
course Of which he referred to the work
or the Richnlond Educational Associate
1and enumerated some OF It's achieve
ircnts. sS
The Knowing Ones.
Al lir, stetyon Informed his audience IN
7, the very Offset that lie was not there to
tell them what 10 do nor how to do II
nor even what lie did at home. He had
spent some tlnc In the South himself,
and had gone home Impressed with what \
$hcs did not know Of conditions existing
there. His satirca reference TO the men
from the North who knew all about con-
@tlitions IN tho South and who came to |
Washington. walked down to the shores \
of Tho Potornacaon n foggy. morning and
looked In q soutlcrly direction and then
Went back declaring that they had OBJ
served conditions IN tic South. pleased
Ills audience.
n After indulgins IN these observations
and Il bit OF pleasantly, the speaker con-
sidcred the subject or education from the |
American standard Of dollars and cents.
and defended this view OF the subject HI
was willing that amy one should Judge
education by Its raluo measured thus.
beginning with Asia, where the average
earning per man, woman and child was
but three cents, he proceeded westward |
10 Russia, where it was considerably
great er md then to America, where it |
was more than two-fold the average
earning power in Russia. The diffcrenccI
IN the capacity to earn represented the
difference wrought BY education, which,
lie declared, was we'll worth the cost
He Moved Them.
Tho speaker narrated an experiences In
Bangor when on one occasion a deficit
IN the school funds required the schools
10 close for SIX months. a town meeting
Ind been held to ASCERTAIN what could
lie done. LAWYERS doctors. preachers,
nll the leading citizens were
there, and many Of them made addresses
Still not n dollar had been raised and I
The meeting seemed doomed to failure.
At this point, ii man without education
came tilnorouslys to tho platform and sim
ply stated that he had no education ana
WAS poor. but TINT he Ind two children
uld was willing to stand and hold the
ladder until they got TO the top. That
simple. earnest mans spirit Of self-sacrl-
flee fired tho hearts OF the throng, tho
money was raised and the schools were
kept open. The value Of such unsclfisll-
ness on the part OF citlzcnssis us great
elsewhere BE s5s5 II
& rho speaker referred TO the fact that
had produced few great must
clans. poets, artists and attributed this T.
OF genius to- tic fact that the
schools arc 100 often a mere nnchinc.
where children arc all ground through
tho Same routine lie made ~ strong plea
for greater ndnp tnbility5 OF education ana
methods to tho needs anu the
diverse tablet or nclinations Of The PHI
pills. He pleaded for n broader, more
intelligent educational system, that will