The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-04-28

voutiy - ne desired Perhaps the nos
encouraging single element OF progress
il found in tie formation 81 local and
state organizations of citizens and efu-
Gators for the promotion Of public In
t.rest In education. In the cities or
Virginia large audiences Of the best
people have been assembled ny the
commission TO wait upon the teachings
Of men whose souls are awake to the
needs of the children aud wiioee
tongues have been touched with the
holy fire from the altar Of public SER
vice. Such meetings have been held
elsewhere with success and power. But
Nirginia's leadership Is exceptional in
persistence and thoroushnexs- No
doubtful curiosity of suspicion turks in
the background; nc academic seciusiou.
no intellectual superiority. no clustered
exclusiveness nov divides higher from
popular education in the South.
The true democracy Of knowledge
has asserted itself and the new ideals
Of the new aye are accepted. The
pfe material for the university OF
the future will increasingly b. ,he
product ~ the public high school and
tie world demand will he for men In
ordinary vacations whose actions viii
he based upon thought. Thus on
either hand the university takes toll
from progress and the popular claim
made upon college and university is
right nohly recognized. If the story 10
these states in matters Of education
during the las. four years could be
written in detail and retd i'm the per-
spective OF former years. 10 would Ina We
the charm Of romance or fairyiand. But
the unlcne margin il - great that
even 1T The present rate Of ~ogr
long years must pass before even an
approximate Ideal il reached. The task
Of giving To every child I'm this land,
! American n foreign born n good Eng
81 education. and the enactment and
enforcement of compulsory education
laws must he fulfilled. IL IS not within
the proper scope Of this discussion to
propose Il reply to the question thus
raised. The issue Is imminent. In the
cause represented here a group of
statesmen are enlisted. and To them IN
committed the preparation of some
feasible, just and righteous plan that
Will meet popular endorsement
TR DENNY'S ADDRESS.
'Fh" ext speaker Was Dr. Denny
| president OF Washington and lie.
! which institution he said with pride
had a .art in he founding of this
| conference. Mr.. emmy subject was
a southern Interpretation Of tn.
Conference ana he referred tn tho
ra.ious Criticisms which have been
! mas. ~ certain daily In
II" sn'l;n. Re said among other
thin"s. that among the critics Of tho
Ia.E A-.l - -
fnCud those who live In the past tense
.: the ~~ubfunctive mode. ant the man
who w"uld dig I'D the homes OF tn.
dead mast. DR.. Denny discussed the
personnel Of the conference. EXPRESS
ing the belief that If the charct ter Of
the mer. and women composing IL Is
high then il cannot be bad.
RECEPTION AT THE CAPITOL
NJ the conclusion OF the meeting
at the theatre. the at the
conference were given a reception In
the state capitol. The entire capitol
was thrown opeu to the visitors. the
reception being in the two houses NJ
the legislature which were formally
rendered the city of Columbia for this
purpose at the last session. These
rooms were most exuuisitelv decorat-
ell with flowers and evergreens and
the reception wac one of the most
brilliant that has ever taken Dlac.
in this .itv.
The morning session OF the confer
cnce tomorrow will De given M tn
the meeting of the state supcrinten-
dents ~ efGratioE. a number Of
whom from the southern states arr;
ALREADY in the city. Others viii ar
rive tonight and I'm the morning. To-
morrow ni2ht among the speakers
will be Hon. Seth Low. of New York.
Superintendent w. II. Hand of Ches-
ter. s. e.. and DR.. J. II. Phillips. of
Pirmiraham.