The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-27
GREAT WORK DONE
BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Their Growth and Influence Por-
trayed in Speeches at the
Jamestown Exposition.
DIR. ALDERMAN's ADDRESS
He Emphasizes the Value OF the
Common School III Moulding
American Character.
DIR. ALDERMAN's ADDRESS
Especial to The rImes. Dispatch.

Especial to The FINES Dispatch
JAMEsTOwN EXPOSITION.
October 26.-Free School Day, com
memorating the 2s9th anniversary OF
the establishment OF the University of
Henrico, the first university and free
school Of America. founded for the pur-
pose of giving free education to the
American Indians. was observed here
to-day. Men of national reputation.
among whom were Hon. John Sharp
Williams, OF Mississippi. and DIR. Ed
ward a. Alderman. president of the
University Of Virginia, participated
In 1t.
Tho Mississippi Senator-elect was the
principal speaker Of the day. He chose
for his subject The Influence OF the
University OF Virginia on the South"
The gifted Mississippian was ut his
best, bringing into play all Of his we'll
known charms and grnces as an orator.
He gave the university an exalted posi-
ton in the politics. literature and bust
ness of tile South.
Address OF DIR. Alderman.
The address of DR.. Alderman was one
Of the features of the day. Hs begar:
"a clear proof to me that this is Il
good world. and that 1t Is going to
be a better world. is the birth in 1t
and the steady growth OF the spirit OF
OcIlOCENGy. psGulIuI ulSNlIlSti'hG VI
the nation. whose birth in this wilder.
ness we here commemorate. is that 1t
gave itself in it's dim beginnings to
this faith in democracy, and has strug-
gled for three centuries to make itself
worthy to understand, to perfect and
to hand on that faith.
eth most vital and essential lnsti-
tuition developed by the power OF this
faith to advance its Ideals and protect
| ifa in aropte o. liz tho a American SyStpm
OF public education. and the most es-
sential feature of that institution is
the American common school.
One cannot discuss the COMMON
school. without first discussing its
speak very long about Democracy
without barking back to Christianity.
with Its announcements or faith IN
value Of each individual soul. A good
test of the intellectual refinement and
moral vision of any. man; Is the clear
ness of his Insight into the real mean
teens Democracy is a revelation
OF his heart. You may give the name
Democracy to ANYTHING. You may call
or a theory of economies. or a mode of
living, or q manner OF speaking. But
the thing Itself is plainly a spirit, q
chief commandment Is that you can
trust men II you will train men; and
by training 1 do not mean mere sharp
d%ivinest and hardest gospel that has
ever been preached to human society.
and we may be sure that the full un-
Outstanding and realization of it Will
mark the attainment by the ace Of its
final manhood"
In Colonial Days.
DR.. Alderman traced the history OF
popular education in this country, and
said:
the constitutional happenings OF the
Southern States exhibits as sincere and
determined an effort for general edu-
cation as the thought OF that age could
stftutions OF Georgia and North Caro-
Ilina, ringing statements issue, which
have stood as incentives to generations
and among the writings of the found
local and9State records are found noble
Expressions of insight into the supreme
need Of universal training.
II was IN acefrdanee W Mi. n me IN genus snras
first actually build and develop a work
Ing system of public education. I see
a certain philosophical fitness in the
fact that Virginia and the South should
produce at the close of the eighteenth
ventury the most philosophfc and far
seeing educator of his country. Thomas
Jefferson was the first authoritative
particularism and localism and relig-
ious motive. and to think Of 1t as q
great elemental force, moulding the
character and destiny of nations. His
conception of a perfectly correlated ed
vocational system, free to call, stretch
ing from the primary school to the
university, ~enunciated In 1879. is still
the goal of all educational effort in
America. Each new American State,
free to form its own plans, has sought
to follow Le~fferSon's ideas.
THE unhindered West Is education
ally a Jefersonian land. not alone In
the legal sense OF pnrtalking In the
mighty benefits of the ordinance OF
1857, cut also in its conception OF the
national purposes OF education. There
Is a certain tragedy and pathos in the
thought that the South. which gave
him birth. could not for a multitude Of
reasons, Inherent In its economic con-
ditions, become thoroughly .Ieffersonian
In Its educational structure until two
generations after his death. The pc
culiar contributions of the ~ante-bellum
South to American education were the
private academy OF rarest excellence,
priority In insisting upon the educa-
ton OF women. and the State uniyer-
sity as the head OF an orderly school
The plans OF Southern educational
leaders have always been Jefrersonian
Inc I do not need to say thu the
spirit of the people, who, for the las
thirty years, under difficulties hlther-