The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-29
STATE SUPT. ADDRESSES EDUCATOR

Mobile. March 2s.-(Special) )-state Su- perintendent of Education II. c. Gunnells addressed the Alabama Educational asso- citation this afternoon. He said, in part.
 I do not deem it necessary to express the pleasure it gives me to be present with the teachers of Alabama at this great educational gathering. The Ala bama Educational association has grown Tn numbers, in importance, and in in- tluence until 1t ranks as one of the most potent educational factors in the state of Alabama.
 l am sure that 1 express the sentiment of every member of this association, in thanking the teachers and the citizens of this beautiful and historic old city for the motive which prompted the invitation to this association and for the opened- armed hospitality with which it's mem- bers have been received
 l have thought that possibly l coul do nothing better today than to discuss briefly the educational matters which have been acted upon by our legislature, and those important measures which are yet pending before that body. There has never been in the history of Alabama time, when the people were so determined to build up In this great state an educa- tional system commensurate with it's ad- vancement along industrial and commer- cial lines. Perhaps no governor of the state has ever taken so broad, so liberal, and so comprehensive q view of the ques- ton of education in Alabama as has our present chief eecutive. Knowing, as he evidently does, and as every one of you know, that a great public school system cannot be built up by destruction, but by construction, he lent his energies, his in- domitable perseverance, and his master F,.I ..,I, xxrni iAh their object the building up of all the schools in the state from the great uni versity down to the schools of the masses. Not one of these schools has just ground for complaint They have gotten all for which they asked, and in several instances more than they asked for or expected.
 Probably the greatest movement in the history of this state towards the develop ment of our higher educational institu- tions is the movement for greater state |university This grand old institution has shown the value of uniVerity training by the achievements of it's alumni In every sphere of life you will find them leaders of thought and of action In the dark days of the sixties, every student bore his share in that bloody struggle and more than five hundred of them were commissioned officers varying in rank from lieutenant to brigadier general. We all know the history of its destruction by the federal troops: we know the history of it's attempted> reconstruction; and we know of the struggle the titanic struggle which the authorities have made since the war in endeavorng to make 1t an in stituton worthy of the name.
 The legislature of Alabama has come to it's rescue and has come nobly by giving an appropriation of five hundred thousand dollars for the next four years. That great institution at Auburn, the pride or the state, has been given fifty-siX thous- and dollars a year for material equipment and an ample sum for maintenance. The Alabama Industrial School for White Girls for which we all have love and in- terest. was given an increase of eleven thousand dollars for maintenance and fifty thousand dollars a year for building and material equipment. The four white normal schools were each given an addl- 1 tional five thousand dollars for mainten- ance. and q new normal school was estab- lished at Daphne, just across the beautiful bay of Mobile The nine District Agri- cultural schools were each given an in- crease of two thousand dollars for main | tenance. With this increased appropria- l ton, these important schools should be able, in a measure to accomplish the work for which they were established. There can be no greater question before | than the study and the teaching of scien- tifc agriculture. Our people are an ag- ricutural people. Agriculture Is, and all ways will be, the chief occupation of our citizens The soil is our mother She 1 feeds us she clothes us, she educates us. If from these agricultural schools can be instlled into the minds and hearts oe the people the importance-nay, the neces sty-of studying nteligently and scien- tifcally the noble art of farming. Ala hama will become, before many years, the garden spot of the universe.
 While the legislature has been liberal to the colleges and the universities she has done her full duty towards the schools of the masses. An annual appropriation of three hunderd thousand dollars for next year and three hundred and fifty thousand annually thereafter has been added to our l already large and increasing constitu- | tonal school fund. reasonable estimate | is that, exclusive of special taxes, dis pensary funds and municipal supplements, the public school fund for eo7-o9 will be more than a million and a half dollars. No other state In the Union does as much from state standpoint for it's schools as does the state of Alabama. There Is no | reason why every county in the state should not run it's school next year abso- lutely free of tuition fees for at least six months. A majority of the counties can easily keep wide open their school house doors for al least seven manths. Another cry of need by the state has been heard, and siXty-seven thousand dollars an-
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