The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-17
DIR. II. w. Bontwriglit,
or Richmond College, President.
Richmond Man Elected President
Of Southern Baptist Educa-
tional Conference.

NJ. vi AJSoLllSlIl l/SAS'S I|N'ssSA
tional Conference.
The Southern Baptist Educational
Conference held yesterday in the Grace |
Street Baptist Church two sessions, at |
which a number OF addresses by lead /
ing educators of the denomination /
were made and officers were selected
for the coming year. DR.. i. w. Boat |
wright, president of Richmond Col
lege, was chosen president of the con-
ference. on honor bestowed upon this
city and upon the college, which is
the alma mater of many of the most
prominent Baptist ministers in the
South. Or. z. Y. Mullins, OF the South
ern Baptist Theological Seminary, was
made first vice-president, and DR..
Vann. of Raleigh, N. c., second vice
president.
Or. Mitchell Speaks.
The morning session of the confer
ence was called to order by Vice
President ]. ]. Taylor, Of Georgetown
College. Kentucky, with large NUM-
Der of ministers and prominent lay
men in attendance.
DR.. Taylor conducted the brief OPEN
ling devotional exercises, and DR.. Fos-
ter, Of Alabama, offered the opening
prayer.
Three able addresses were heard at
this session of the conference, the first
being by DR.. S. G. Mitchell, of this
city, a member of the faculty of Rich
nond College. Or. Mitchell is one OF
! the most scholarly, graceful and force
jful platform orators in the South, and
lis a leader In the cause of education,
both in his own denomination and in
the broader field of general education.
After a complimentary reference to
some OF his coworkers in the orsani-
zation, Dr. Mitchell addressed himself
| to his theme, THE Task Of the Col
lege in the South" In the course of
| his broad treatment of the subject DR..
Mitchell said:
"In several definite ways the college
/ is to-day helping the South. First, the
| college brought moral reinforcement to
1.-The South in the period of disaster that
| followed the Civil War Its messages
! of cheer, It's serene reliance upon the
/ healing efficiency of truth, its fervent
| appeal to reason and conscience in the
| alignment of passion, heartened our
! people to renewed effort in behalf of
| progress.
Secondly. owing to party solidity
in the South, there is an in
| evitable tendency to the repression of
spontaneity in thinking and in the
| frank discussion of all vital issues that
concern the common good. The college
j has checked this tendency and has, as
i rule, stood stoutly for freedom OF
i thought and utterance.
!: Thirdly, owing to State particu-
i larism and sectionalisnl: the South
has found considerable difficulty in ma
4 tionalizing its society and political in
stitutions in accordance with the
4 spirit Of the ago. The college, by O
!. just Interpretation OF the signs Of the
i times. has done much to promote the
spirit Of nationality and to adjust oul
4 people to the life Of the nation as .
whole.
"Fourthly, owing to tho South:
transition from strictly agriculture
pursuits to industrialsm, the COLLEGE
has been called upon to further these
Lines Of development by Offering
courses in Industrial Chemistry, cleo
tricity, mining and engineering.
"Fifthly, owing to tho absence 70,
a. long period of an adequate public
school system, the South is now crap
|pling with illiteracy and Its resutnn
evils. In this struggle for universal
education. the college has been q pion
Ger. It's teachers have stumped tn
+ state for the common school; It's stu
dents have energized In behalf or edu
cation the communities to which the.
have gone; its spirit has been power
full factor In moldng public opinion
lin the interest of popular enllghten
ment.
"Sxthly, owing to the presence of tel
million negroes, the South is wrestling
& with a sociological problem Of tn
most perplexing kind, to the allevia
ton Of which the college is bringin
Tho light of science and tho Chart
= |of reason, devoid OF prejudice.
"Seventhly owing to class distinc
X lions in Its former somewhat fcndal
ii typo of society, and owing to the in
tensity OF Observation-Disclosures tn
South is going through a process G
social uniflcation. In which the col
lego is subtly quickening all the force
that mako for genuine democracy, I
these seven respects, the task OF til
a college Is clear and Imperative"
After speaking of the duties while
tho college owes to the students With
Its walls. DR. Mitchell spoke Of til
duties Which the college owes to sc
lciety at large. He said:
ut is not enough for the, college
the South to do we'll by tli student
on It's own campus. 1t owns defnlt
duties to society and the State.
must reinforce as far as possible a
moral and intellectual causes The II
h sulated college is a thing OF the pas
t The college to-day must live and mol
and have Its being In the multitud
LIT does not exist for Itself any MOI
8 tina nan arc light exists far itsel
1T is o vicious notion that q co
a ilegel exists for the advance
a|lment Of the cultured class,