The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-24
SUMMER SCHOOL
 COMES TO CLOSE
PRESIDENT ABERcRoMBlE HIGH " PLEASED WITH WORK OF sEssION-STUDENTS ALSO DE- LIGHTED WITH BENEFITS.

University, July 23-(Special )The fourth session of the University Summer School for Teachers. which has been gradually disintegrating since the close of regular work on Friday, came to an end yester- day afternoon, when the last examination for state certificates was finished. Taken all in all, this has been without doubt the most successful summer school yet held at the university. In speaking of the matter, President Abercrombe eX- pressed himself highly pleased with the work done by both faculty and student body. The summer school has been an unqualified success" he said, "and though we should like to be able to close 1t down next summer at least in order to have the university buildings vacant for im- provement, we do not feel that in the face of such a demand from the teachers of the state for instruction we can afford to do so The university, In filling this de- mand, is doing more than ever its duty as the head of the educational system of the state for when it extends hand to the teacher, it is reaching down to uplift the boy and girl of the public school"
 The faculty, twenty-three in number, was chosen from the best material in the teaching forces of the colleges and pub lie schools of the state, whenever possi- ble; if a suitable teacher of a certain subject could not be found in Alabama, the resources of other states were drawn on. It is gratifying to say however that in only one or two cases was it necessary to adopt the latter course. The efficiency of the faculty is shown by the fact that the students without exception express themselves as delighted with the instruc- ton and the benefits received from at tendance.
 very helpful and beneficial feature of the summer school was the course of pub lie lectures. The following were mem- bers of the lecture force: Edward F. Bige- low, editor of Mature and Science De- partment' St. Nicholas magazine, Stam- ford, Conn; O. T. Corson, editor of Ohio Educational Monthly, Columbus, O.. Law ton B. Evans, superintendent of public schools, Columbus, Ga; A. C. Harte, sec retary Mobile Y. M. C. A., Mobile, Ala. ]; Lincoln Hulley, president Stetson Univer- sty, De Land, Fla; Mrs. J. D. Matlock,
 
 provement of the Alabama Federation of Womens Clubs; Augustus A. Persons. professor of chemistry, University, Ala; Herbert A. Sayre, professor of mathemat- ics, University. Ala; Eugene A. Smith. professor of geology, University, Ala. Five of these lecturers delivered series of talks running throughout week. Besides these instructive talks entertainments of a purely entertaining nature were given by the University Glee club. the Evans Male quartette and tlS Morphet & Smith com pany of entertainers
 This year the student body was larger than II 'las been since the first session. Though the number enrolled was twenty six short of what 1t was in 1904. the total attendance on regular lectures for the whole time was considerably larger than 1t has ever been before. Tn 1904 the en- rollment was 351; in 1905. 316; in 1916, 256. and this year it reached a total of 325, most of whom were active teachers. rep resenting 8 out of 67 Alabama counties. and seven states-Alabama, Georgia. Mis- sissippi Louisiana, Texas and Illinois. Of the total number, little over one-half took the state examinations for teachers certificates held during the last three days While the proportion taking the ex- aminations Is about the same as last year, a striking fact-the large number of appli- cants for first grade-stands out.
 Of the total of in applicants for certi- fieates. six tried for life. seventy-four for frst-grade, seventy-three for second grade and only eighteen for third grade. The percentage of men still continues low. there having been only 33 registered this session In speaking of the student body, those of the faculty who have been con nected with the summer school since the first session say that this years students are the most satisfactory that they have yet had. Indeed, If the summer school students this year may be taken as typi- cal Alabama teachers, the state has a corps of workers in it's secondary schools of which it may well be proud.