Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-11-26
NOTABLE ADDRESSES
BEFORE CONFERENCE
Or. Paul nanus end Or. Bruce R.
Payne Heard by 'nmsnse
Crowd.
R|cAnON]ER Creates SENSATION
Principal Bonham Reflects Upon Peo-
pie Of Gloucester County, and is
Superintendent er;dsers-Import-
ant Meeting Of Various Departments

Nr. Paul II. HanuS. of Harvard Uni
""r:;iy, and br. Bruce r. Payne. OF
tn" University Of Virginia. were the
>p"akcrs at the second general SEES
sion of the Nilginia Educational Cen
ference at the Newport News Baptist
church last night As was the cas-"
Tuesday night. the cdificr was crowd
ID 20 its utmost capacity. The audi
enc" WAS composed largely Of visit
Ing: educators 10 whom the topics dis
ctSS"d by the eminent doctors were
OF peculiar interest. Both dis
courses were listened to with marked
attention and apparently they made
a pr found impression upon the audi
cIcr.
President Joseph H. Saunders, Of
the STATE TEACHERS Association, pre-
sided. The. meeting was opened
with player by Rev f. T. Wexford,
pastor tf the First Presbyterian
chu:tn. A chorus composed of about
~ young lady students of the High
sch .Ol r, ndered several selections dur
ing the evening and the audience
gave voice to its appreciation of the
singing with hearty applause.
Consolidated Schools.
With few fitting remarks, Presl-
dent Saunders introduced DR.. Bruce
r. Payne as the first speaker. DR..
Payne was created with prolonged ap
plansr. He had not been notified IN
time to prepar" any set address. ana
Il" delivered very interesting and
practical address on the consolidated
school for the rural districts He
pointed out the damage to country
life by the establishment OF High
schools in Villages and towns and
MOI in the country districts. He de-
clared that this robbed the country
districts Of their boys and girls for
it is only natural that people should
leave the isolated districts and move
to towns which have better school
Buildings and superior teachers.
Continuing. D-. Payne said 1t was
up to the teachers TO help make the
school such a social center and Such
a Ebl airy center that not only the
pupils. but the patrons will take
this method the social life in the
rural districts would be made more
attractive DR.. Payne also declared
that the country boy and girl should
be given as good an education as the
city boys and girls so that the former
can compete with the latter.
In conclusion. DR.. Payne asked the
teachers what they could do to make
country life more humanel;- interest
ing. This. he declared. was seri-
Ons problem. the solution of which
lies with the teachers.
industrial Eduestion.'
Following a selection by the High
school chorus. President Saunders in
troduced DR. IIanus. Of Harvard Uni
vcrsi.y. DR.. Hanus spoke for an
hour on THE Problem Of Industrial
Education" He handled his subject
in a very practical manner and the
address was at once interesting and
Instructive.
The keynote Of the address was
strong plea for the industrial school
to ft boys and girls for some defini'"
ami practical vocation in life. Dr
Uanus pointed out that the present
public schoo! system did not mee'
the social and economic needs Of the
dav and that a majority Of the pupils
stopped attending the present public
schools when they had reached thr
age Of II years. He declared that
industrial schools should he establish
cd ard that these schools should take
:he boys and girls who leave the
gramma. and High schools and :each
them some vocation for their HE
work In the opinion Of the speaker
the first two years course In such
schools should be Of general shop
work and that in the two succeeding
years the pupils should BE- taHsht
some specific trade. He said there
were many boys and giIis who could
not attend such schools in the day
time and tia; evening instructions
should he provided for that class OF
children.
DR.. Hams said that such schools
existed In Germany and that they