The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-17
STATE TEACHERS
 IN ANNUAL SESSION Mere Than 1000 Teachers Are
 In Attendance MIR. GUNNELS' ADDRESS The State Superintendent of Education Discusses "Alabama's Educational Uplft"-Permanen oreaniza-
 tion-Today's Programme.
i MIR. GUNNELS' ADDRESS

Montgomery, April 16.-(Special.)- )-The Alabama Educational association met this afternoon in 27th annual session, with the president, w. R. Harrison, in the chair. The initial session was held at the Grand theatre which was filled with 1000 or so teachers and many local en- thusiasts, when Dr. B. D. Baldwin, presi- dent of the Montgomery Board of Edu
 cation, arose to dellvfr the welcoming address Response was made by D. S. Burleson, of the Normal school at Flor ence.
 Both speeches were full of good will and good cheer for the school interests of the state Dr. Baldwin was able to tell of many good things in contemplation for the Montgomery schools, but was happily also to say that AlabHma is now in better shape to give the growing generations an education than evel before. He spoke of the value of the new high schools and the great aid that would be given when a plan is made for the articulation of the whole state school system. MT. Burle- son voiced the appreciation of the teachers for the cordial welcome and himself spoke of the advancement made along educational lines.
 Presidents Address.
 In his address President Harrison re- viewed the work of the year and the movements that have been begun for the benefit of the children and the schools.
 After the address i,scommittees were named and members were enrolled.
 The evening session was one of marked brilliancy. It was helf in the auditorium of the Court Street Methodist church which was filled to pverflowing. Many of the leading families of the city were present to do honors of the occasion and make the visitors welcome
 The opening event o4 the evening was an address of H. c. dunnels, state su- perintendent of education, in which he discussed "Alabama's Educational Up- lift"
 MT. Gunnel's Speech.
 MT Gunnels said: "In the beginning I wish to say that for one time in my life, I am in the position of the man and his wife, as told in story by Superin- tendent Martin of South Carolina. On occasions like this it has usually fallen to my lot to speak after the audience had become tired of other elequence. This time I am first. MT. Martins story goes that man and his wife had been going to church for a long number of years. and had always gotten there after every body else had come in. On one occasion when they reached the e-,aksss ch, no one else was present. John honst5 to his wife and said. Mary, at lasr Y9. We have always been behind befa "
 q have beSn asked tor q K for a few minutes about Alabams bI educational uplift. In doing this .i Ting no new story to the teachers in Alabama, who have formed a brigade sn the forces which have brought about fhe educational awakening in this statej Through the State Educational associito through it's work and its publicauyns have come largely the creation of line sentiment in educational developmeiV Let me say also that the education f1i2plift in Ala bama is but a part of ifSe general edu- catonal uplift which is prominent in all parts of the world. A short time ago attended a banquet il the city of Bir- mingham. At that ba lquet an address was delivered by, in my opinion, the greatest living American, the matchless leader of national deIocracy, the next President of the Unitel States, William Jennings Bryon.
 Bryan on Eeucaton.
 That speech, spokeN.o an audience of 800 or 500 men, by a candidate for the position of President O. the United States, was devoted almost enTrely to the ques- tion of education, not to the education of the stump and the shustings, but the education that begins in the home, and poac op thrOlgh the chOOl hOuSe MT. Bryan said in that great speech that in his trip aroung the world he was rorci- bly impressed with the fact that all the of the world. even the semi civilized and semi-t -tarbarous govern were coming&to realize that if they would amount 10 anything in the school of nations, they must educate their children, and to That end are empty ing the national coners into the public school fund. He further stated that he had come to realize--to believe-that the sentiment of all the great questions of church and of state dtpended on an edu- cated moral and ehsrgetic citizenship The uplift, the educational uplift, in Ala bama within the la3t seven or eight years has been something almost phenom- enal Almost the erFire political sen | timent has turned tosard the education 1 of our children No rnan would dare to | run for office, from cbnstable to gover- | nor. who did not incprporate universal ] public education in his platform. Of course | there are croakers, tltere are knockers, and kickers There are men and wom- | en who think everything is going wrong, | who perhaps conscientpusly believe that | the state is maliciously throwing away its ]