Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-25


orally than the country has ever paid
for their maintenance. They are not per-
feet. They need to be kept UP to the
march of improvement. and just now We
s2."oo.o0O worth of improved buildings
and grounds to make up arrears OF the
past ten years.
But no difficulties and no circumstances
pills as a whole from doing faithful and
brilliant work which promises great things
for the future. Here. as in almost every
American community. public education Is
our greatest municipal interest. and calls
for the large st item in the annual budget
Nearly one-sixth of our population IL made
up of the teachers and pupils of our pub
lie schools. Nothing is nearer to our
hearts. Therefore. we welcome you with
peculiar feeling, both Of hospitality and
of expectation. and trust and believe
that your visit will not only be bene-
ficia: to us. but in the highest degree to
yourselves
Cooperation in Research Work.
President Cooper announced that Secre-
tary Wilson of the Agricultural Depart
ment was unable to be in attendance.
and stated that Assistant Secretary Hays
would speak in his place. Mr.. Hays said:
Il am glad to give a word of greeting
from the worlds great research institu-
ton to the superintendent of the world s
greatest public school system. 1t is with
pleasure that I call to your minds some
of the relations Of the Department Of
Agriculture. the state experiment sta
tons and other research enterprises in
which the federal government takes a
leading part to the work of instruction
with which you are concerned
Congress and the state legislatures
annually provide between ten and twenty
million dollars for research. mainly along
| agricultural and Industrial lines Sup
plemented by researches in university
laboratories. by amateurs and others there
are tens Of millions annually expended in
this country in securing new experimental
| knowledge of nature and natural law.
That the rapid changes in manufac-
ture, transportation, agriculture and mer-
chandising largely spring from this re-
search can not be doubted This research
| is being rapidly increased in quantity.
The quality also Is being improved year
by .e year. 1890 u.,oo;u ~. uo.. .,.n,,.
! through which this rapidly rising ocean at
knowledge must reach the people. there
should be the freest contact. The re-
search institutions need this contact that
| to present the facts; and the schools need
close association that they may receive
| and transmit that which is the most use
| full to the lives Of the students: with its
full power Of truth and inspiration.
| 1T is exceedingly important that our
| university students secure their instruc-
| ton in departments In which are divisions
devoted to researches in which the stu
| dents can have parts as helpers. The
educational value of having our agricul-
often as an organic part Of our agricul-
tural colleges and agricultural secondary
| schools is very great. The teachers
| point of view Is broader, more scientific
! less bookish, and his inspiration Is in
| creased to actually accomplish something
| by carrying our further the lines entered
| upon In the work of original research.
Engineering experiment stations in our
state colleges of engineering. besides rap
idly building up the technique of mechan-
| ical. electrical. mining and other classes
| of engineering, would likewise have large
students, making them better workers,
whether they become technicians, teach
| ers or experimenters.
The Department of Agriculture has one
| wonderful relation to our educattoca. in
stitut!ons which is only coming into full
recognition. Its growing funds enable it
| to employ graduates and even members
Of the faculties from our state colleges OF
| agriculture and from many universities
and colleges. In return many OF lis men
experienced not only in their specialties.
but widely acquainted by travel with the
agriculture and the people Of the en-
tire country, are secured as teachers in
the faculties as of the state colleges Of ag-
riculture and experiment stations. Espe-
cially is II advantageous alike to depart
ment and state experiment stations thus
! to have free exchange OF men. carrying
out an interchange Of knowledge and OF
ers protects the local institution from the
| stagnatfon and provincialisn which comes
from building up faculty of teachers
and experimenters mainly of the gradu-
ates of the same Institutions It also 81 es
solidarity, an acquaintance allowing OF
friendly criticism and even Of emulatins
| rivalry most desirable In line of effort
rapidly creating and utilizing new thought.
Beauties of the Capital.
'If you were here in any season but
winter / would wish to especially well
come you to Washington's outdoors to en-
! Joy her town layout-her streets, her
trees, her parks. her Geological Garden
and her agricultural experiment farms.
three Of which lie just beyond the Dis
trict borders. The growth of American
pride in identifying both our cities and
our countrysides, and in building up
beautiful urban and rural homes, properly
manifests itself with unusual earnestness
! in and about the National capital.
MAY l not also express to you a word Of
greeting on the part of scientific Wash
inston presume that In no other center
! in the world Is there another such a coll
lection of talent and wisdom along sci
entific lines. No other city can boast a
| scientific club with a group of men SO
widely comprehending the scientific
thought OF the world as Washington.
| 1.-The angle Of vision more clearly COW
ers all states. all cities and all localities
that each part may better receive it's
true proportion to each other part and to
! the whole. More superintendents, more
| teachers and more citizens OF all classes
should visit Washington. and. as viewing
the city from the great Monument, take
view of America from the standpoint
of its governmental CENTER
Elmer Ellsworth Brown. United States
commissioner of education. spoke at
length upon the work OF the bureau of
education. He urged the members Of the
convention to visit the bureau and said
there is five square feet of space for each
member to stand in. He called attention
to the new building of the Department of
Agriculture and the Library Of Congress,
which building. he said. is an honor to
of education rs housed in dingy building.
but it Is hoped that 1t too will some day
| have a building commensurate with its
importance.
Proposed New Building.
| This week." he explained "a congress
siona! committee is considering measures
for the extension Of the bureau. and we
may look forward to the time when the
bureau Of education will be housed In q
building not below the standard of the
Library Of Congress.
I'm it, he concluded. you will have
halls for your meetings and it will be your
home.
Mr.. f. Louis Sedan. superintendent of