The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
TEACHERS STIRRED
 BY TALKS ON DAN F Yesterdays Meeting Was
 Largely Attended
WORK ON DIVINE C)MEDY
Next Meeting Will Be Held January 16, and the Public Generally Is Invited to Attend the
 Meetings.

The city teachers institute was held in the high school auditorium yesterday morning. The programme proved to be of unusual interest as the teachers of the city schools and a great number of the womens clubs of the city are con oentrating their efforts on the study of Dante's great masterpiece. "The Divine Comedy" The excellent papers present. ed met with ready appreciation. No pro- fessional course hitherto pursued by the teachers has aroused so much interest and stimulated so much study as this course in Dantes Divine Comedy"
 The study combines many interesting phases of psychology, the profound phllos- ophy underlying the philosophy of the middle ages and the fascinating his tory of Florence and Florentine art at the beginning of the Italian Renaissance. The fact that the course will receive it's climax in series of lectures by MT. Edward Howard Griggs during the month of April is an incentive that stim- ulates special study and research.
 The programme yesterday was intro duced by Principal c. B. Glenn of the Paul Hayne school, who presided. MT. Glenn felicitously alluded to the sgnif- canoe of this study by the teachers and is importance in the line of literary and artistic culture.
 The first on the programme was R. V. Allgood of the Avondale school, whose acio " to the "Cowardly Virtuous," indicated close study of the literal as well as the allegorical significance of Dante's lines. In the factional strife between Guelf and Ghibellne that existed at that time there was no place for one who did not take 0 positive stand. He must be positively aligned with one faction or the other; otherwise he was condemned to an earthly hell. Dante reflects the sentiment Of hls own time, and places these cowardly yirtuous within the outer circles of the Inferno where they were tormented by the gadfiies which continually pursued them.
 A paper by Miss Lea Bradfield or the high school on the topic, The Lost Through Ignorance" was an able pre- sentation of the philosophical element Tn Dante. A paper was also presented by Miss Mary Rittenburg of the Paul Hayne school upon the First Circle of Positive Sin" The paper presented splendid analysis of the relation of human de- fects and positive violations of the world order to their logical consequences.
 Miss Jessie Wells of the high school read an interesting paper on the I'm agery of the Inferno" The paper through out was a splendid analysis of the re- lation of the physical imagery to the spiritual sense and the interpretation was such as might be expected of one pos sessing a high degree of artistic taste.
 The climax of the programme was reached when Mrs w. s. Lowell deliv- cred an address upon "Florentine Art in the Time of Dante." Although Mrs Lowell Is well known in the city and Is an authoritative interpreter of art, her ad- dress upon the subject assigned her was a revelation to those who heard her Her exquisite presentation of art conditions Tn Florence in the 18th century made 1t possible for those who heard her to get an insight into the artistic value or Dante's wonderful masterpiece. AS 1t IS impossible to do justice to this address in a brief resume it Is earnestly hoped by those who heard her that Mrs. Lowell will put this splendid address in form for publication.
 In addition to the teachers of the schools in the city the institute was attended by a large number of teachers from adJoin- ing municipalities and many of the most cultured people of Birmingham who ex- pl essed qualification for the privilege of listening to one of the most artistic pro- grammes presented for some time.
 The next meeting of the institute will be held on January 16, when Principal c. A. Brown of the high school will de- liver a lecture on the meaning of the Inferno. It is expected that Dr. George Petrie of the Alabama Polytechnic insti- ute will deliver a lecture at the same meeting, which will be illustrated with stereopticon views. Dr. Phillips in behalf of the teachers and principals cordially Invites any who may desire to do so to attend the meetings of the institute.