The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-22
SUMMER SCHOOL
 COMES TO CLOSE
The Session Has Been Most Success. ful Ever cid at the Uni
 versity.

University. July A.-(special )-The last examination was concluded at 3:3O o'clock this afternoon and the fifth session of the University Summer School for Teach CTS was thereby brought to a close. For several days the students have been drift ing away as their work came to an end until now only a few remain on the grounds. After tomorrow at noon the quadrangle and campus which for the past six weeks have been thronging with teachers and ringing with their voices, will be deserted until the boys come in september for the regular session of the university.
 Without reservation the summer school just closed can be called the most sue cessful of all that have been held. If Is true that the enrolment of 298 was slightly smaller than it has been on sev- eral other occasions, yet this number is about as large as the present equipment Of the university will accommodate More over. the students this year averaged higher than ever before in the grade of work taken. Of the total number enroll ed 131 pursued courses simply for the improvement of their capacity as teach CTS, while 167 prepared for the state ex- aminations for certificates. The number of applicants for life and first grade li- censes was greater than ever before there having been 13 of the former and 67 of the latter. Sixty-seven likewise tried for second grade, while only 20 came up for the third grade. The faculty, se- lected as it was from the best known and most capable teachers of the state, was ample and efficient. Taken as whole, the corps of lecturers this year was the most able and interesting that the sum- mer school has yet had. It consisted of President Edwin B. Craighead of Tulane university, Dr. Samuel c. Smuckner( of the State Normal school of West Chester, Pa., Prof Frederick D. Losey of the Uni versity of Alabama, and Dr. Nathan c. Schaeffer, superintendent of education of Pennsylvania. During the fourth week members of the university faculty and others gave daily lectures. In addition, there were several attractions of a purely entertaining class.
 Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the summer school was the active in terest taken in the educational matters of Alabama. Without doubt this inter- est has given a great impetus to the educational movement in the state. In the first place the Association of Alabama Colleges held a joint meeting with a conference on secondary education to con sider matters of common interest to col lege and high school. During this gath ering the educators wore seven-league boots The most important steps taken were that the colleges raise their entrance requirements as soon possible to the national standard of IA units, and that the high schools offer four years course based on seven years of elementary work as preparation for the colleges Before the conference adjourned it resolved it. self into a permanent organization to be known as the Association of Alabama High Schools. This association in turn is to have the teachers of the several branches grouped into divisions, such as the English and the mathematics division already organized, which are to strive for the improvement of the instruction In the various high school subjects
 This cooperative activity on the part of college and high school teachers can not but result in good. The high school field having been clearly defined and the colleges having agreed to. raise their cur ricula. the secondary teachers will be en- abled to cultivate broad field without having it encroached upon by higher schools And the colleges and univer- sites, knowing that the secondary work Is properly cared for, can uphold higher standards than heretofore. Owing to this awakened interest in high schools, the summer authorities, in mapping out the course of study for the next session will undoubtedly put in number of branches primarily for secondary teachers.