The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-16
PRESIDENT TEACH ATTENDS INSTITUTE Supt. GunneIIs Also Makes
 Short Address
ATTENDANCE STILL LARGE
pr. Thach Comments On Rapid Stride. Made Toward Perfectinq Ala bama's Educational System.
 Round Table Session.

The fullest and strongest of any days attendance marked the opening of yes- terdays session of the teachers insti- ute at the high school Following the inspiring lecture of Mrs. J. H. Phil lips at the opening hour Monday morn- ing, the teachers were given another treat when President C. C. Thach of the Alabama Polytechnic institute spoke.
 The presence of State Superintendent
 of Education Harry C. Gunnels also add
 ed interest to the institute yesterday. He made a short talk prior to the lec-
 ture by Dr. Thach land felicitated the teachers on the splendid showing made by the institute. He expressed great
 satisfaction at the good results grow
 ing out of these institutes, which bears
 testimony to the wisdom of the state leg islature in providing for them.
 Dr. J. II. Phillips, in introducing Dr. Thach, took occasion to say that the city of Birmingham was the center of Alabama's great industrial and manu- featuring activity that 1t was eminently fitting that the teachers assembled in
 this city should have with them the
 noted president of the Polytechnic in
 stitute, which Is the center of industrial,
 technical and scientific education of Ala bama.
 Dr. Thachs theme was the manifold
 value of d perfected common and ele-
 mentary school system Taking a cur
 sory survey of the entire field of ed- ucation he made strong plea in be- 1 half of the elementary school system, maintaining that the morality of the state
 and the commercial product of the state
 depended upon such a system well or ganized and well paid
 The rapid strides of the United States in commercial prosperity he attributed to the splendid schools. and in the course of these remarks complimented the last legislature and Governor Conner upon the
 attitude taken by them towards the state
 and county schools.
 While he maintained that the elemen- tary school was the essential factor in
 a perfect system, the speaker showed the wisdom and necessity of the coun- ty high school and of the error in un- derestimating it's value. This was fol- l lowed by a reference to the college work
 and showed that with these as the cul- | imitation in schoo. training captains of | industry, developed resources and in- crease of wealth came as direct re- ] suit
 | He further showed that a little further l improvement would result in the perfect | articulation of elementary school, high , school and college, giving to Alabama the 1 finest school system of all the states. The feature of the afternoon session
 was the assembage at the principals | office of the round table, which was l presided over by Dr. J. H. Phillips. 1 Superintendent Gunnes will occupy the | open hour at this mornings session and the regular programme will be carried out for the day.
 One feature of the institute which is attracting quite an amount of interest among the teachers is the exhibition of departmental work of the Birmingham high school. This has been productive
 of much praise from the teachers.