The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-22
South's Progress in Education
Some Notes Upon Recent Conference Of Superinten
dents of Education in Atlanta


| In many respects the gathering vi
State superintendent of education in
Atlanta December sth and 9th, was
notable. These and other educators
came at the call of the Southern Edu-
cation Board. and devoted two days to
the discussion of educational problems
Their familiarity with the subject and
| the earnestness with which they gave
lit consideration is a good omen. AL
bore witness to the great and rapid
| increase of interest in the cause of
I.education in the South. All also &C
knowledged that there is much yet 10
be done, and that there are many diff
culties IN the way.
Taking part were superintendent
II. c. Gnnnels. of Alabama; j. j. Doyne
of Arkansas; T. NJ Pound. of Georgia.
]. 3. AsweIl. of Louisiana: j. NJ. Pow
ers. OF Mississippi: j. Y. Joyner. o.
North Carolina; o. 3. Martin. of south
Carolina r. L. Jones. Of Tennessee
w. NJ Holloway, of Florida. and r. b
Cousins. of Texas. Kentucky was rep
resented by NJ a. Cassidy, superinten-
dent of city schools. Lexington. and
Virginia by f. B. Fitzpatrick. super
lintendent of city schools. Pulaski
There we're number of college and
university presidents and professors
present. and President f. A. Alderman
| of the University of Virginia, presided
A stenographic report was made OF
what was said. which will be printed
in due course. regret that. after
waiting three months. I have not been
able to get a copy of that report. 1t Is
my purpose to note some Of the points
made by the several speakers, my be
tl,ef being that these viii be OF value
to all who are working for the ad-
vancemcnt of learning in the South
The superintendents were called upor
! in turn and made report of what has
been accomplished In their States. ant
| afterwards there was discussion o.
some of the difficulties in the way. and
how best to remove them. II these
notes appear desultory. it is because
they were taken snapshotwise. and
with no intention of making them
serve as q report of the proceedings.
The superintendcnts Speak.
Superintendent Aswell reported thai
! the Louisiana school fund had beer
| burdened by heavy fee. amounting
| to II 1-2 per cent, to the collector
| and treasurer but that the recent spe'
| ciai session Of the Legislature had re-
duced this TO ! per cent. The Legs
lature had saved for the school chill
! dren of his State at least 100000
! heretofore paid out in these commits
| slOnS. Inc average pay OIL teachers l.
| s4a.5o; the average school term sever
and one fourth months. Mr.. Aswell's
suggestion was, Reinforce the high
| schools; encourage instruction in agri-
culture in the rural schools; trained
superintendent of schools, and com
pulsory education.
| Superintendent Martin reported tina
| of the forty-one counties in Soutf
Carolina thirty-nine have school i'm
| provement associations, organized BY
| the women. There are 5000 members
| of these associations. and they are {
great aid. infusing new spiri
| into the people, the teachers and the
J pupils. The woman who Is at the
head of this movement devotes her time
to 1t, and is paid $50 a month by the
| Southern Education Board. A donation
! of $1,000 had been made by DIR. Rhode!
| for the rural schools, and this money
had been placed in the hands of tn;
School Improvement Association. |
was wisely placed there. and had beer
used as follows: Five hundred dollar.
| in five $10b prizes We're offered fo
| the five schools showing the mos
marked improvement. and ten prizes o