The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-09
NEWS IF TIE DAY IN SOCIETY WORLD Mrs. Randolph Discusses School
 Improvement Work NOTES HERE AND THERE MT. and Mrs. Jenkins Entertain at Dinner-Miss Hardee Is Hostess
 for Miss Greeg-Announce-
 ments-Personals.
By MYRTLE MILES.

The first meeting of the Alabama School Improvement association took place yes terday afternoon in the High school build ing, and was attended by a large number of visitors from the organizations in the various cities over the state. About loo were in attendance and engaged in an en- thusiastic discussion of the results ac- complished in their respective cities dur ing the past year by the improvement so- ciety-that growing power for good throughout Alabama Mrs. J. D. Matlock of Birmingham, the president of the state organization, presided.
 Mrs. Richard Randolph, president of the Jefferson County School Improvement as soclation. and prominent in this phase of activity as well as in club work, deliv- cred a cordial and graceful welcome to the visitors in behalf of the Jefferson county association and the city Of Blr- mingham. She said:
 "It is both a pleasure and privilege to greet you today. m the name of the people of Birmingham, the Magic City, l extend you welcome as full of interest as our past as earnest as our present and as big as our future. l welcome you as high thinking. broad minded men and women, striving TOT tne betterment of their fellow men. wei come you as unselfish, earnest workers' who believe in the present and US oppor- tunities, the future and its promises welcome you as loyal citizens of grand state, which you are endeavoring to acorn with civilizations most glorious flower education. I welcome you as mighty phalanx waglng warfare against ignor- ance and superstition, with lanterns of learning carrying light into dark places. 1 welcome you as part of one great or ganized effort for the uplifting of hu- manity We'll may we be proud of our great captains of industry. Enthusiastic and hopeful over the marvellous indus trial progress and development which re- cent years have wrought within our state, speed energy, decision are not the only qualities worthy of emulation-'In quiet ness and confidence shall be your strength The material must be ree- gated to it's proper place. To combat these modern tendencies the reserve forces of education must take the field, inspired by the same spirit of combination and CO., operation which dominate the business world. Concentration of effort will &C., complish great results. The main hope is in the common public school, and out on the firing line with the school is the public library.
 "The fair brow of our state Is now en- lcircled by glowing coronet of blazing furnaces which show forth to the world her material wealth. Let us not be blinded by this glare of prosperity, splen- did though 1t be. There is a still more glorious crown for Alabama which we may help to make-the intellectual and spiritual development of her people, which will point the way, not only to the higher and better things of this life, but to the undimmed glory of life immor- tal What sculpture is to the block of marble, education is to the human soul. A story is told of Michael Angelo, who one day walking with some friends through a side street in Florence, saw a block of marble lying neglected and cov- cred with dirt and rubbish. Much to his friends surprise, regardless of his hol- day attire, he ran to it at once and com menced cleaning away the dirt, striving to lift 1t from the slime and mire. His astonished companions asked what he was doing and what he wanted with this worthless piece or stone. mere IS dn angel in this stone he answered, and l must let it out The block was car ried to his studio With patient, earnest labor, with repeated blows of chisel and mallet he let the angel out-to beautify and gladden. the world. All around us lie human souls imprisoned by vice and is- norance which make them rude, un- slightly useless stone, encumbering the highway of life. There is an angel in each soul. Let us make 1t our endeavor to bring this useless stone within the in fiuence of the sculptor, the teacher, who, by training and discipline, by constant and unwearied toll, day by day, over and over again so shape and mold and change these souls that the imprisoned angel will be freed from its environment, and soar out into the glorious light of intellectual liberty.
 We are very glad to have you here, and We hope you will receive both pleasure and profit from this coming together. Trusting in your matured intelligence and wisdom, earnestly hope that school im- provement work will receive such an im- petus that all schools throughout the state will reap the fruits of your timely visit. and your wise deliberations. Once more, welcome, And with this word of