The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-03-09
DIR. El.uor,s ADDRESS.

greeted DR.. Charles w. Eliot. an audi
ence which filled every seat OF the
Grand Theatre and which perhaps
would have been as large again had
there been seating room was both a
tribute to the high character Of one
who stands among tho prominent In
American citisenship. and an evidence
of the aroused and determined spirit
for education in Alabama. He who
comes to Alabama now in the name Of
education comes as an honored and
welcomed visitor.
The tribute paid the head Of Harvard
University in that gathering was re-
markable--such an audience has rarely
gathered in the State and on few IL
any occasions have teachers travelled
SO far in Alabama to hear one address.
In a common country. the people and
the sections OF which draw closer to-
gether with each year. 1t IL well that
lectual thought OF New England should
go among the people Of the South and
know them and the conditions which
surround them, not from what men OF
other years have written, but rather by
personal contact and personal observa-
ton. 1t Ia well for the South and It
is well for New England that broad
minded men of both sections should
know and understand each other.
DR.. Eliot has discovered, for he said
SO yesterday. that no part of the Unit
ed States has established SO many in
stitutions of learning and so well ad-
vanced the interest Of education in the
past twenty years as the South. The
South is stirring in a wonderful edu-
cational revival, which Is not justly
appreciated in other portions of the
country. That DR.. Eliot appreciates
this and that he appreciates. too, sac
rifces that we are making in the in
terest of education is indicated in the
mastery address, delivered before the
Alabama audience which greeted him at
the Grand Theatre yesterday.
The address Of DR.. Eliot was a rare
treat. DR.. Eliot Is more than a sue
cessful college President--he is q stu
dent. q profound student, of questions
affecting American life. 1t has been
said that New England had a Brahmin
intellectual class, a class which by rea-
son of it's wealth, traditions and stand
ing might be considered aloof, in Its in
tellectuality, from other classes and
America might be considered It's aris-
tocratic class. By birth DR.. Eliot was
of this intellectual class and by train
ing he was of 1t, and yet he, in simple
truth Is one Of the pre-eminent Demor
Gratis of the country and one of the
deepest students of questions affecting
Democratic government. This he show
ed by his address and by his address
he showed more, for he indicated his
absolute faith for the future in DEM
ocrauc government and Democratic In
situations. Those teachers Of Alabama
who had travelled far to hear him must
have felt amply repaid for their trou-
BILE, at his able and lucid exposition Of
Democracy. In its fullest and not parti-
san sense. and its sympathy for and
Its dependence upon education. His
convincing argument for collective eff
forts for education. fell upon sympa-
thetic ears. Alabama 10 doing what
she can through collective efforts for
education and this she will do through
the coming years.
The splendid discussion of the prob
lems Of American life held close the in
terest and attention of DR.. Eiiot's great
audience. How it was possible to oom-
press in one hour. a discussion of so
many questions affecting American life,
as DR.. Eliot did is hardly understand
able. The whole address was clear,
simple. yet forceful and impressive.
1t is to be hoped that DIR. Eliot was
as much gratifed with the occasion
as his audience was.