The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-03
DENIAL IS MADE OF STUDENT TROUBLE No Foundation for Blind Tiger
 Newspaper Stories BANKERS TO ASSEMBLE Teachers From Columbus City Schools Will Visit Birmingham Soon to
 Inspect the Educational
 system.

Columbus, Miss. April 2.-(special.)- President J. c. Hardy. of the Agricul- tural and Mechanical college at Stark vile. Miss, said tonight over long dis tance telephonei
 There is not the least authenticity in the report that students were before the faculty because they were caught running a blind tiger here yesterday. The report which was published this morn ing in the New Orleans paper was with out foundation. No one has been be- fore the faculty on any charge of this nature or any other such fragrant vio- lation this session or at any other time The school is progressing finely and I cannot imagine where the report started" !"
 Percy W. Maer of Columbus, trustee of the school, said tonight:
 You can deny absolutely that any thing like this sort of trouble exists at the school. There have been two stu dents dismissed from the school because they failed to make the required grades
 There is no trouble with the student body on account of lawbrealzing. I be- lieve the stories are being circulated by personal enemies of President Hardy. It is nothing more than the echoes of last summers bitter fight at the school The enemies of the college are starting the reports and I hope you will deny them as they should be-
 Columbus, near Starkville, heard noth- ing of the rumor until tonight and many people here are in daily touch with the school.
 The annual meeting of the Mississippi Bankers association, which convenes in Columbus May Il and 12 will be per haps the most elaborate gathering the money lenders and financiers of this commonwealth have yet enjoyed. Pres ident Weaver of the Columbus Insurance and BankIng company, President John ston of the First State bank, and Pres ident Street of the Merchants and Farm CTS bank, all of this place, have been busily engaged in making preparations for the occasion and announced today that banquet at the Hotel Gilmer will be the entertainment for the night of April Il and on April 12 a ball will also be held at the same place. The visi- tors, rather the advance guard, will ar rive on April 10 and will be rendered an entertainment at the Industrial Institute and College by the music department of that institution. That will occur on the night of April 10 and the conven- tion formally opens the next morning. Manager James Newby, Jr. has ten dered the bankers the columbus theatre for their meeting place and all busi- ness sessions will be held at this com fortable play house. The ball at the Hotel Gilmer, the same place the gov ernor's ball was held last summer when the soldiers were here, will be the most elaborate affair attempted here in some time. Hon. Walter Weaver, vice presi- dent of the First State bank, is in active charge of all arrangements and he states a Memphis band will be engaged for the event. Nothing will be left undone to show the bankers that Columbus is a model convention city.
 Twelve teachers from the city schools will visit Birmingham some time the lat ter part Of this month on an inspection visit to the public schools of that city in order that new, advanced ideas pertaining to teaching, discipline and other features of school work may be learned pr. and Mrs. J. H. Phillips of Birmingham. recog- nized leaders of educational pursuits in the Magic City, have visited Columbus several times, and have many warm per- sonal friends here. It was largely for that reason, together with the fact that Birmingham's schools are noted for their excellence, that the local teachers decided to journey and spend a few days looking
 
 can scure and start into active operation in Columbus for the benefit of the local schools.
 A decided movement to secure the 1910 meeting of the Mississippi Teachers asso- citation for Columbus will be made at the Natchez convention, which meets on the 3Oth inst. The association has never met here, and Columbus will send a delega- tion there to secure the next annual gathering. One of the features of the Natchez gathering will be the exhibit from the industrial department of the Mis- hissippi Industrial Institute and College. President Whitfield is making up an ex- hibit that will reflect just credit upon the school over which he presides, and it will no doubt be a source of interest to the 1000 delegates who always attend these conventions.
 Postmaster Wood announced the gross receipts of his office for the quarter end ing March 31, which is also the close of the government fiscal year, as s21, ,501. .o4 The close of the fiscal year 12 months ago showed the receipts to be $2O,3Oo. This gives net gain, caused from a steady growth of the town and exceptional busi- ness conditions in the face of so much de- pression of s120O. This is considered satis- factory. Postmaster Wood recently inau- gurated an all-nlght service, and the pub lie is as well taken care of here and enjoy the same advantages as any office In the country is able to bestow.
 shoes. Mir. Fucker deplored the fact that the tax on beer had not been increased
 Lobby In Washington.
 q do not know what it signifies" said MT Rucker "but 1t is currently renorted as fact that about the time this Con