Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-03

professor Of semitic languages and litera-
ture at the University OF Chicago.
A total attendance of $500 or more edu-
Gators from Douglas and the other ten
eastern counties of the state is expected
before the session adjourns Saturday noon.
Preliminary to the main address at
Thursday evenings general session, Rev.
j. w. Conley of the First Baptist church
offered the invocation. Hiram Scoville of
South Omaha rendered an acceptable violin
solo and Miss Fannie Meyers OF Omaha
won favor with her sweet voice In a solo
and encore.
Omaha bids you welcome spoke DR.. w.
NJ. Davidson, superintendent Of the Omaha
public schools. in closing his address of
welcome TO the assembled teachers. Out
lining briefly. but In his able way, the
scope and Importance of the educators
profession, he pictured the magnitude OF
the present conference and it's possible re-
suits, and with a few well chosen words
made the visitors feel at home in the city.
Responding to the proffer Of welcome
superintendent Dixon of Tekamah inter-
polated several apt anecdotes and stories
and incidentally made his acquaintance
with the members of the association, having
only recently taken up his work I'm this
state after being engaged in educative en-
beavers in Ohio. He not only accepted the
welcome on behalf of the visiting teach
ers, but also thanked the Omaha teachers
who are acting as hosts during the confer
enoe for the opportunity TO meet in a
metropolitan city whose school system has
a wide and high reputation.
! DR.. Willettc left a favorable impression
by his mere bearing and delivery. He has
a voice OF warmth and depth and his lee
ture proved a treat.
Though promoting no ideas or announce
ments Of startling scope or nature he pre-
sented an interesting address on the sub
tect' Some Educational Ideas" There Is
no enterprise in which America is more
deeply Interested than in education" he
declared. and said that In spite of social
political and religious activities the conn
try is more fixedly paying attention m
the mental training OF its millions OF peo-
pie than In considering the other activities
comparing education to the golden fleece
or the Argonautic expedition, and modern
teachers 90 the men who trained the an
cient heroes OF mythology 10 the task ~
recovering the priced trophy. the lee
turer then proceeded 70 a comnarativs
mention OF the methods Of education IN the
south and north. He said that while special
schools converts, tutors and governesses
promulgate much Of the higher knowi-
edge in the south, universally Of education
prevails in this part of the country and
great schools for all classes offer splen-
did opportunities for learning.
Amusing examples or limitations In
knowledge and education were skilIfuIly
cited by DR., Willette in his proof that
America is among the first In education.
And to how that not all such narrow
ness and limitation Is outside of America
he also told about some answers 10 ex-
animation questions of which he had
heard in this county.
t place the child where he can lust
earn a living is one of the last purposes
or education and one OF the most fatal
OF its heresies," said he in discussing the
practical and other value OF mind train
ing Education is the grinding process
Of taking a few facts and with them de-