Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-20
We WASTE BILLIONS
THROUGH IGNORANCE
TEXAS EDUCATOR SAYS LACK OF
EFFICIENT EDUCATION is
RUNNING SOUTH--EDUCAT
AL CONFERENCES ADJOURNS.

sions il has known during the twelve
years OF it's existence. the conference for
education i'm the south adjourned its 18th
annual session i'm the auditorium, Friday
night
Activity had filled the day. A morning
program had been crowded with excellent
work. and the afternoon had witnessed
several enthusiastic state meetings among
which Georgias was naturally the biggest
and far and away the most fruitful. All
this led up TO the concluding program
short one. of speeches by two of the most
eminent men i'm the conferences; the adop-
ton of some resolutions of thanks and
farewell; the first choral music In the
auditorium; and a witty, sparkling inn
promptu farewell speech from St. Clair
McKelway. dean of New York state jour
nalism and editor of the Brooklyn Eagle.
Mayor Maddox had before the commence
ment of the program presented to Presl-
dent ogden a gavel turned out by the
Tech department of the BOYS Hlsh
school With that gavel President Og-
den. at 1890 o'clock. formally declared
the conference adjourned.
Resolutions were also adopted outlining
the work OF the conference for the I'M
mediate future as follows:
Resolutions Adopted
ucation in the South recommends for spe-
cial attention in the work of the immedi-
ate future:
81 Improvement in county supervision
as the strategic point in the entire edu-
cational system.
"2 The professional training of teach
ers to meet the just demand for more ef-
ficient service, and especially the
STRENGTHENING of the department of cdu-
cation In the higher institutions for the
training OF men as teachers and princi-
pals Of high schools and as superinten-
dents
80 The extension of local school i'm
provement leagues to every community
in the south and the earnest effort to
place this inspiring work upon a self
supporting basis.
- Continued efforts in behalf of COM
pulsory education in such a manner as
may be deemed wise in each state
Then the resolutions continued.
8 We recognize with delight the in
crease in dignity and power Of the office
of state superintendent of education,
which is attracting the strongest men
among us, and the growing recognition
OF these leaders as the real shepherds OF
the people.
6. The national bureau of education at
tied resources as has rendered 1t val
ued reinforcement of every good educa-
tional movement throughout the land. We
are glad TO note that congress has be-
gun to make a distinct increase in the
appropriations for this office. Such in
crease as has hitherto been made is, how
ever; wholly inadequate TO the needs OF
the Office and painfully disproportionate
to the Importance of the interests which
it serves. We respectfully urge upon
congress that it undertake without furth-
er delay the placing of this bureau upon
such a plane of efficiency as will ena-
BILE IL TO render i'm full the service which
the states represented in this confer
ence require and expect from such fed
eral office.
The adoption of the resolutions preceded
the regular program.
Some 300 young ladies of the Girls High
school formed the chorus under Prof.
Davis which for the first time gave OPP
portunity of hearing a greater volunie OF
song within the walls of the big audi
forum.
DIR. Edward A. Alderman, president of
the University of Virginia, who was to
have spoken on educational organization.
had been regrettably prevented from at
tending Two speakers were left on the
program-Dr. A. Caswell Ellis. University
of Texas. on education and economic de-
velopment: and DIR. Charles r. Vanhise,
of the University of Wisconsin, on the
state university in the service of the
state.
DR. Ellis address, portraying conditions
which have forced themselves upon the
consideration of southerners, was little
short of sensational.
DIR. Ellis Address
I'VE can all see now definitely enough
just how the south is literally throwing
away billions of dollars eachsyear through
lack of efficient education and training for
It's citizens" he said. How long can
such conditions last? There will speedily
come a day when the highly educated
men of other sections will turn toward the
rich natural resources of the south. There
can be but one end to such a competi-
ton.
"It is absurd to say we are doing what
we can. We must stop looking on money
spent upon education as a tax, and rec
ognize that IL is a financial investment
and the best paying investment that can
be made
at is absurd to say that we cannot
double and quadruple at once the an
nual appropriations voted for our univer-
stiles and colleges"
Certain states or the northwest, he
said. spend over a million dollars annu-
ally on their state universities. The
southern states average $500 each
Il can see but one solution to ouI
problem. and that is to issue bonds for
the development of higher education"
Dr. Van Hise, head of what is today
looked upon as the foremost state uni
versity in the country, laid his theory
before the conference of the service q
university should perform for its state.
Education can be of but little value
to a people unless II helps them to solve
the material as well as the spiritual
problems Of life, he said.
The university, he said, can serve it's
state in four ways BY the instruction
of students; more aggressively, research
into and for those things most vital to
the people of the state; still more ex-
tensively, service to the people by ex-
perts, ard. finally the carrying OF
knowledge to the people.
He expounded the ideal of a state uni
versity such as that of Wisconsin has
almost become In the eyes of the coun-
try's educators.
There must be practical study, he said
in all those things that a people need
Georgia, for instance. should study cot
ton. utilization of water power and the
working out of collateral industries.
In short he declared, the university is
the great clearing house of information
and knowledge for the state.