The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-04
REPORT MADE ON
ATHENS EPIDEMIC
Methodist Conference Votes
$4,000 for Expenses
SCHOOL WILL REOPEN
Lay Delegates to General Conference
Named-Need of Further Educa-
tonsl Facilities In Mountain
and Rural Districts.
BY WALTER HARPER.

feature of this mornings session OF the
North Alabama Methodist conference
aside from the interest taken In the elec-
ton of the delegates to the general con-
ference next year, was the report OF the
board of trustees of Athens college on
the recent epidemic of typhoid fever and
the voting of $1,000 to bear part of the ex-
traordinary expenses incurred by that
epidemic.
The report was read by Col. w. T.
Saunders, president of the board, after
it had been received and reported favora-
bly, by the educational committee OF the
conference. Colonel Saunders reading OF
the report was followed by the appear
ance on the floor of Miss Mary n. Moore,
president of the institution. She was
given q most impressive and feeling ova-
ton by the members of the conference
She has not yet recovered from the In
jury received in a runaway several weeks
ago, and was visibly suffering as she adj
vanced and stood before the audience.
She briefly reviewed the unusual epidemic
at the school that cost the lives of -FOUR
of the young lady students and the seri-
GUS illness of number of others. She
announced her great confidence In the
permanent safety of the institution from
a recurrence of the trouble and called
upon the people to assist her in holding
up the school. with great feeling she
expressed her gratitude that God had
watched over the school and that the ep-
idemic was not as bad as it might have
been. The percentage. of mortality was
unusually low.
There was not a dry eye In the vast
audience when Miss Moore concluded her
touching appeal for continued co-opera-
ton and sympathy. Her every word was
full of faith in God and confidence in the
future of the college.
The report of the board of trustees
showed that the cause of the recent cpl
dernic of fever had been located and elm
mated and that all conditions are again
safe for the reopening of the school.
Attached to the report are reports of
eminent physicians and other bacteriolog-
ical experts, who declare that all danger
has been eliminated; They report that the
contagion was indicted into the school
by negro dishwasher and waiter, who
suffered from a case of walking typhoid
for several weeks before he succumbed
to the disease himself
The day department of the school was
opened November %, and it was suggest
ed that the boarding department be re-
opened about December ID. Miss Moore
reported that a number of the parents of
the pupils who were sent home at the
time Of the breaking out of the epidemic
have assured her that they would return
their daughters to the school when it is
ready to reopen She hopes to be able to
have large majority of the old pupils.
The trustees were empowered to borrow
5000 to pay the extraordinary expenses
and to continue the school through the
present term. In addition to this the
trustees will be allowed to use part of
the annual assessment for the current
year for this purpose. The 5000 loan is
TO be distributed over five years of con-
ference assessments.
Lay Delegates Named.
The following lay delegates were named
to the general conference to be held at
Ashville next May: T. c. Banks of Alfalfa,
j. B. Wordsworth of Birmingham. M. N
Manning Of Talladega, W. T. Saunders
of Athens and e. j. Garrison of Ashland.
The conference was still balloting for
the sixth man when 1t adjourned for the
day.
None of the six clerical delegates had
been named when adjournment was
taken.
The following were accepted in full
connection. having taken the two-year
trial course in the work of ministry:
John E. Black. George C. Dobbs. William
r. Duncan, William e. Guthrie, Virgil
H. Hawkins George T. Martin, William
A. Mays, Marvin w. Mccain T. L. Nc
Donald. E. D. Totherow and H. p.
Watts.
Bishop III. C. Morrison addressed the
class most impressively for few min
utes on the duties and responsibilities of
the calling. He grouped his discourse
under six general heads. each an impress
sive injunction for righteousness. Keep
Right With Cod Keep Right With
Gods Word Keep Right With Your
selves Keep Right With Your Peo-
ple,' Shepherd Your Flock and "Ad-
minister the Discipline Of the Church
The following were elected to elders
orders: William Branham, L. NJ. Harris.
w. A. Hamrick, II. M. Hurst, Charles S.
Marable and William NJ. Mcdonald.
On Educational Facilities.
During the morning session DR.. ]. D.
Hammond, general secretary of educa-
ton, addressed the conference on the
need Of further educational facilities, es-
pecially In the mountain and rural dis
tricts. He said that the Methodist Epis-
copal church, south, has 1870 educational
institutions of one grade and another and
about 5000 students in attendance. He
declared that there is material in the
territory affected by the church directly
| for 200o.O00000 pupils. He gave inter-
esting figures on the percentage of con-
versions in church schools and lack of
conversions among children allowed to
grow up outside of the church schools He
put the school percentage at 80 and the
others u per cent
DR.. Hammand announced that the
church desired a foundation fund OF
$4,000 and wanted 100000 In the
bounds of the southern church to pledge
themselves to pay 81 q year for five years.
| He declared that endowment funds could
| be secured from Rockefeller and Carne-
gle at the price of religious purity but
| that he would not sell the Rock of Ages"
| foundation on which the church is built
| for all the wealth of these men. The
| sentiment was heartily applauded
{ Report on Woman's College.
| A report was received from the trustees
| of the Womans college at Montgomery
| stating that work had begun on the
| building and that the school would be
| ready to open at the beginning OF the
next school year. A plea was made for
help in the building of dormftory. The
report was referred to the education COM
| mittee.
The Rev. A. C. Brown, q missionary TO
China WAS tnfroduced to the conference