The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-09-10
EDUCATIONAL
CONFERENCE
Very Important Meeting Held in
Jacksonville Last Saturday
fine PLANS LAUNCHED
Object Is to Increase Interest in Every
Phrase Of Public tduca alton -PrOmin-
ent Educators Elected as Officers

Unquestionably the most enthusiast
tic, profitable and important educational
conference ever held in the State was
that which was held at Jacksonville on
last Saturday morning, when a cam
paign of education was successfully
launched by large and representative
number of prominent Florida educators.
The conference considered the pro-
position of introducing new methods of
training, and numerous prominent men
of the State addressed the meeting on
various educational subjects.
Those prominent in educational work
in Florida have realized that deeper
interest should be taken in agricultural
training, and it will be the aim of the
organization, which was permanently
formed, to work for the adoption of
this branch of study in many of the
schools.
The organization that was formed
elected the following officers:
Hon. w. M. Holloway, state super
ntendent of public instruction, pres-
dent; DR.. A. A. Murphree, president
of the University of Florida, vice
president and treasurer; Capt. G. M.
Lynch, executive secretary and gen.
eral manager; G. w. Tedder, of Mad
Olson, assistant secretary; Captain
Lynch is secretary and member of
the faculty of the University of Flor
ida.
The propaganda submitted was
adopted unanimously, and will be
pushed with all vigor during the next
four months.
The following is the outline adopted:
Basic purpose: General awakening
of the people in public education.
Fundamental thesis: Making the
school the center of gravity of COM
munity life. How? School improve
ment associations, literary societies,
identifying the grounds. agricultural
and economic studies and school libra
ries.
The high school: Its necessity,
Poor mans college" Its value, edu-
eating the teachers for rural schools.
Its equipment, its place in the system
connecting link.
Not less than one high school for
each county in the State.
Trained teachers, longer school term
and efficient supervision of schools.
Constitutional amendment of | mill
tax to provide aid for high schools,
rural graded and State institutions.
Unifcation of city schools.
Establishment of department of man
ual training, domestic science, bust
ness and agriculture.
Equipment of laboratory and library.
General theme: Home and school;
sanitation and health.
The plan of procedure outlined was
as follows:
Divide the State into not less that
seventy districts. In each district
have rally. The place selected should
be geographically and in point of aces
ability the best in the district. Ad-
vertse widely the rally six weeks be-
fore it is held. Enlist the influence of
a number of the most influential men
in the district in behalf of the move
ment.
Designate local school teacher,
county board member, county superin-
tendent, editor of paper, and two large
tax payers to make talks, give them
subjects if necessary.
Have, if convenient, round-table
Injecting al tlc cioSe VI seueIai HieTt-
ing, with ten or more of the leading
business men and farmers. The OBJ
ject is to fill them full of personal in
terest and make them conscious of their
responsibility in the work.
Organize the ladies in school imprOv-
ment associations. Hold meetings in
or near school house.
Prominent among those who took an
active part in the discussions We're:
Hon. w. B. Clarkson, of Jacksonville,
Hon. w. r. O'Neal, of Orlando; Coun-
ty Superintendent j, H. Brinson,
Ocala; Eppes, Tallahassee; r. f. Hall,
Miami; r. l.. Turner, Inverness, and
Hon. l.. w. Kicklighter, Bradford
county.
A Pleasant Card Party