The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-10
EDUCATORS MEET
 AT LITTLE ROCK
1900 Delegates From All Parts
 of the Country
FOR EDUCATION IN SOUTH
Robert C. Ogden President--The Rural Schools Are Discussed at Length. Alabama Made An Excellent
 Showing at Little Rock
By HERvEY W. LAIRD


 Little Rock, Ark, April 9-(Special J. Little Rock has done splendidly by the thirteenth conference for education in the south, which closed here last evening. or the 1500 delegates from all parts of the country, more than 1000 were from this state alone. State Superintendent of Education George Cook has received many expressions of appreciation and was the subject of a special resolution of com mendation by the organization as a whole.
 While the entire programme has been of more than ordinary interest the agrl- cultural conference held during two aft ernoon have taken rank as the most far reaching of all the influences set in mo- tion. These assemblies were so popular that admittanee had to be by ticket and there was never enough room for the demand One afternoon the star leader was President Barrett of the Farmers union, and another Dean Russell of the Agricultural School and College of the University of Wisconsin. A great many other men of note, skilled in this line of work gave valuable experiences.
 Echoes of Western Trip
 The influence of the trip through the west last fall, taken by the superin- tendents of education of the southern states has been everywhere. pr. l.. D. Harvey, who had part in the agricul- tural conferences, and read paper on teaching girls to make homes, is head of the Stout Manual Training school at Menomonie, Wis, which was visited by the party. Dean Russell of the University of Wisconsin, who was one of the hosts at the Wisconsin capital, came down to talg of what education is doing for the country life of his state. He is regarded as one of the great men of the country, and his work was the subject recently of series of articles on practical edu- cation in the Saturday Evening Post.
 Menomonie Wis, also sent J. H. Stout, president of the schools presided over by Dr. Harvey, and whose ample funds make the institution possible. He is greatly interested in all sorts of training work and invests at least s20,000 year in the Menominie schools, now perhaps the finest of the kind in the country.
 Robert C. Ogden Presides
 Though only recently bereft of his wife Robert C. Ogden of New York the pres ident of the conference, was in his place at every session. Ever anxious to do what he can to make the movement worth while to every person connected with 1t. MT Ogden has been president since the third session, this and the first two be- Ing held at Capon Springs. W. Va. One of the 13 meetings was held in Birming ham, the others being, in addition to the three at Capon Springs at Winston-Sa- lem, Athens. Richmond. Columbia, Pine hurst, Memphis, Lexington and Atlanta.
 Two Alabama men of note have been identified with it's history. Dr. J. L. M. Curry, of affectionate memory, being the second president, and the Rev. Dr. Ed gar Gardner Murphy of Montgomery, the executive secretary from 1902 to 1909. when as a result of illness, he was forced to give 1t up, Dr. Wickliffe Rose, then of Nashville, but now of Washington, talk ing over the work, in addition to his du- ties as general agent of the Peabody board. MT. Ogden who had been vice president all along, presided for the most part at the second meeting, Dr. Curry, in a great and long remembered speech, using himself up badly. Since the Win ston-Salem meeting the conference has grown in influence rapidly.
 The Farm Life Schools
 As was the case at Atlanta, Dr. Rose laid out the Little Rock session with view of arousing and conserving interest in the question of rural life and the best way to this s the school life in the coun- try. An interesting contribution to this was a paper by President c. A. Cobb of the Chickasaw County Agricultural school in Mississippi. It was shown that the boys and girls who go there get board for s6.32 per month, and that the boys are provided work enough to earn half of this amount. The effect of the school has been to increase interest on the part of the parents not only in mak- ing their children better farmers but giv- ing them higher ideals of life in every way.
 MT. Cobb told of an impressive example by the work of the school A worn out field was bought. It had not been farmed for many years and one old fellow could remember when he had tried to make crop on 1t and had failed The school forces broke the land, carefully prepared it with fertilizers and made ready to plant, paying no attention to the derisive remarks. Four rows were left without plant food of any kind. At harvest time the prepared portions made 12 bushels of corn to the acre, while the four rows not fertilized made four ears altogether, these being down next the creek. The school helps in other ways, notably trading fine blooded chickens for scrubs, thus getting the good ones in the country and in every way encouraging the people to build up their stock.
 AIabama's Good Showing
 As indicated in the report of Harry c. Gunnels, state superintendent of edu- cation, Alabama made a fine showing at the conference. Dr. John w. Abercrom- bic of the University was greatly pleased with the attention given the work for secondary education, the addresses of J. J. Doster, high school man of the Uni yersity, being features of the meetings. Mrs. E. D. Thames, head of the state school improvement work, also made great report, having perhaps the most remarkable one in point of accomplish ment of the meeting.
 Dr. c. C. Thach, head of the Poly technic at Auburn, had two of his men present. Professor Dugger of the Agri- cultural school, and l.. N Duncan of the demonstration work. MT. Duncan re- ported that 15 county corn clubs have been organized this year, with 2O00 boys in the membership These clubs, MT. Duncan showed, have had the effect of getting every boy worked up and In ai- most every case the enthusiasm has been extended to the fathers and mothers, so | that it is quite likely that with corn Ala bama will be able to turn up Its nose at the boil weevil when he comes piking into | the state about next year, if not sooner. Interest in NOrmals