The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-25

'I am ready to head a movement to lynch, ostracize or otherwise obljterate the near-sighted, narrow minded and grouchy cartoonist who caricatures tiie | sch ool marm as a er-lookins, angular and uncome1y crtNture with an ingrowing hatred for children and innocent people" said Prof. l. W. Hill of Opelika, who is attending the an nual conventiin Of the Alabama Edu- cational association.
 There are more than 2000 school marms from all sections of Alabama in Birmingham and they represent the highest type of beauty and womaniy grace in the state.
 They took Birmingham by storm yes terday and are holding the boards. There are probably more than 5000 men and women in town representing the school interests of the state and tho gathering constitutes the most repre- sentative convention ever assembled in this city.
 l The college president and the lone
 teacher in the far back woods hill country school is fere. Every other | intermediate degree of the educational
 profession is represented and all are crowding the streets. the hotel Hobbies and the shops It is a. merry, bright and pleasing gathering. They are en-
 toying a brief holiday from the trying labors of the school. room and are en- toying the experience thoroughly. | pr, Robert c. Patrick, president of
 Judson college, as Marion, is one of the prominent men in the -oonventio1.
 Discussing the convention yesterday,
 Dr. Patrick said: s'This promises to
 be the largest and most enthusiastic convention of state teachers ever held | in Alabama. The unusually large a. tendance and the unmistakable inter est mean much for the future of the
 state.
 "The increased interest in education al matters in Alabama is widespread
 and is growing rapidly. Better pay and better school houses add greatly to the efficiency of the sch oos Better teachers are employed and there is stronger incentive for the teachers 10 improve in their methods and mental
 equipment.
 Tt would be almost impossible 10 assemble more representative gath
 ering of people than Is now in attend ance on the convention. These people represent every class and are in close touch with every interest in the state.
 All grades of teachers and school of hcers are here. ranging from the col lege presidents to the most humble teacher In the remote rural districts | "Every teacher in Marshall county is
 nresent or will be before the close or
 the convention" said President J. E.
 Hobdy, of the Seventh District Agricul-
 tural school, in the lobby of the Hotel
 Hillman yesterday.
 This perfect attendance was secured | in spite of the fact that the Marshall county primary will be held tomorrow and the male teachers are very much interested in the result of some of the contests. But they are more interested in their educational work and appre- ciate the importance of this annual convention.
 ."rhen Marshal county Is ambitious | to be the banner county in the con vention. A campaign committee or which I was made chairman has been ba rd at work for some weeks inter esting tho teachers in the importance of attending. County Superinten1enI R. Lee Barnes has been active In ms official capacity and as a member or the campaign committee. Much of the credit for this unusual Ilv good attendance Is also due Prof. J. c. McClesky of Guntersville. secre- tary of the campaign committee. The other members of the committee who did efficient work are J. R. Kimbrough. | S. J. Chandler, Mrs. Mattie d. owens E. o. Little, T. ". Shumate and J. R. | Ledbetter
 "All the teachers eligible for enroll ment in the convention have been reg istered. giving Marshall county 10c per cent in the contest for the best attend- ance.
 "All the teachers of the agricultural school and the city schools are present as well as the teachers in the rural schools. The full attendance from Mar shall Is 1sS.'
 Miss Sara Clark. secretary of the Ala bama School Improvement association and member of the state board of exam iners, is one of the interesting visitors at the convention. Miss Clark is doing great work in the improvement of school conditions in the state. She is one of the most active women in the state and | is rendering a service to the schools and public generally that will be far-reachng | in effect.
 | Prof. l. w. Hill. superintendent of the public schools of Opelika and former state superintendent of education of Ala hama, Is attending the convention, He
 reports the schools of his home town in | fine condition.
 l Anyone can see that the school teach CTS of Alabama are growing better and
 finer looking every day declared Profes- sor Hill "It Is good to look into the faces of these 5000 teachers and school officers assembled in this convention and mark the improvement in the general personnel.
 "The teaching people of the state have taken a decided step forward in intel | hgence and general fitness for the very | important work they are doing.' l pr. Thomas w. Palmer, president of