The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-07
EDUCATORS MEET
IN LITTLE ROCK
Men From ALI Parts of Coun-
try Are Assembled
ADDRESS BY R. G. OGDEN
President of the Conference for Educa-
ton Speaks of the Gloomy Outlook
in Social and Political AZ
fairs of the Country

Little Rock, Ark, April 6-Approxi-
mately a thousand delegates, southern
educators and men prominent In the
cause of education attended the opening
sc ssion tonight of the thirteenth annual
conference for education In the south.
The opening session was devoted prin-
cipally to the address of President Robert
c. Ogden of New York, who took rather
a gloomy view of present social and po-
litical condition, urging the educating
of the masses as a logical remedy, and
an address by DIR. Wyckliffe Rose of
Washington, who outlined the purposes
and plans of the movement. Mr.. Ogden
spoke in part as follows:
1.-The outlook for social and political
affairs in this country is at present onln-
GUS It would be easy to make state
ments of conditions morbid enough to
suit the version of the deepest dyed pes
simist. They appear on every side' ana
while they are In the first instance social
they are civic as we'll
appointment among these issues are
questions of employer and empleye, the
right of property. the rights of labor, the
duties of intelligence to ignorance, of race
to race, responsibilities to the unfortu-
nate. the blind, the deaf. the insane, the
criminal. But there is a remedy that is
quite within our grasp. and it is to be
found in an enlightened, wise, conscien-
tious and honest citizenship-in stan
dards of civic duty and responsibility
that will lead each man and each woman
to seek the line of duty.
"Such seeking will find the line and it
will lead straight into the public school.
Given the intelligent desire and the way
will appear by which that duty may be
done"
After tracing briefly the origin and
growth of the conference for education
in the south President Ogden declared
that its purpose was not to attempt to
direct the technical side of education, but
to inspire the public mind with sense
of intelligent responsibility of public edu-
cation, the creation of public opinion
in favor of taxation for education, though
with an idea far above and beyond tax
alton.
1.-THE ultimate thought he said. lis the
inspiration that will lead the people that
are prosperous to support wisely, direct
ly education by free will offerings in pro-
portion as prosperity has made them
trustees for the commonwealth
This question OF civic responsibility, F."
he said, for public education is very
serious. Its Importance cannot be over
stated. nor its duties exaggerated. The
oifi l..
they are both ethical and legal; they
touch life at every point-the home, So
ciety, the church and the state
Discussing the general subject of educa-
ton. as applied to the south, Mr. Ogden
stated that from reports already in hand
for the year 1910, the current expendi-
lures for public education will be two
and one-half times as much as they
were in 1890. The value of school prop
erty is three times as much as that of
| twenty years ago. and the amount of
money expended on normal schools and
| other means of professional education
has increased 200 per cent in the last
decade. In ten years appropriations to
| state universities and high schools in
| cities and the larger towns have In
| creased 10 per cent, and for the latter
| In the villages and rural districts, 400
per cent. The average monthly salaries
| or teacnefS SIOW II gam OI % 10 W Per
| cent The remarkable development in
the facilities for Industrial education in
Arkansas, Georgia. Virginia and other
southern states was cited to indicate the
added Importance that is attached to this
branch of instruction.
| DR. Rose explained that the greater
part of the programme for the coming
year would be devoted to agricultural
agitation He decided that public
thought and attention is now turning
toward the country, and argued that as
the economic trend is in that direction
the educational trend should follow in
| the same direction. How to train the
country people; how to advance the rural
schools, the agricultural schools, the
state departments of agriculture and the
state and county fairs, all of which are
important in the advancement of the
country, are the important questions, y
declared DR.. Rose.
brief business session, devoted to the
appointment Of committees and routine
preliminary to the formal opening of this
conference. preceded tonights meeting.
The delegates were welcomed py Cover.
nor Donaghey.