The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-24
.SUPER|NTENDENTS HEAR W|LL|NGHAM Message of Achievement
 From Southland CONVENE IN MOBILE Fifteen Hundred Delegates From Every Section Attend Depart
 ment Meeting-Welcomed
 By Albert Bush
CONVENE IN MOBILE

Mobile, February 23.-With 1500 delegates in attendance, representing practically every section of the United States the first session of the convention of the de- partment of superintendence of the Ma
 1onal Educational association was called to order at the Lyric theatre this morn- ing. Gov. Emmet O'Neal sent cordial well come through Representative Albert P. Bush and addresses of welcome were also made by Mayor Pat J. Lyons and Super intendent of Schools S. S. Murphy. Presi- dent Davidson responded on behalf of the department. The first formal address was delivered by Henry J. Willingham, state superintendent of schools for Alabama, his address being "A Message of Achieve mcnt From the Southland" in which he | reviewed the progress of education since
 the days of the civil war; and paid tribute 1 to the worth of those, who, since that
 time, had molded the mind of youth. | MT. Willingham was followed by Jo- IsephH M Gwinn, - superintendent of schools, New Orleans, who spoke on The South; the Ideals of the People," and Lawton B. Evans. superintendent of schools of Augusta, Ga., whose subject was 'The South; the Glory of It's Chill dren."
 | Mrs. Ella Flagg Young, president of | the National Education association, spoke at the afternoon session on the Elementary Schools,' the general l topic under discussion being the pres ent status of education in America Ellis U. Graff of Omaha followed Mrs Young with paper, Tn the Secondary Schools" A paper that aroused con- siderable interest was read by Guy Potter Benton of Miami university, Oxford. O., and in it he stated that the attempted practice of half digested theories and the superficial imitation and spectacular work of educational visionaries, are menacing the coming manhood and womanhood of the coun- try" He plead for the retention of the four-year course between the high school and the anniversary. General discussion of the topic followed.
 The preliminary report of the uniform report and record committee made four recommendations embodying the adoption of the terms, definitions and forms used by the United States census bureau and the bureau of education for reporting all data by states, supplementing such other data as individual states may require; that all facts of educational interest tabu
 lated by the United States bureau Of edu- cation be fully and uniformally reported by the states: that the reports of states cover the same scope as covered by the bureau of education. Elmer Ellsworth, United States commissioner of education, discussed the recommendations, saying that he considered them of unusual inn rortance and urged consolidation in the collection of statistical information. Brief talks were also made by William H. Allen, bureau of municipal research, New York, and Dr. Willis Small of Washington, D. c.
 Montgomery, February 23.-(Special)- A large delegation of school superintend- ents from New York. Pennsylvania, Massachusetts. Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey and Washington, D. C., en route to Mobile and occupying special cars and sleepers, visited Tuskegee institute, Booker T. Washngton's famous school, today, and spent six hours inspecting the workshops, dairy. poultry farm and other departments of industry and in- struction.
 Seth Low of New York and others de- livered addresses in the afternoon 10 students and teachers in the chapel. They said they were delighted and surprised at the magnitude and character of the work done al the great school and they were liberal in praise of Booker T. Wash ington.