The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-19
COUNTY TEACHERS
 ELECT OFFICERS  J. w. Hawthorne of Brook side Made President CUNNINGHAM SPEAKS We'll Known Doctor Makes Address on Teachers Part in Maintain
 ing Public Health-Other
 Officers Elected
CUNNINGHAM SPEAKS

The annual meeting and election of off cers of the Jefferson County Teachers association was held yesterday in tho auditorium of the Chamber of Commerce building The attendance was large, ev- cry section of the county being repre- sented
 After the business of the association was concluded, pr. R. M. Cunningham made fine address on "Civics and Health" which was much enjoyed and appreciated by those in attendance.
 The reports of the officers showed the association to be fourishing and accom- plishlng much good in the advancement of education throughout the county.
 The election of officers resulted as fol- lows:
 J. W. Hawthorne. president.
 Miss Flora M. Harrison, first vice pres ident
 C. R. West, second vice president.
 E. l.. Patton, secretary.
 The new president, Mr. Hawthorne, is superintendent of the Brookside public schools. a position he has held for sev- eral years Miss Harrison is a member of the faculty of the Margaret Allen school Mir West is connected with the public school at Maben and Mir. Patton. the secretary, is located in Birmingham.
 Thanks Association
 MT. Hawthorne thanked the association for the honor conferred upon him and promised his best efforts to further the progress of the association. He stated 1t was no little honor to be elected president of the greatest county association of teachers in the greatest county of the greatest state Of the union.
 MT Hawthorne said that Alabama in the past had given vice president 10 the republic in the person of w. R. King of Selma, and was now about to furnish a President in the matchless oscar Underwood. He promised to the best of his ability to carry into effect the plans and policies of the association and to do everything in his power to advance the cause of education in the state of Alabama.
 The address of Dr. R. M. Cunningham upon sCiyics and Health was both help full and instructive.
 Among the things the doctor talked about was sanitation. He told of the fight the physicians were making against tuberculosis, typhoid fever. measles and hookworm disease. He stated that the state had only expended about sSo,0O in the fight against this disease, while the Rockefeller institute had spent nearly SleOOO0 to combat the inroads of this dread disease, which has it's incipiency in the soil, thence transmitted to animal life, on into the human system. and that a fight must be made at the beglnnins namely, the soil.
 Is Political Asset
 The doctor stated that if any man were to advocate the public health as a political asset he would be derded, but the pub lie health should be first of all consider ation, and 1t might well be brought Into political life as a factor of vast import ance He said the consideration of pub lie health and safeguard against disease had been greatly facilitated in the past 10 years, many diseases were now con trollabe through public knowledge and general information, but that much more should be done and will be done. The doctor said he knew of no better factor to promote general views of public health and safety than the teacher in the public and private schools.
 The doctor was very happy in his re- marks but at all times his subject was with the view of general public health and the promotion and diffusion of gen. eral knowledge of the public at large Tho teachers much enjoyed the excel lent and stirring talk by Dr. Cunning ham.