The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-21
Address One of Features of
Educational Association
at Capital Yesterday
LOCAL TAXATION is
! THE REAL SOLUTION
Does Not Believe Friends of Educa-
tion Will Lose Heart Because of
States Poor Showing in
Sage Report

OF Tue FEATURES Oh the opening day. OF
the Alabama Educational association con-
vention was the address of DR.. George
| H. Denny of the University of Alabama
| tonight. DR. Denny presented Alabama !
| educational problem squarey and sug-
| gested some remedies which will be read
with interest all over the state. DR.. Denny
spoke as follows:
."The recent report of the Sage founda-
ton on the public school systems of the
| various states of. the country was surely
a rude shock to Alabama's pride. Shall
| 1t not likewise prove a stern challenge TO
| Alabama's S patriotism? The boys corn
clubs and the girls tomato clubs have,
single handed and alone, saved the day
for us in the year 1913 The civilized
world has been put on notice that Ala
bama measured by ten specified tests of
educational efficiency stands at the foot
of the list of American states. Shall we
accept this verdict with the cold indiffer-
| ence of the hardened criminal doomed to
death? Or shall we meet the situation
with the grim determination of the vet
eran soldier battling for his country?
| 1T is true that we have made remark
able educational progress in recent years.
There is no finer chapter in Alabama his
tory than this record of achievement Yet
| 1t is fact that any real appreciation Of
what has been done will carry with 1t the
conviction that infinitely more still re-
mains to be done. Speaking for myself,
do not regret that a kindly providence
has convicted us of our sins and con.
| fronted us with the spectre of our faults.
If ] have not mistaken the spirit and the
temper of the people of Alabama, they
will be. found ready to meet the issue,
realizing that it is not question of seek
ing the primacy, but rather a questionlof
escaping disgrace.
All Interest at Stake
"There is. not a single interest Of this
great commonwealth-whet material
or social or spiritual--that is not at stake.
Take, for example, the small farmer
struggling along with his 40 acres of
land. What is his real need? Is his real
need more acres or more ideas? Is his
real need more physical strength or more
brain power? Several years ago a young
agricultural chemist started a campaign
of education among the farmers by issu-
ing bulletins. He found that many of
the farmers were actually unable 70 read,
while many others had no disposition to
read. What did he do? He resigned his
position and went out to lead a crusade
for the education of the forgotten man
and the neglected child. and that was
the logical thing to do. Thousands of
small farmers are literally dead in. ignor-
ance and innpoverty, A year or Two ago
saw horse that had, through breeding
and care and training, earned 100000.
That my friends. is an amount greater
| than the productive power Of whole neg
lected communities in Alabama, albeit IN
| these very communities there is doubt
| less living today some John I. Morgan or
| j. L. NJ Curry, in whose mind is hidden
the spark of genius that may some day
- Il
| that is needed to illuminate the pathway
| of the commonwealth
What is true concerning the problem
| of the small farmer is equally as true
concerning the problem of industrial de-
velopment Do you know that. in 1860,
| 40 per cent of the assessed value OF prop
erty in the United States was in the
| SOUTH, What has wrought the great
change in our economic status during the
half century that has since elapsed? The
orthodox answer has been in two words,
war and reconstruction. That is a par
| tial and Incomplete answer To make 1T
| complete we must frankly add iliteracy.
| Why is it that, out of the great total of
| 1875, 900 cotton spindles in the world.
| the south has less than 100000, although
| it is furnishing fully three-fourths of the
| raw material to keep the entire number
running? Why has little New England,
wealth and of industrial power? Why
| has it been able to invest hundreds of
millions of dollars in cotton mills and to
successfully operate them at distance
of two thousand miles away from the cot
ton fields? The simple answer rs that
| New England has educated her people.
The Old South
"What is true concerning the problem
| of economic development is equally as
| true concerning the political and social
problems of the commonwealth 1t is a
| fact that the old south was distinguished
\ for its political genius. Shall we allow
| the sceptre to depart from judah? Under
! the old regime the training OF leaders was
| the essential thing But today we face
rev conditions that call for the training
! of the whole people who are demanding,
| through the direct primary and other
modern devices full political responsible
| ~. Whatever else this may mean, H.
| surely means that the training OF tae
| individual citizen Is today an essential
lfactor in the social and political 'ife of
the nation
"What is true concerning our material
| and social problems is equally as true
| concerning the religious problem that
! oonfronts us There was a time when
| certain class of men conceived the no.
| tion that universal education at the pub
| lie EXPENSE might mean GoulesS train
| ing. as If it could be a canon of religion
that men should allow their children to
grow up ignorant in order to keep them
| good This notion has happily passed
| nvay. 1t is now mentioned only for its
archaic value Today the great religious
llhodies are in the forefront of the battle
| for the training of the masses under the
| imnelling conviction that religion itself
waits upon education. Severs' years ago
| n gifted and consecrated clergyman, who
had given a decade of service TO 4 cour-
try church, resolved to resign his charge
I, and to accept position as superintend-
snt of schools. In explaining his acton
he used these significant words: TIL the
oo,ntrv people are educated the church
Will not stick.
"It has been said that generations Of
won are hut RELAYS in civilizations race
rron, savagery to the millennium. Each
/ Generation and each section has its own
nrohlems TO meet in making this great
raoe The present generation of men and
women who are seeking to serve the
higher life of this commonwealth through
tha training of its youth have problems
! ,hat. in point of number and importance,
NOV well challenge our best powers OF
| haert and mind | desire to speak briefly
concerning some of these problems.
Problem Of Public Sentiment
81 FIRST of all, is the problem OF public
| ssrti,nent What is the real. dttifude OF
tbe Alabama people in this great matter
~ training their children? Several days
aro. Virginia friend sent me. the follow
Inc Ginning from a New York publics-
ton. written in sarcastic vein. conment-