The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-12

tiOn of the Alabama Educational assO- citation.
 
 making the school building a real com munity center. Miss Sarah Luther of Troy Normal told of Pike county's rura lyceum courses. C. 1T. Parker of Almond showed the teachers a reflectoscope and told of it's use in the school room Mldway in the programme came an in- Genuous and unique talk py D. L.. Smith, one of the Tuscaloosa county supervisors This was the opposite Of the stereotyped
 anf the commonplace, and was delightful ly refreshing.
 Clearly the best was being given from
 each county's good points and the teach
 CTS were finding just what has long been
 needed-an exchange of usable ideas that are of real value. One of the strong points in Lowndes county is the work heinz done to fill the hiatus between the elementary country school and the high scnool. w. C. Stapeton of Letohatchie told in practical way how this was be- ing done.
 Washington county has the distiuc- tion of being awarded the first diploma as superior school. This was given to the school at Vinegar Bend where William E. White is principal. MT. White Is a speaker whose talks one
 
 this diploma was won. of how the
 school was so dilapidated that it was actually unsafe; of how copy of the lrequlrements for superior school were Kept upon the board; of how hard and faithfully the children worked to fulfif these requirements; of how by use of lumber, nails, saws, hammers brooms. soap and water, the long list of re- quirements was shortened until no point remained unfulfilled Mrs. Read of the rural schools of Tailadega county has emphasized rural
 school libraries and her talk was on
 this subject From Monroe county the
 speaker was Miss Lucille Carter. Miss Carter spoke briefly of what a certain
 rural school Tn her county had done in the tomato club.
 MT. Halbrook, the speaker from the Ozark mountains. spoke for few min utes on some practical experiences in country schools
 One of the commendable points in this meeting was the speakers giving their own experiences and sharing with others the things they had found of
 service to them. What one county had
 found good was told for the sake of | suggesting similar plans to teachers who have parallel work elsewhere There was little theory, for it is de- sired that these meetings be an ex- change of tested and applicable plans In the executive session following,
 R. D. Ledbetter was elected president of this department, Mrs. Lillian T. Wal of Fossil vice president and William E. White of Vinegar Bend secretary.
 These are three of the very capable teachers and with them at the head this new department will undoubtedly be of genuine service and will be felt in the progress of the rural schools. In the dpna of r;v tcndents Perry B. Hughes superintendent of education in Tuscaloosa county, was | reelected president. 4 plan of this de- pertinent is to recommend that the coun- ty institute progress from each county l to one adjoining, so that it will be more convenient to have speakers go from one to another.
 Another point in which they are inter- ested is recommending that each county be unit, independent of other counties, in fixing its rate of local taxation Miss Esther Foster of Dothan is presi- dent of the department of the upper ele- mentary grades.
 Dr. Andrew Sled, president of the South ern university at Greensboro, was elected 1 president of the department of Alabama colleges.
 1 J. w. Watson of Centreville was elect | ed president of the high school depart- | ment. This department is paying especial attention to the matter of articulation be-
 tween the elementary schools and the ! high schools.
 The Jefferson county schools displaying work in the city hall exhibit were com peting for prize offered for the best
 woodwork. This prize has not yet been awarded. The schools winning the prizes l in the drawing contest have been de- cided upon. These are Oxmoor one- teacher school; Summit on Shades moun- if 1har cpI,n three teachers; Dolomite. with four; h. glcnook. with five; Boyles, with six, and Powderly. with more than six teachers. These prizes will be awarded at the
 Jefferson county teachers institute in the meeting of Saturday, April IS.