The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-02-13
Governor in Address at Closing Ses.
sion Of Educational Association
Meeting Praises Nations Head.
MUST SAVE COUNTRY FROM WAR
Would Act as Conscience Directed
Even Though to Do So Might Mean
Defeat for Reelection.
OWE DEBT TO GOOD TEACHERS
Says Their Work Indures for Years
and That Many Great Men May Re-
call instruction Which Inspired.

u
Extolling the policies of the pres
ident of the United States and COM
mending the work of good teachers,
Winfield S. Hammond, governor of
Minnesota, last night addressed an
audience of nearly 1000 persons at
the Armory, his speech being the clos
ing feature of the sixth annual con-
vention Of the North-Central Mime
sofa Educational association.
Governor Hammond was the guest
of Bemidji for the first time and the
reception given him was the most
cordial and enthusiastic ever afforded
a public official in this city, the large
Armory being filed to it's utmost ca
pacity with interested listeners, many
coming from neighboring towns and
villages.
Glad to Be Here.
II am glad to be in Bemidji," said
the governor, "as have always heard
a great deal about it, but during the
last few months the name Bemidji
has caused me to recall but one mat
ter, the site for the Federal building.
have received letter after letter con-
corning the site and can truthfully
say that have no idea as to where
it is to be located. I have longed
to know more about the wonderful
sites or the remarkable imagination
of those who favored them. 49,,
Bemidji to Be Benefited.
''That Bemidji is good town, am
told, a good town through involun-
tary. sobriety. But I am willing to
pred ct that in ten years Bemidji will
be thriving, driving and hustlIIg
place, all the more benefited because
of that involuntary sobriety."
A Constitutional Convention. -
Governor Hammond spoke of the
cries which are being made for con-
stitutional convention, the purpose
for which would be to create new
constitution and expressed the hope
that should such result, that it would
comprise in it's membership as broad
minded men, with as great fore
sight as those who wrote the consti-
tuition at the time the state was ad-
mitted to the Union. He referred
with much force to the establish
ment of the rich school fund, which
now totals $25,00O,OOO, with pride
and praised those who are RESPONSE
BILE for it. He dwelt upon the Uni
versity of Minnesota, the normal
schools, and the city schools as COM
prising one of the greatest school
systems in existence.
One of Greatest.
II will not say the greatest sys-
tem," he said, "for that may not be
true, and we do not wish to feel that
it is perfect enough, for such an idea
would restrain further development
and progress. We cannot estimate
the debt we owe the teacher for
the influence, inspiration and guild
ing instruction given children. Many
of our great men and women recall
their childhood teachers as being re-
sponsible for their after success. We
owe the poor teacher nothing"
In a most interesting manner the
governor reviewed the transaction
which concluded in the Louisiana
Purchase, bringing the vast country
west Of the Mississippi river under
the ownership of the United States.
A Beautiful Site.
1T should be highly gratifying to
the residents of Bemidji that this city
has been selected as the proper place
for the establishment of a Sixth Nor
NAL school and am informed that it
will be located on site more beau
tiful than that of any other public
building in the state of Minnesota"
Praises Wilson Policy.
The governor spoke of the Euro
pean struggle and praised the po-
licy Of President Wilson in main
tanning peace for the United States.
Il thank Cod" said Hammond, .that
we have a man in the presidents
chair who is willing to sacrifice re-
election, should such be the result,
that he may do that which he be-
lieves is right and he deserves the
support Of every man and woman of
the nation. He is endeavoring to
pursue a course which will save the
United States from entanglements. ;,
Following the speech, w. B. Stew
art, retiring president of the associa-
ton, who introduced the governor,
announced that an informal reception
would be held and many persons in
the audience took advantage Of the
Continued on last pass3.