The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-11


 tho state ponitentiary reached the
 press. Many people read of Governor Hooper's visit. and thought no more
 of it. \ few followed up the incident. One of these was Miss Kate Barnard of Oklahoma, a woman who was par
 icularly interested in social condi- tions in the soutn
 Miss Barnards study of the subject
 had led her to the belief that the crying need in social improvement was Tor the south 10 unite in it's efforts and to work along definite lines look Ing toward bettering social conditions
 Tn other words, to get together and to do something instead of merely de- pioring the fact that such conditions were far from ideal. She wrote Coy ernor Hooper. expressing her views
 >Already Interested. he began at once Inc Work of interesting others in draw ing the southern states together in some real work for improvement The lirst to he consulted were three Of
 Nashville's prominent social workers and students of social and civic ques-
 tlonsElion. John D. Dewitt. ]. I. Strain and Dr. ]. l.. Mccullough.
 Governor Hooper appointed a com mlttee of nine, With an advisory com mittee of 30. and an executive com inittee Of three. with pr. Mccullough
 as secretary. The business of this committees was to ask the governors of each of the other 3 southern states
 to call q meeting of all persons i'm tercstcd in sociology in it's practical appica ton to their states in order that
 such questions they presented them
 selves In the southern states might De considered
 Governor Hooper issued this call on
 Y fbrl1a1x- r.
 ing the Southern Sociological congress.
 It Was the duty of the secretary [,
 communicate with the governors Of the
 southern states and to arrange a pro-
 sramme for the congress in it's first meeting The congress had no money and no way of securing speakers That was the first of April and the congress was tc hold it's first meeting early in May. Dr. Mccull ough and Governor hooper went over tlle matter together, fl-r hrief tSfee. and the aecessity os secafns gnla speakers in prosecuting. this campaign ro social study and ao- ton in the south.
 At length the governor said. some | ody will have to get on the train and go to see those 15 governors ana lay before them tho question of or sanization for social advancement and find out to what extent each southern
 state is interested" and he added
 And you are the man to go."
 Two days later Dr. Mccullough was on his way to see the governors Of Marylan Virginia, West Virginia Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Mis- souri, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas. Ala hama, Florida, Georgia, North Caro- lima and South Carolina.
 Thirty days later he returned 10 Nashville With the cooperation of the southern states pledged and with the tt,,.f ,,a,, 41. congress arranged. He had secured for it speakers of national reputation in
 the various lines of social work along which they were to speak. A short time later Mrs. Anna Russell Cole Of Nashville made arrangements for the financing of tho congress, and she is
 named with Governor Hooper and Dr.
 Mccullough as the founders of the Southern Sociological congress.
 Need of Sociological Congress But why does the south need any special organized and united study and activity concerning social conditions? Because-though the subject is so re- peatedly referred to that it loses it's weight--it is true that the south ex- ists under peculiar circumstances that give rise to peculiar social conditions. The old south was a unique civiliza- tion. Then came the war between tho states that may be termed the death of the old south: then the reconstruc- tion period whose history has been called the epic of the south; and then the new south. In the greater free dom of this new south there is not an appreciable lessening of the desire for fine and worthy civilization, but there is time of readjustment that is ir regular and confusing.
 One is bit unfair to condemn the south and it's cities with the current sxpression. new, crude and growing" The real trouble is lack of symmetry There are danger zones and there are disturbing influences that exist pe- culiarly in the south, and the worl1 beyond tho south agitates the question of it's danger zones and it's disturbing influences.
 It was the conviction that the best intelligence of the south should unite in a strong effort to create a senti-
 ment for the study, the understanding, and the improving of social condi-