BY DELANCEY M. ELLIS
Director of Education and Social Economy
[Illustration]
The movement for an educational exhibit of the State of New York at St. Louis was inaugurated at a meeting of the State Teachers' Association, held at Saratoga in July, 1902, at which a resolution was offered inviting the various educational associations of the State to co-operate with the above association in promoting an exhibit commensurate with the State's educational importance. An immediate response was forthcoming.
THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
Ten powerful educational associations and the two State administrative
departments (since merged into the Department of Education) each sent a
delegate to a central committee, which took the name of "Conference
Committee," and consisted of Chairman, Myron T. Scudder, principal State
Normal School, New Paltz, representing the Normal Principals' Council;
Secretary, Henry L. Taylor, representing the University of the State of
New York; A. M. Wright, Second Deputy Superintendent of Public
Instruction, representing the Department of Public Instruction; F. D.
Boynton, superintendent of schools, Ithaca, representing the State
Teachers' Association; Andrew W. Edson, associate superintendent of
schools, city of New York, representing the Council of School
Superintendents; Calvin W. Edwards, president Board of Education,
Albany, representing the Association of School Boards; F. S. Fosdick,
principal Masten Park High School, Buffalo, representing the Associated
Academic Principals; George H. Walden, principal Grammar School No. 10,
Rochester, representing the Council of Grammar School Principals; H. J.
Schmitz, acting principal State Normal School, Geneseo, representing the
Science Teachers' Association; A. C. Hill, Department of Public
Instruction, representing the Training Teachers' Conference; Erwin B.
Whitney, school commissioner, first district, Broome county,
representing the School Commissioners and Superintendents' Association.
This Committee organized as above in October, 1902, and appointed a subcommittee to appear before the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission and request an adequate appropriation and the appointment of a director to carry on the work.
APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR
At the Meeting of the Commission held June 10, 1903, DeLancey M. Ellis, of Rochester, was appointed director, and the sum of $20,000 was set aside for the preparation of the educational exhibit. Offices were immediately opened at 46 Elwood building, Rochester, N. Y., and the work of collecting and preparing the exhibit material was begun. As the schools were just about to close for the summer holidays but little could be accomplished, and none of the work of the school year 1902-1903 could be procured. It is to be regretted that time was not allowed to procure an exhibit of work covering an entire school year. That which covers a shorter period is of necessity fragmentary and hardly conveys clearly an idea of the quality or scope of the work being done in a given institution.