Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-28
ALDERMAN LOWERY
AGAIN FIGUREs ON THE COST OF BIRMINo-
 HAMS SCHOOL.

AGAIN FIGURER ON THE COST OF BIRMING-
 HAMS SCHOOL.
 To the Age Herald
 see that Professor Phillips, who in a missionary spirit has spent some years in these parts wasting his life away in the endeavor to elevate, enlighten and bless this benighted people, has condescended to give few moments of his valuable time to the interests of the public school question, and actually has subjected himself to the pumping operation of a newspaper re- porter. I can see that reporter now as he approached the very learned superintend- ent. l suppose that the clerk at $40 per month ushered the trembling scribe ito his august presence.
 You are not fooiing anybody, professor. l know all about those interviews and just how they get into print. Many times l have injected queries into such stuff, just to take off the cast and make it go all right, you know.
 do not propose that the doctor shall juggle tue figures professionally and lead the public mind away from the truth of the statements published last Friday.
 He may say that am fool or filled with malice, but that is the least evidence in the world that am either foolish or malicious. am glad that he has not combined the affiictions.
 10 say that am malicious or foolish is no argument with which to deny the truth of the statement published!last week; that l thought the expenditures of last year for public education could be reduced SI0, 900 and preserve to the public the public 4chools of the city as they are today. 1 The superintendent attempts to cozen the pS TSe "afa salary Of fagS s5e ,perintendent has never been s2700. Fort he present year it was fixed a5 S2400, voIuy ytarily reduced from $265O. The salaries of the principals of the Powell, Paul Hayne and Henley schools are each S1350 per an un, or SIP. 50 per month, instead of S150 per month";
 It was not s2700, but just $2650, was it2 Voluntarily reduced" is good in the present con nection. The doctor saw the storm. will not say that he is fool or of elf-interest in him is well developed. He threw an anchor 10 the windward, and has been listening to the murmurings of the waves. He trusted it would satisfy and quiet th ings, but alas!
 My former calculations have not been disturbed, but my claim has been strength ened by the admissions made by the super intendent.
 The doctor again attempts to delude the public by saying "tbe principals receive $1350 per annun, or S112 50 per month, in- stead Of Sf50 per mocth."
 Of course all the children in town know the schools are not taught but nine months in the year. The remaining three months the principals receive no pay, but tbe pay rolls last year show that each of the nine months they signed their names aud drew Sl50 per month. That was my statement. My cut on salaries of the principals, was S1350 for the nine months, or . S50 cut per month each.
 The doctor does not stand any three months vacation in his salary, but has it written down in the contract s2650 per an- mum. Last year he signed his name to the pay rolls and drew $221 per month for each month in the year. By cutting his salary to $150 per month, a saving to the city would be made of 1850.
 Again, said that the high school, ex- elusive of fat rent, cost the city last year S6i605 per month, or S5644. .45 for nine months.
 Again, Mrs. E. N. Allen, principal of the training class, good instructor no doubt, received s122. % per month. This, in nine months, amounts to SLIGO. 25. This is not an expense the city, Tn her present straightened financial circumstances, should be called on to pay.
 Again. if the principals of the three pub lie schools ba reduced to ranks and re- quired to teach, this would cut off one teacher in each of the three schools, or would amount in nine months to about s1350.
 of Birmingham. and that are able to buy the whole city for cash and hardly miss the expenditure, and where the public school system is better developed than in Blfmlngnam, the prlnclpal oI the SCHOOLS receives say S10 or $15 extra and teaches The principal has full charge of buildings from "pit to dome'' and makes report of all conplaints, etc. |, to the superintendent, as occasion requires.
 said that about $500 could be cut from the negro schools during the year.
 It will be seen that these reductions above named. which in no way impair the eficisncy of the public schools of the city, foot up a grand saving to the treasury Of S10, 694 25.
 This is no small item in these panic times and empty treasuries, but the doctor admits that he is not posted on the city finances, and I must confess that believe that he tells the truth in that statement.
 am willing that the city continue to