Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-24

vailed unanimously in both houses today, and President Collier was forthwith noti- fled
 The information is desired in order that the members may appreciate the im- porta of a creditable state exhibit at the exposition and may know how to figure on a apIrOpri stlon for that purpose.
 If the same committee that visited Mont- gomery last week will return and will tell the general assembly just what they told the Commercial association 1t is believed a liberal appropriation will be made. The Atlanta committee will have the hearty CO., operation of tue business men of Mont gomery and of all the organizations of the state.
 GENEROUS MEASURE.
 The following general bill was intro- duced into the house: That the clerk be ins ructed to draw half oi ons day's pay of each member and send to the safer. Ing Nebraskans.
 THE GovERNoR's SCHOOL MESSAGE.
 The feature of today's assembly proceed ings was the message of Governor Oates relative to the public schools of the state.
 To begin with the governor reminds the legislature that the appropriation for the public schools mast not be increased on account of the condition of the treasury.
 The message proved bomb ia the camps of the normal school enthusiasts. The state has seven normal schools, four for
 
 thinks this too many.
 The message says it is no argument to say that the normal school is open to all the children of tue state of an educational age, and is, therefore, public school. It may be said with the same propriety that because the State university and the Au- burn college are open to all of the young men of the state that they are, therefore, public schools. They are inaccessible to all because of the location of only two places, and our public school system is founded on the idea of extending additional facilities to the children of every township of the state, and the constitution declares that it was intended to give them equal benefit from the public school fund. Can that be said of the normal schools?
 There is no doubt, as the supreme court says, Of the power of the legislature to es- tablish normal schools for the training of teachers and to appropriate money Tor their support, but 1t is a matter of grave doubt whether any more of this pubic school fund than the due proportion for each of the pupils of school age and attend ing such schools can be appropriated there- for or applied thereto.
 The governor thinks the appropriation to the Florence normal should be reduced and the amount of the reduction given to the Troy normal, as it's attendance appears to justify an appropriation equal to the Florence school
 The governor recommends the appoint ment Of joint committee to select uni form series of text. books, or else the right should be given each county to do so. He thinks the public schools should educate the pupils for business rather than display, and the effort should be to instruct them in grammar, mathematics and philosophy, rather than to teach them to make a grace ful commencement speech.
 He deplores the fact that the agricultural and m schanical colleges are more famous for professional men than for farmers and mechanics. He thinks the girls indus trial tchool now being organized is a step in the right direction.
 He advises that the state and federal con- stitutions be made branch of study in tue public schools.