The age-herald., 1897-10-01

that Is the state, county and poll tax. estimated to aggregate $16.226. It is es- timated that the expense to run the schools will amount to S33, 440, hence an apparent deficit of $17,214 How can this deficit be met was, ard is stlll the question; the board of education resort ed to the only method in sight that was considered practical. and that is to charge a graded tuition. This may, un- der favorable conditions, amount to Sl2,00o, thus reducing the deficit to s5.- 214-how Is this to be paid? I cannot tell. It was thought that the board of mayor and aldermen might do so, but to what extent this hope will be realized l cannot tell. In August next another constitutional amendment is to be sub mstted. It is believed that more favora- ble elements of success are present than those which preceded 1t, hence the board thought that it was better to charge tuition fee for 8 year or two than break up the schools. which g. short ses- sion would necessarily do
 But Dr. Doz.er and Maj Hurltsr and their .fiaends say run the schools tree Ill the public funds are expended" Do they suppose thst one could secure eff esert teachers for a term Of four mon hs flor the amount expeotsd from The state, coCHty and poll tax would no pay for more than about four months-and accept flor the remainder of the season of four mots.hs ,.lhe unknown and urc IT, 'tain quaEt3y to be den.vsd from tuirt.on fees?
 To propose such a thing shows that due though. has not been gwen the sug- ject. Besides, The proposition presup- poses that '.he funds are on hand, or can be borrowed. We might promptly bor- row the money for two O! .ihree months if we could personally assure the banks That the money would be repaid within .'tha time. This, as lfonlSt n, we could net do fer we we'll know that there is no prospect of getting much money be fore January re8s.
 But, grant that we could borrow the money. Tf:fs weudl qfois maintain the schools for mere than three or four mortths. What then? If resort were not had to the only recourse we would have to close tile schools and thus break up a system that has been stamped by ex- pert school men as being equal 10 the hest of the land, Dr. Dozier ito the con- trary notwithstanding. As to the mersts of the public schools of the city, we are willing to leave that to the decision of the patrons, the gentlemen who in the past fifteeE years were members of the board of education, to the 300 graduates of the High school and to the ninety graduates of the Normal Training school. Us iJ not better that the small tuition fee should be charged along each and every north of the scholastic year than to have it crowded into four mon.hs? If i,t qJe said that those who dd nos wish to pay would have The privilege of drop. ing out then how would it be when the free schools re-opened. Thcse who ccnunued during the entire eight months would be far more advanced Ihan those who had dropped out. What chance of pro- moticn or being able TO be advanced would such a pupil have compared wt.h one who took the entire term. not to speak of the fact that. in eight moriths of idleneys 'ihe possibility of forgetting what had been learned or taught in -four months?
 E. Calculations on paper based on efron- eous assumptions are easily made. AL most any calculator can take up any business and figure himself out rich within a few years, but when ale shall have tried to put lhis theories into prac- tice he will conclude that figures at laest do lie. We tried the tuition feat ,1l,e for three months of last session, and we realized from the elementary and grammar grades an average of $1,5S1 per month. Dr. Dozier and his friends have figured a way to show that our schools can be maintained, but what do their 4 xxr1,a Hh borne out by experience. Experience is said to be @ safe light by which ones feet may be guided. and we know by ex- perience that not more than $1,2O0 my be expected from tuition in the elamen- tary schools for the tuition is less than it was last session in all cases where there are more than two children in any one family attending our schools.
 The fact remains that the board of education must have money to support or run the schools in addition to the present incoma until constitutional amendment be adopted allowing larger property. tax and until that is done it behooves every patriotic citizen to hold LID the hands of the board instead Of throwing stumbling blocks in their way.
 1t is with reluctance that I present in this statement anything directly per sonal, nor would I do so but for the be- lief that many of the public thrusts that have been made toward our superinten- dent, Dr. Phillips. nave originated in anil mostly and ignorance of the fact of what salaries are being paid elsewhere in cit des even smaller than ours for superin- tendents pr. Phillips attachments and what he has accomplished in the fifteen years devoted to Birmingham's school interests places him in the front rank of educators. This is strengthened by the fact that of my own personal knowledge dle has repeatedly refused offers of greater remuneration. It may not be out of place, though recognizing the mod eaty of the man. to inform the public bhat when our friends were exhausted to pay the salaries of our teachers, he obtained the amount necessary to pay them upon his personal credit in order not to disappoint them, as it would have | zod hxr I,a for nf fl,of