The age-herald., 1898-11-06
GRERI6R BIRMINGHAM VIEWED
 FROM EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT
Samuel Uln1an, President of the Board of Educa- ton, Advocates Greater Birmingham for
 Reasons Not Heretofore Advanced.

would be less expense for supervision and every department of administration; there must be great saving in the cost of sup plies and equipment when purchased in quired.
 Keeping in mind the question of expense to maintain the different schools as now constituted, we must not overlook that in order to attain the highest results, the question of sanitation and healths of the schools is as grave a proposition as any one already mentioned.
 The supervision as now obtains in the schools of Birmingham seeks to eliminate all sources of infection through diseases that may be prevalent in families by the exclusion of pupils likely to bring infec- tion to the schools, thus not only saving money to parents, but also the anxiety in- cident to sickness in the home, as well as the larger penalty imposed by death.
 Another important fact should not be overlooked School taxes are levied upon the property of the entire district, but are distributed upon the basis of the school population, or the actual school needs of that district. The heaviest burden in taxes must necessarily fall upon that portion of the included territory having the highest tax values, while those paying the least amount in taxes receive equal school ad- vantages. In the collection of school reve- nues wealth is the basis; in distribution the basis is the actual school needs of the people, This Is simply the application of a plain democratic principle of our govern ment that the strong must help the weak. It seems that the smaller and weaker units merged into Greater Birmingham" would be helped by the larger and stronger units This advantage has probably been overlooked by those who oppose annexa- tion, for the simple reason that few have had any extended experience with large and well managed school systems. From the standpoint of school expenditure the annexation of these outlying districts would certainly not help the present Bir- mingham. In order to maintain the schools of these districts up to the standard of Its own schools 1t will be compelled to con- tribute far more than they would pay in school taxes. In other respects it would be amply repaid for this seeming disad- vantage and the school system of the greater municipality would form the basis for substantial prosperity in all lines The people of our suburban towns do business in the city, and contribute to the aggregate wealth in proportion to their intelligence and industry; they promote the business interests of the city and help to create wealth. Justice, therefore demands that wealth in turn should contribute it's part to the general welfare and aid in the promo tion of the happiness and well-being of the people by maintaining good schools.
 What is especially needed for the devel- opment of Birmingham today Is the or gan1c unity or the lW,WO people or lnls coIn- munity in educational, commercial and civic affairs. This number of people united in one great integral muniei~si'ttss,, if Sfi;iig greater prosparit--%io both the community and SY,.t2iduals than when divided into a half dozen or more separate corporate units, each following its own bent and each antagonizng the other. In union lies the civic, commercial and educational strength of this community and the strength of the weakest portion would then be measured by the power of the whole. [ Since the above the writer attended a meeting of principals and teachers of the Birmingham schools in the High School. The papers read by the principals and teachers and the discussion of same by pr. Phillips and the teachers evidenced more than can tell in this brief note the spirit an'mating our corps of teachers. It was nothing less than inspiration to all workers in the field of education. If the teachers working In the outlying suburbs could have been present believe the ex- perience of these our workers, would have been of great value and service to them as teachers z Want of space precludes fur ther remarks. SAMUEL ULLMAN.