The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11


son, Mcqueen, Houston, Burkhalter'
Huey, Davidson and Members of the
General Assembly:
Gentlemen-An open letter written by MT.
Henry Page Burruss, addressed to you ana
officially distributed by the su Q Fintendent
of jefferson county has made its appear
ance. In this letter Mr.. Burruss expresses
himself as opposed in many particulars TO
the legislation advocated by the Alabama
Educational Association. Some of the prop
ositions stated by Mr. Burruss are mis-
leading
First-It is new doctrine that all the
members of committee must be present at
each meeting else the work of the com
mittee is void So good a disciple OF de-
mocracy as Mr.. Burruss should be willing
that twenty out of thirty should ruie-there
were twenty-five at the first meeting OF the
committee of thirty-three. AT the secohu
meeting there were twelve members pres
emit. The chairman urged and plead thaI
each member answer at roll call, but most
Just as Mr.. Burruss did-remaned away
The reference to pahcity of numbers
co3nes with poor grace from Mr.. Burruss,
who exploits the deeds of the last JEFFERSON
county institute, where two measures, alter
midnight, were rejected by from three 10
FIVE majority out of a total number OF
teachers present not exceeding fifteen
Many of the friends of the measures were
forced 10 leave owing to the lateness OF the
hour and the enemies of the measure
promptly voted down every motion to con-
slider them on the following day-Saturoay'
1t has been ever the custom to hold Satur-
day meetings of the Jefferson County In
stitute-yet no meeting was held on the
Saturday following the noted rejection OF
the recommendation made by the Alabama
Educational Association. A wonderful re-
lection this, a majority of three to hVe out
of fifteen votes in an institute that habit
20 II
time 1890 a. m. Consistency is lost jewel.
Second-Whatever may have been the
condition of the reports formulation, 1t
was adopted by the Alabama Educational
Association without a dissenting vote.
There was some opposition, led by the SUI
perintendent of Jefferson county and par
ticipated In by two or three private school
men, but said opposition was too timid to
vote nay The membership of the associa-
ton was 1872. Mr.. Burruss was not pres
ent.
Third--The teachers OF Jefferson county In
institute assembled at Warrior, under the
conditions and at the hour stated above,
did agree by vote to five of the proposed
bills The teachers of Jefferson county are
willing to demand more money from the
state (bill y, more money from the county
Chill y, that school moneys shall be separ-
ated from all other state funds, thus insur-
ing certain and prompt pay to teachers (bill
81, that schools in location shall be limited
both by area of district and number In at
tendance (bil a. and that county examina-
tion of teachers shall be re-enacted y(bil 81
but the teachers of Jefferson county are
not willing to have placed over them man
as county superintendent having the COM
potency and the power to control Cbill 3D.
nor are the teachers of Jefferson county
under the leadership of their superintend-
ent willing to have enacted bill creating
a state board of education with the pre-
scribed duty of raising the standard OF
qualifications among tachers (bill D. This
on the principle that water does not rise
above its own level.
Fonrth--The Alabama Educational Asso-
citation considered neither "vicious" nor
"virtuous'' administration when it recon-
mended' that county superintendent be APP
pointed, 1t simply desired to place, quail
fieations on them whichtcannot be done
under the present constitution, for an Off
Ger elected by the people. The fact of APP
pointment should not 50 shock the gentle
mans political nerves--though he has suf-
fered from political intermittent fever-for
originally all county superintendent In the
state were appointed, and over one-third
are so still.
(, Fifth-The people may be trusted, but the
wire workers of county conventions have
more than once In the state of Alabama put
for superintendent man who could not
read and write with the facility of child
In the first reader. This disgrace no state
Superintendent has had the hardwood to
inflict All sensible observers know that
county conventions make foot mat of the
office of superintendent of education.
The people may be trusted, but wire
workers have placed negroes in nominal
ton for comm ssioners-and the peoplethaVe
elected them. If commissioners, why not
superintendents? The majority of the
states II is true, elect the county superin-
tendents. but it must. be remembered that
nearly or quite all of the states so doing
qualify that the applicant shall be teach-
or of certain known attainments Herein
lies the distinction.
Sixth-One of the chief objects that the
committee of thirty-three kept before 1t
was that as little change be made from the
present school laws as would be consistent
with the purposes in view. The only radical
proposition Is the creation of "a state board
of education.
To one acquainted with the facts Mr..
faurruss TRADE against this measure ap-
nearsi as though he was totally ignorant of
the whole course of school legislation in
the United States, or else that he believed
YOU ignorant enough to be imposed on.
The bill provided is in exact accordance
with the Legislation of thirty-three OF the
states. Seven others place the same or
very similar powers in the hands of the
state superintendent. Only five have not
such a board, or else the powers of such
a board conferred upon ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
In three of this five, Colorado, Wyoming
and Minnesota. either school board or the
state superintendent may issue state GER
tifcates. Thus Alabama and Pennsylvania
are the two which give the total charge OF
certificating teachers to local county
boards, and Pennsylvania has constitution
al qualifications for county superintendents.
Alabama is thus left solitary In the en-
ployment of inefficients.
Maine. Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, Con-
necticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia,
xveet Virginia. Delaware, North Carolina,
south Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Flor
ida. Mississippi Louisiana, Texas, Ken
lucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin,
Iowa. Missouri. Kansas, oklahoma, Mon
tana Nevada, Idaho, Washington, oregon,
and California all have state boards of ed 1
uction.
Eighteen of the states having boards ap-
roint from two to eleven members, with
fine state superintendent, sometimes with
the addition of the governor and one or Two