The age-herald., 1898-09-13
CITY SCHOOLS
 WILL BE FREE Question Decided By the Board Ol Ed
 uCaiOn. PLANS FOR THE OPENING Repairs Will Be Made on Several of
 the Buildings. TO MAKE UP THE DEFICIENCY In School Appropriations Money Will Be Borrowed From the Prospective Allowances = Until City Gets
 Benefit of Increased Tax.
TO MAKE UP THE DEFICIENCY

At meeting of the board of education held last night in the office of Mayor Evans 1t was unanimously decided to throw open the public schools of the city free of tui- tion except in the high school where the same charge as last year will be made. The board was called to order at SEQ o'clock, with the following members pres ent: Mayor Frank V. Evans, Messrs. Lane, Gregg and Gray.
 Mayor Evans stated that he had called the board together for the purpose of talk ing action in regard to matters which re- quired attention previous to the opening of the schools the 26th instant.
 He called attention to the fact that the school buildings needed repairs, especially the Henley and Paul Hayne schools which were in bad condition from leaks in the roof. He also stated that the drainage around the Paul Hayne school was bad, which had been inspected by General Thomas at his request.
 Repairs Win Be Made
 O.- motion of MT. Lane, the executive committee was empowered to have neces- sary repairs made and the mayor requested to have ditching done.
 A communication from the Birmingham German Turn Verein, signed by E. Lesser as president, was read, which stated that the society regretted it's inability to fur ther- furnish the services of Prof. Spedel as instructor of gymnastics in the public schools at its own expense, but that Prof. Speidel who would be present at the meet ing had plan by which he thought the work could be continued without expense to the city.
 Prof.. speideI was called upon and stated that he would like to continue the work and be allowed to charge 10 cents per month from each pupil which he explained would be voluntary on the part of the pupils. He said that he believed that he could get 1000 children to pay the small fee which would justify him in the work.
 On motion of MT. Gray, the matter was referred to Superintendent Phillips, with power to act.
 Eo Question of Tuition ,5 The next qeustion before the board was the question of tuition. MT. Gray promptly moved that the school be made free begin ning with the opening and continued as long as possible.
 At the suggestion of MT. Lane, MT. Gray
  made free for the next scholastic year. MT. Gray presented statistics to show that practically less than S4,00O had been collected in tuition from the primary and grammar schools last year, and said that for such small amount of money the city could not afford to have blot upon its fair name. MT. Lane, MT. Gregg and the mayor were unanimous in their support of t--e motion, which was adopted.
 T1e Same Rate
 On motion Of Mir. Lane the tuition For the High school and for nonresident pupils was fixed at the same rate as last year.
 The election of jaritors was deferred un- til the return of Superintendent Phillips, who is expected home on Thursday.
 There being no further business before the meeting, adjournment was taken.
 How It WIi Be Made Up
 In explaining how the deficiency in the annual income for school purposes would be made up, Mayor Evans said:
 By borrowing from the prospective ap- propriation for 1S99-19OO You see, in the fall of 1899 and each year thereafter we will have the benefit of the increased tax rate under the Birmingham constitutional amendment It has been said by thought