The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-30
PROF. ROOF DISCUSSES
PUBLIC SCHOOL PROBLEM

pupils, make them happier and better
cultivate a proper taste for the beautiful
and give them higher ideals and aspira-
lions.
80 Our school can be, and ought to be
graded. 1t is folly to say that 1t cannot
be done. 1t has been done, and success
fully done, in several Of the Southern
States.
This is one of the greatest needs of our
public school system today. ID 1t will
increast the enrolment and kesp up teh
attendance, because 1t gives pupils some
thing to look forward to, something to
hope for, something to live for. 1t pre-
vents the new teacher from turning them
back when he takes charge, lest they
should outstrip him before the end of
the session. No wonder children tire
of working year after year in a tread
mill, where their monotonous plodding
leads to nothing. and finally give 1t up
in disgust and start out in search of
something new. 1t shows their sense.
But the grading of the elementary
schools has If possible, a still more i'm
portant phase. Since II will cause a
much greater number of pupils to COM
plete the elementary course of study, 1t
will be the means of sending many of
these to the high schools.
THE High School Is the weakest link
III our AtdDd-Td SCnOOi SYSltHit ytbi LILO
broken link. 1t Is rot only the link that
connects the elementary school with the
college, but is itself the college for those
pupils who, for lack of means, for lack
of time, CT because of the nature of the
business they have chosen for them
selves, Will never go higher. Hence 1t
should DO the policy of those In authority
to establish as fast as possible high
schools over the state locating each so
1. 800
rorsible number of elementary school pu
pills.
."rhen, by establishing in these high
schools preparatory courses leading UP to
college. and elective courses for such as
will not att end college, there will be pro-
visions for all that enter.
I'm conclusion, / believe that school
system thus provided for, graded and
6rticulated, would DE the Ereatest bless
ing that could come to Alabama. And
we can have II. Not at once, but we
can begin building at once. and the COM
pletion of the structure will come In
time
II have nothing but comm endation for
cur retiring State superintendent. He
found much to do, and he did 1t well.
lie brought the schools from the chaotic
state in which he found them to their
present improved condition, and laid the
foundation for better things. But ne mas
gone TO his reward And the man who
succeeds him must bare his arm, his in
tcllect and his ensrSy for still greater
work thcn has yet teen done for the
public schools. On him must rest the
responsibility OF holding whatever of
good has been gained, and of constantly
adding to 1t in ever-increasing ratio.
I'm the building of a great school sys-
TEN, such as Alabama ought 10 have.
car have and must have, the responsible
lty of the State superintendent will nee
essarily Increase with the increasing eff
f1ciency of the school system. But The
stream cannot rise above the fountain
Read. And a school system Is not likely
to rise higher than the Ideals OF the SUI
perintendent. But when We find a sue
ce. sor to Mr. Abercrombie, whoever he
may be, let us give him our unstinted
10y atty and support.
Something must be done, and done at
once, to improve existing conditions. We
owe it to the children of Alabama, we
owe 1t to tho State, we owe 1t to present
and future civilization, to God and our
cwn consciousness Of DUTY.
VAIN is our boast of our mountains
of iron, our coal mines and cotton fields,
our furnaces and factories, While our
State stands at the lower end Of the
educational ladder.
The greatest wealth of State Is the
intelligence of It's people. Seek first this
and all things shall be added