The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-10
WouId-Be Superintendent of
Education Outline Policy
ALL FAVOR MORE sc HOOLS
Asplrants for Legislative Honora From
jefferson County Among the
Speakers-No One En-
dorsed by Teachers.


dates for state superintendent of educa-
ton and those who aspire to legislative
honors from Jefferson county. Before
the meeting adjourned. Prof. Joel C. Du-
Bose announced his candidacy for the leg
islature No candidates were endorsed
by the association.
Chairman McAdory, In calling the meet
ing to order said: I'VE have met for the
purpose of hearing from candidates for
the legislature and candidates for state
superintendent of education"
Prof. T. L. Acton was unanimously
elected secretary, and was instructed by
the chair to ascertain the names of the
candidates present, and that they would
speak in alphabetical order.
1t was moved and carried that the first
order of business be addresses by the
candidates for state superintendent Of
education.
Thomas L. Bulger of Taiiapoosa county
was the first speaker. He said In part:
'I am always glad of joining the educa-
tional people and teachers of the state In
any enterprise for the betterment OF our
school system. We live in a great state.
Alabama is attracting the attention of
the civilized world. We have 100000 chill
dren In Alabama to be educated. AS a
business proposition any state can well
afford to make appropriations for the
education of its children because an ed
ucated man or woman makes a better
teacher better preacher, better doc
tor, better lawyer, a better merchant
and better farmer. Educated labor
produces wealth faster than uneducated
labor. I am In favor of increased appro-
priations for our public schools, because
that will insure competent and faithful
teachers, and 1t will also insure longer
terms for our schools.
1.-THE trouble is not SO much with our
city schools as with our country schools.
What we want is an appropriation that
will give every child in Alabama an op-
portunity to get a valuable education.
would not only increase the public school
appropriation, but I would pay every
teacher monthly. I am opposed to pay
ting a salary to school trustees. 1 am OPP
posed to taking the public fund from the
children to pay anybody or anything
you have heard something of the
school book trust. I am opposed to any
kind of trust, and especially a trust that
robs the children of this state of any
thing. We pay In Alabama an over
charge on school books more than we
pay taxes to support the entire govern
ment."
Mr.. Bulger alluded to his record In the
general assembly of the state and point
ed to certain measures which he had in
troduced and advocated In that body de-
filming his position on educational mat
tiers.
Chappell Cory, the next speaker, among
other things, said: 81 expect in this mat
ter of public schools, we all agree on the
main proposition-thet we want better
schools and more of them. The real
question is, how?
And regarding the paying OF the teach
ers each month, Colonel Bulger is In IA
vor of that; Professor Hill IL in favor OF
that and I am In favor OF 1t, and the
last legislature was in favor Of it This
ought to be done because 1t encourages
the teachers. He feels that he is treated
unfairly when everybody but him is paid
every month.
I'VE are all In favor OF better school
houses. How are we going to get them?
We all know there is but one way we
can get them. and that is for somebody to
build them. Under the new constitution,
counties In the state can erect school
should be as 1t is. the only way we can
meet this ISSUE
I'VE should introduce into our schools
a department for manual training. Es-
pecialIy ought we to do 1t in this section
of the state. At the Florence Normal
school we didn't have any money for
the establishment of a department of
manual training, but we concluded to
abolish something else and establish this
department in It's stead. We did this, and
1t is working there nicely now"
In discussing the proposition of getting
more money for the maintenance of the
public schools, Mr.. Cory stated that it
was impossible to count on getting any of
the money going to normal and agricul-
tural schools. He contended that these
schools were a necessity and needed all
the appropriation they received. lie pre-
dicted the present tax on guano would
be cut half in two by the next legisla-
ture and that Commissioner OF Agricul-
ture Poole had already recommended this.
Mr.. Cory stated that the only source
from which money for schools could be
expected was from the general appro-
priation. He believed the most that
could be hoped for from the state treas
ury, In case a surplus accumulates be-
fore the meeting of the next legislature
was to set 1t aside for schools. The
speaker stated he was In favor of state
uniform text book He said there was
come disposition to have a county uni
form text book and state uniform text
book. He beloved the state uniform text
book was the best.
Professor /. w. Hill began his address
by telling a rabbit story. After complet-
ing his story, he introduced himself as
follows:
II am the red-headed teacher from the
county of Etowah. For the past TWENTY
one years, In season and out Of season.
/ have rung the school bell every morn
Ing
MY competitors, according TO their
own statements, have been at their avo-
cations all this time. When you want a
decision on a legal point, you go to
lawyer; when you are sick. you send for
a physician, and when you elect a man
to superintendent of education, you want
a practical school man who has made the
educational question his life study.
II believe in moral. physical and intel
lectual development. Professor Hill
stated he favored more and better school
houses a monthly payment of teachers.
the establishment of manual training
schools In connection with high schools,
the paying of salaries to school trustees