The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-21
OPPOSE UNIFORMITY
CITY SCHOOLS WANT BOOK BILL
 AMENDED.
Representatives of Birmingham, Selma and Montgomery Schools to Go Before House Commit
 tee on Education Tonight.

The Committee on Education of the House of Representatives of which MT Arnold of Calhoun Is chairman, will give hearing tonight to representatives of the Montgomery Board of Education which Is opposed to the bill, already pass ed by the Senate providing for a uniform system of text books for the entire State
 The superintendents of the city schools Of Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma are opposed to law which requires the city schools to use the same books as are provided for the other schools of the State. Representatives of the school sys- tems of these three cities have held con- ferences in Montgomery and they will urge the House of Representatives to amend the bill so as to exempt the city schools from Its provisions.
 pr. J. H. Phillips, superintendent of the Birmingham school system who has been here several days has returned to Birmingham, but R. E. Hardaway, super tntendent of the Selma schools Is still In the city,
 The Montgomery Board has adopted the following resolution which will be submit ted to the House Committee on Educa- ton tonight:
 Whereas. the State uniformity text book bill as passed by the Senate makes no exemptions; and,
 Whereas. the conditions in a highly organized system of graded schools, such are are found in cities, differ widely from the conditions prevailing in small towns and rural districts, and for this reason series of textbooks that may exactly meet the needs of a certain community may be entirely unsuited to another com munity; and,
 Whereas the amount of money raised by the cities for the support of their school systems is far in excess of the fund derived from the State apportIon- ment. and for this reason 1t Is only equita- ble that the school authorities in such cities should have control of the selection | of textbooks as well as of other mat ters of vital importance regarding the management of their schools; Resolved. That the Board of Educa- tion of the City of Montgomery hereby requests the Educational Committee of the House of Representatives to have inserted in whatever bill may receive a favorable report at their hands a clause exempting cities of a population of 5000 or above from the provisions of the bill;
 Resolved, further. That the Committee be requested to insert also a clause pro viding that exempted cities desiring to use any of the books on the uniform list shall have the privilege of buying said books at the same price and on the same terms as they are furnished to other schools of the State.
 Resolved further, That the President of the Board of Education and the City Superintendent of Schools are appointed a committee to present a copy of these resolutions to the Educational Committee of the House.
 The Committee on Education of the House held a brief session at the capitol yesterday afternoon and in pursuance of the foregoing resolution Professor c. l.. Floyd. Superintendent of the Montgomery schools and pr. B. J. Baldwin, President of the Board of Education were present.
 The Committee adjourned to meet again tonight when representatives of the city schools will be given a hearing.