The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-07
A Meeting Held in Mont
 gOmery.
Campaign for Greater Facilities snd More and Better school Houses is Protected by voluntary
 Committee.

An earnest body of patriotic citizens of Alabama gathered in Montgomery yesterday and put in motion plan of campaisn for greater educational facil- ities in Alabama, for more and better school houses, for longer terms and better teaching.
 The meeting was held at Mabson's Hotel at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The body consisted of a voluntary or- ganization known as the Alabama Ed- ucation Committee" This voluntary organization was called into existence under the auspices of the State De- partment of Education and in co-oper- ation with the Southern Education Board. and is working in harmony with both thsee instrumentalities.
 Members of Committee.
 Its purpose Is to increase interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the public schools of Alabama. Its membership at present Is as follows: Superintendent I. W. Hill, T. G. Bush. H. S. D. Mallory, J. H. Phillips, Ru- fus N. Rhodes, John w. Abercrombie. John T. Ashcraft. R. E, Pettus. W. W. Screws, Edgar Gardner Murphy, s. J.. Bowie, Dr. B. J. Baldwin, H. c. Gun nels, Erwin Craighead. J. A. Moore, c. c. Thach.
 MOSL or tneSe ScHtIcihSh WCic ptcs- ent at the meeting yesterday which was called to order by State Superin- tendent I. w. Hill. He Is Chairman of the Committee. The Executive Sec retary of the Committee Is MT. H. c. Gunnels, who Is Chief Clerk in the State Department of Education.
 President Hill stated the objects ot the meeting and briefly outlined the educational progress of the State and what was most needed to secure still greater progress.
 Report of Secretary.
 Secretary Gunnels submitted the fol. lowing report:
 Montgomery, Ala, Dec 6. 1904. Gentlemen of the Committee:
 l beg to submit this. a short report of what has been done in Alabama since the last meeting of the commit tee As no definite plan of work was outlined at the first meeting of this committee, the President, Superinten. dent Hill, and myself have done what ever work we thought best. Realizing that two of the greatest needs In an educational way in Alabama were more funds and better school houses the energies of your Secretary have been devoted largely to these things The commottee will remember tha, unQeT our present ties are allowed to levy one mill tax for school purposes. provided the mea- sure is carried by three-fifth vote Seventeen counties have voted on the proposition and sixteen have levied the tax The proposition was lost in Pike by only sixteen votes and there are serious doubts as to the correctness of the count on the proposition in that county It is a matter of congratula- tion that two of the strongest of he black belt counties, Greene and Perry have levied this tux. Through the kindness of MT. Murphy ! and the Southern Education Board. I have been enabled to distribute large numbers of the excellent pamphlet "Alabama's First Question" and other literature bearing on the question of local taxa tion for public schools. I am giving below the names of the counties which have levied the tax, the number of school districts in each county, the state appropriation exclusive of poll tax, the amount which will be derived from the county tax based on the latest tax valuation. and the total school fund of the county exclusive of poll tax: