The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-24
URGE LOCAL TAX
 FOR THE SCHOOLS JeffersonC County Teachers Assn Have Started Movement PETITION FOR AN ELECTION Committee Reports In Favor of Special Election to Decide Whether or
 Not a Levy Shall Be
 Made.
PETITION FOR AN ELECTION

At a meeting of the Jefferson County Teachers association held yesterday morning in Magnolia hall a movement was launched to hold an election in Jef- ferson county to decide whether or not local tax for schools shall be levied. as provided for in the constitution.
 A committee of twenty-five prominent citizens will be named to conduct this campaign and the active work on 1t will commence in few days. A petition is being signed by a large number of peo- pie asking the probate judge to call an election some time in June A sub-com- mittee consisting of l. W. McAeory, s. A. Phillips and J. H. Phillips. will name the committee of twenty-five.
 Action Urged.
 Judge J. J. Banks opened the discuss sion of the matter at the meeting. argu- ing in favor of an immediate erection, so that the increase could go into effect by the beginning of the school term next year. A number of others spoke in favor of the movement. and 1t was shown that there would be about s50,0O0 more avail able in Jefferson county annually for the schools.
 Among those who spoke were Belton Gilreath M. V. Joseph, J. J. Smith, J. H. F. Moseley F. NJ Roof, J. H. Phillips, R. V. Allgood and the Rev. A. J. Dick inson.
 The following report of the committee appointed to confer with prominent citi- zens in regard to the election, was made yesterday afternoon:
 Committee Report.
 We, your committee appointed to con- fer with school boards and patrons as to the advisabilty of holding an election for the purpose of voting county school tax for the public schools of the county, as authorized by the constitution and laws of our state, beg to report that we have to some extent discharged said duty; and, so far as our investigations have gone. we find the members of the boards alive to the fact that more money Is needed to maintain the schools. We find that the state appropriation for each child for one year is s1.31h the county fund In lief ferson county is 40 cents; the polltax in Jefferson county Is % cents, making a total for each child for one year of s1.93.
 In the city of Birmingham this amount pays the salaries of teachers for about two months In the suburban towns the schools could be kept open not more than three months with this fund. These municipalities must secure money from some other source in order to support their schools. The most difficult problem is presented in the country communities. Their trustees are required by a state law to establish absolutely free public schools for five months and they have funds sufficient to maintain efficient schools for only two or three months. Sup plementing this fund by private subscrip- ton is temporary expedient, uncertain and unpopular.
 With these conditions, pressed more forcibly upon them each years, boards of education, school trustees and patrons feel that steps must be taken at once to secure additional funds for the public schools of Jefferson county Practical Methods. They are in favor of a county tax as the most practical method of securing this increased income and are ready to lend their aid to secure the necessary vote to authorize the levy by the board of revenue of a special tax for this pur- pose.
 Your committee, therefore. respectful ly recommends that steps be taken at once to secure a petition signed by two hundred or more qualified electors of Jefferson county, who are also freehold CTS, to be presented to the board of reve- nue of this county, asking that an cleo ton be held on to determine whether or not a special tax of ten cents on the hundred dollars worth of property shall be levied for the support of the public schools within this county. We further recommend that commit- tee be appointed whose dtuy 1t shall be to secure the necessary petition, to con- duct an aggressive campaign. and to use | all means in their power to secure fa- yorable result at said election. Respect | fully submitted,
 JOSEPH M. DILL I. w. MADORY, s. A. ELLIS, m ID yIr