The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-10-16

ties are tne only public high schools
 should not be. There shoulI be at : least one public high scIooi in evesy county. Without high schr::s the great masses of men and women can,
 intelligence and civic usefulness. i Again. a great chasm lies between the
 elementary eeinay schools and the excellent i tained by the State over which the youth cannot travel at this time unless aided by private enterprise:
 schools placed under the head of superior Schools should require of ap- ucation. They should be represented in the Alabama public school system
 by the University and the Polytechnic Institute.
 :. The Normal Schools.
 "The Normal Schools are doing a sresi,v great work or & for the cause of public ed these schools are among the most en- thusfastic school workers in every County of the State.
 specific work is now recognized in both professional and business life. There fore. whether you class teaching as a profession or business. special train classification of the State schools. these schools. from the viewpoint of the Superintendent of Education. would fall into the class of secondary schools should not be permitted. with their ] equipment. to undertake to do the work of the Superior schools The course of they should be required to train teach CTS thoroughly for the elementary schools not only in the subject to be sent the subject matter to children.
 "In a classification of schools the Girls Industrial School, like the State Normals. should be secondary school l the viewpoint of the Superintendent of Education. the literary courses should be strong and thoroughly taught. but the. industrial courses should always be kept in the forefront
 This school is doing a great work ary education within the reach of an manid etherwse nGse keep them from 0 get useful industries by which the girls may make a living should necessity re, for good upon the life of the State will increase as the years go by. For to quote the words of lamented Dr. ucated 1t is simply one more taken from the lists of ignorance. but in the education of woman the whole fam fly is taught. for she will pass on The education of one woman is far more important for the worlds ad- vancement than that of one man.
 "The usefulness of this institution equipment. The Superintendent of Education promised the young ladies of the institution that he. would ask the Legislature for liberal appropria- tion to equip the departments of sci ence and the departments of useful in dustry and he trusts you will recom- mend said appropriation in your mes sage. The work of these departments cannot be done thoroughly without the necessary equipment.
 Tt is pleasure to me to report that the University or Alabama ana andr,sh she ing condition and are doing the best work in their history. Both institu- tions are crowded to their utmost ca. work being done compares favorably with work done by institutions of sim far grade elsewhere. The University and the Polytechnic Institute are very much in need of increased facilities, such as buildings. equipment. etc, and the Legislature should consider well their claims.
 dega deserves all of the State that the State can give. The President of this school with his excellent faculty are the means in hand This school is rec ognized as one of the leading institu- tions of it's kind in the South
 States school Census.
 shown n' by ,y'I the census % taken in 1903, was was 7o7,Sso. Under the plan formu- lated by the Superintendent of Educa- tion requiring the name. age. color, of each child. the census of 1904 showed 679.051 decrease of 3s,2ls. The census of 1906 taken under the same plan shows 691,465 children or school age in the State.
 "The present method of taking the census is very unsatisfactory. As the funds are apportioned to the coun- ties on per capita basis. the counties should be required to take the census and pay for the same, and severe penalty should he imposed on any of returns This could he done with lit tie expense to the counties if the law relieving trustees of poll tax. jury and road duty were repealed As result of special laws, many separate dls- tricts are not required to take the cen sus In the same year in which the counties in which they are located take it. and one or two counties are not re-
 1t is the opinion of the Superin. tendent of Education that general law should be passed requiring all counties and districts to take the cen Sus the same year.
 There has never been put on tn" statute Books law which which has has dthe th. teaching force of the state and which has had a more important influence iu awakening an educational interest than the law for the exanination pr teachers So successfully las been the workings oe the law and so pronounc- eG has been it's effect upon our pubic SC hool system that other states are ratterning laws after it. The law as a whole Is good one with a few changes relating to the administration W ould be almost perfect The school Houses.
 '"Onp of the greatest impedimentS to educational progress in Alabama is SC hool house in the rural sections of Alabama is a disgrace to the district the county, and the slate. cattle are frequently better housed than the farmers children while at tending school Deserted negro cabins alandonei old churches are consider cd sufficiently. good. No atttention of heat, light. comfort and ventiiaa- ton The laws of health gre utterly ignored, Although the practicable pro bem of physical equipment in houses, fl rnituro and grounds lies at the foundation of every successful edura- tional system. the State of Alabaml has heretofore ignored the subject,
 Men do not respect that which is that people judge the character CT thclr business by their places of bust ness, The great business of education l. measured by the same standard .t Mt.h well kept grounds. command the respect of the community and l. absolutely essential to the sacred work of training the children Of the Stat" The State would demand of the school districts a respectable place in whirn the great business of education may h" carried on.
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