The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-09

five years ending September 30, 1905, the entire amount expended in public school work was S5.424,S2 as compared to s3, 436 . 1 l62 the previous five years, an increase of almost S2.000000.
 At the same time there has been wonderful progress in the administration of the school system, and marked ad- vancement in methods along all lines. A complete record Is now made of the school population by counties and money appor- toned by il. Thirtyenine counties have levied the special tax of one mill ad- ding to the funds for schools many thous- ands of dollars.
 Along with the agitation for the com- mon schools hase come much enthusiasm for other institutions. A movement for a greater university has been so well cs- tablished that more money Is practically assured for that old school, the normal schools have been made more efficient and up-to-date, the district agricultural schools are doing the work their friends |, expect of them.
 Old Soldiers.
 For the six years, ending September s0. the state paid to the support of veterans and widows of the Confederate army the sum of g 074. .026. .46, of which amount s473- = 250 was utilized in the past year. The legislature provided at it's last session for soO,OO0 year for four years, and an ad- ditional $l00.000 a year when the condi- ton of the treasury would justify it, these sums being In appropriations and exclusive of the one mill tax For the last two years the s1O0,0O0 has been set aside each year. which has given money enough at each distribution to allow every pensioner the maximum. It is also a fact that for 1905 and 1906 money in excess of the total allowed has been turned bac1 into the treasury, amounting in all to about S20,000
 An important feature of this aid to the old Confederates is the Old Soldiers' home at Mountain Creek, established through the efforts of Col. J. NJ. Falkner of Mont gomery, and later taken over by the state The state now pays sl25 for each inmate year. which is not enough, and 1t is very likely the next legislat will in- crease this to at least $2O0 There is q general disposition to be exceedingly lib- eral with the old heroes. now that SO many of them are old and need so much more help than ever before.
 Convict Earnings.
 For the six years ending September 30, 1906, the convicts of the state earned above all expenses of caring for and hand ling them the enormous sum of s1, ,322, ,192. "A of which sum s3Si.9i4 4.73 was earned the last twelve months. The increase in net It. a further showing of earning betterment it is recalled that in 1900 the net earn. ings were s6253 IA; for 1901, s92, ,545, and for 1902, s9S,s95. They jumped to $16O4lS in 1903, s292,127 in 1904 and s293, ,291 In 1905.
 A few years back the health of the convicts was awfuly bad, diseases of the lungs and throat taking off many every year and keeping the death rate high all the time Governor Jelks had an eye to this feature when the contracts were made early in his administration. and had the adivec of Lieutenant Governor R. M. CuiI- ningham who had had long practice in caring for convicts in mines and else where As result the death rate now is below per cent, Tubercular patients are sent to the lumber camps, where they soon recover if not too far gone. The result has been the wonder of the nedi- cal world
 Other Figures.
 The net earnings of the Insurance de- partment for the year 1906 were Sl0S. .055. and for the year before s9i 356. The growth in this field is from S3O000 in 1898 to s65. = 5s1 in 1891. and s3s7.OO4 for the five years ending with 1905.
 ...e bonded indebtedness of the state has been decreased from ss,5S7,s0O to s.