The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-16
SEEKS FUNDS FOR
 COMMON SCHOOLS
Superintendent Hill Makes An-
 nual Report to Governor
UNIFORM SYSTEM OF STUDY
Urges That Next Legislature Give at Least $3o0,ooO More a Year for the Schools of the
 State.

Montgomery October 15.-(Special. )-Ihe biennial report of State Superintendent of Education l. W. Hill, which went to the governor today according to law, con- tains an urgent demand for additional funds for the common schools, uniformity of studies in normal schools, and an op- portunity to vote on the question of local tax by districts. It makes twelve pages of typewriter matter mad covers the whole field of recommendation and pros pect.
 Mr Hill approves the new redistricting law and believes it is a great move for ward He suggests, however, that the schools be classed so that in a territory where there are two or three schools close together under incompetent teach CTS, they can be made into one with good teacher.
 He also recommends that the govern mental terminology be used, having three classes, primary, secondary and superior. The first would take in the common schools the second the normals, the spe- cials like the Girls Industrial and the High schools. and the superior the insti- tutions like that at Auburn and the uni versity. There is no classification by law In this state.
 He urges a uniform system of study in the normal schools, compliments the Girls Industrial and the High schools, Girls Industrial and other state schools and points out inefficiencies in the census plan now in force. He thinks the census should be taken by the counties and paid for, believing that the state cannot make d success as the law now stands.
 MT. Hill seeks to have the 4 per cent of the school fund allowed for superin- tendence taken from the whole and a uni form pay schedule made for all the coun- ties. As it is now, every county super intendent takes the 4 per cent from the county funds, some getting good pay and others very little. By taking it as whole it would give an average of 5000 a year to all the counties.
 He asks that in line with the eonstitu- tional provision the next legislature give $300000 at least more year for the schools of the state. and that 50000 a year for four years be allowed for school houses. Also that the legislature allow a vote on a constitutional amendment to levy com munity tax, and provide in other ways for the money to keep the schools in good condition.
 The report in full follows:
 Montgomery, Ala, Oct, 10. 1906 To His EXcellency, William D. Jelks, Gov
 ernor of Alabama.
 
 ments of the law, I respectfully present herewith a report of the department of education for the years ending September 30 1905 and September 30, 1906.
 Since assuming charge of the office, the superintendent of education has devoted his entire time and attention to the pro- motion of the cause of public education in the state. He has visited in an official capacity sixty-fve of the sixty-seven urin icit ba tVrro oo remaining before his term of office shall have expired. He has attended teachers institutes and taken part in the discus sions on the subjects bearing on the prac- tcal side of teaching. He has made edu- cational addresses and local tax speeches in many counties, and by personal commu- nications has done what he could to dis seminate useful knowledge among the school officers and people of the state He has regularly attended the meetings of the State Teachers assocaition the Ma tional Educational association, and the Association of Southern States Superin- tendents. He has at all times encouraged a lively interest in public education He has given most assiduous attention to the rural schools-the common schools. That his work has been at least partially suc- cessful is evidenced by the increased and increasing enthusiasm on the subject of public education. The people seem ac- tually to have fallen in love with voting taxes on themselves for school purposes. Thirty-seven counties embracing 236s dis tricts have already voted the one mill tax upon themselves for school purposes. The measure has failed to receive the re- quisite three-ffths vote in only four coun- ties. Quite number of counties will vote on the measure at the state election in November. The money raised by local taxation in the several counties like that approprited by the state can be used only to pay teachers salaries and for super vision. Not one cent can be used for in- cdental expenses nor to repair or build school houses. Despite this fact on an average a new school building has been completed every day during the past three years. These buildings have cost all the way from $150 to $150,O00
 The New Law.
 The legislature of 1906 not only passed