The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-16

1 up WHICH were peTNefS1Ne or the SplflI of public education. To Illustrates: One township in a county not only ran it's public school eight months with a first class teacher, but also defrayed a con siderable portion of the expenses of boys and girls off at college, while another 1 township in the same county did not se- cure sufficient funds to run It's school four months. The new law not only equalizes l the school term, but also enables school J officials to detect attempts should they 1 be made to pay the expenses of boys and girls in college out of school funds. This law, with minor amendments, will con- l tinue to rebound to the benefit of the public schools.
 Classification of Schools. l The time has arrived in the evolution of Alabamas S public school system for the classification of her schools. Prior to the passage of the redistricting law in 1903, l as said before, no one had direct control 1 over the common schools in the various counties, and, therefore, no legal attempt had ever been made to classify them. l Under this law a few of the more pro- gresslve county boards, realizing the great waste of energy on the part of the teach 1 CT time on the part of the child. and money on the part of the state, are en- deavoring to bring system out of chaos. l They are met, however, with the customs | l and the opposition which anything new develops. Investigation will prove that the 1 average teacher in a rural school of one | room must have from twenty to fifty recitations per day. Under such conditions l can the best results be secured? The law requires the teachers of Alabama to teach only three subjects, physiology and hy- ] giene, the constitution of the United 1 States and Alabama and agriculture The 1 superintendent of education trusts that the next legislature, following the educa- tional terminology accepted by the bu- reau of education at Washington, will classify the scholos into elementary, sec- ondary and superior.
 Elementary Schools.
 If this classification be made, the ele- mentary course of study should embrace those subjects which the state is justi- 1 fled in requiring of all children for it's own safety and perpetuity corresponding very nearly with what is known in Alabama as a grammar school course. If this be done, it is the opinion of the superintendent of education that a long step will be taken toward making the schools more thorough l in their work.
 Secondary or High Schools.
 The High school is absolutely an essen- tial part of any complete system of pub l lie education There are few real public l High schools in the state. The nine agri- cultural schools and the High schools of 1 Mobile and Escamba counties are the only public High schools outside of the cities and towns. This should not be. l There should be at least one public High school in every county Without High schools the great masses of men and women cannot be raised to high plane of general intelligence and civic useful- ness. Again. a great chasm lies between the elementary schools and the excellent superior schools fostered and maintained by the state, over which the youth can not travel at this time unless aided by 1 private enterprise.
 Superior Schools.
 i Schools placed under this head should require of applicants for admission secondary education. They should be rep resented in the Alabama public school system by the university and the poly
 technic institute.
 Normal Schools.
 The normal schools are doing a great work for the cause of public education in l the state. The graduates of these schools are among the most enthusiastic school workers in every county of the state. The value of special training for a specific work is now recognized in both profess sonal and business life. Therefore wheth- CT you class teaching as a profession or a business. special training for the work l is necessary. In a classification of the state schools, these schools, from the view point of the superintendent of education, would fall into the class of secondary l schools with liberal course of study l They should not be permitted, with their 1 equipment, to undertake to do the work of the superior schools. The course of study in each should be the same, and they should be required to train teachers l thoroughly for the elementary schools, not only in the subject to be taught but 1 in ffle best manner to present the sub iect matter to children.
 Girls Industrial School
 In d classification of schools this school | like the state normals, should be a sec l ondary school with liberal course of study. From the viewpoint of the su- perintendent 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 great work for the state. It is placing a secondary education with in the reach of many girls whose financial ability would otherwise keep them from getting ii. Not only this. it Is teaching useful industries by which the girls may make a living should necessity require it. The influence of this school for good upon the life of the state will increase as the years go by. For to quote the words of lamented Dr. Charles D. McTver, When man is educated 1t is simply one more taken from the lists of ignorance but in the education of a woman the whole family is taught. for she will pass on what she has learned to her children. The education of one woman is far more important for the worlds advancement than that of one man" The usefulness of this institution is retarded by lack Of buildings and equipment. The superin- tendent of education promised the young ladies of the institution that he would ask the legislature for a liberal appropria- tion to equip the departments of science and the departments of useful industry and he trusts you will recommend said appropriation in your message. The work of these departments cannot be done thoroughly without the necessary equip ment.
 State Institutions.
 It is a pleasure to me to report that the University of Alabama and the Poly technic Institute are in fourishing con dtion and are doing the best work In their history. Both institutions are crowded to their utmost capacity with students and the class of work being done compares fayorably with work done by institutions of similar grade elsewhere The university and the Polytechnic inst- ute are very much In need of increased