The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-24

high school each. Jefferson is in this list.
 What Is Jefferson Doing?
 But what is Jefferson doing to provide for itself one of these schools? This IS a question of deep concern to every educator in the county, to every well wsher for the educational and industrial development of the county. While there are several counties with less than l-2o of the wealth of Jefferson that are offer ing many times over the minimum re- auirement of the state, there has been but one offer, so far, to go up from Jefferson and that offer is simply the
 minimum requirement. of five acres of land and $5000 in money. Should we be willing to sit by and see one of these county high schools, full of so much hope and promise for the people, dis posed of in that way for the great coun- ty of Jefferson? We cannot afford it. The progressive and public spirited citi- zens of the leading county of the state should have this matter pressed before their attention, Jefferson county should have the model county high school of the state under this new law. Her posi- ton among the counties demands this. She easily stands first in the point of popu- lation, wealth. and enterprise. She led the counties of the state in local school tax movement, she contributes three times as much to the state school tax
  takes the lead in the development of her rural schools her city school systems are not eXcelled by any other county m the state; she has within her borders the largest and best equipped city high school not only in the state, but in all the south These' are some of the evi- dences that if this subject should be thoroughly discussed before the people and opportunity given them to assume the responsibility of disposing of the question of a great high school for the county they would take the same course. that they have taken in other matters of progressive development. We owe 1t to the people of the county. to the enter prise of the Birmingham district. and to the whole state, to present the merits of this proposition fully before the people. The policy of the state high school com mission will be to encourage local initia- tive and enterprise. In the circular an- nouncement inviting bids for the location of the schools the commission says:
 The high school commission will con slider the $5000 mentioned in section of the law as a minimum requirement. for the consideration of application. They will in passing on applications take into consideration increased donations of land and increased funds for buildings and for equipment. also the healthfulness of the locality and the school population dcCeSSlDle-tHe lued De1ng 10 locate the school where it would be of the great est good to the greatest number"
 The state will appropriate 5000 annu- ally for the payment of. teachers in the high schools. As this amount with the matriculation fee of one dollar to de- fray necessary incidentals will not be sufficient to sustain a first-class high school, it will be expected that communi- ties will agree to supplement the fund so as to procure q teaching force creditable alike to the county and the state.
 Patriotic Appeal.
 This IS a plain invitation on the part of the commission to the people of the wealthy counties to cooperate with them in establishing in such counties high schools that will be in keeping with the needs and ability of the people. The com- mission is thus periodically appealing to the people of the rich counties to estab- fish adequate high schools for the people. They say: We will take into considera- ton increased donations of land and in- creased funds for buildings and equip- ment," and that 'it will be expected that communities that are able, of courseJ, will agree to supplement the fund so