The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-12
PLAN CHANGES IN
 COUNTIES SCHOOLS Board Seeks to Secure Higher
 Efficiency CONTROL 152 DISTRICTS Consolidation nF Rural School. Ie 2
Consolidation Of Rural Schools Is a Question That Came Up for Discussion at Yester-
 days Meeting.

The Jefferson County Board of Educa- ton. awake to the necessities of the pub lie schools and the growing demand for betterment in educational lines, yesterday discussed plans for consolidation of schools and school districts, with the aim in view of raising the standard of re- quirements for teachers, of increasing their salaries and of extending the school term for the year.
 There were present at the meeting Pres ident J. ". McAdory, Secretary R. G. Hewitt, J. ". Minor and B. F. Crump The other member of the board, J. M. Davidson, was not able to attend the meeting. The policies, as outlined, were informally discussed but 1t was the sense of the meeting that the plans will be worked out during the year and put in operation during the next school year, so far as possible, without inconvenience to pupils and teachers.
 In discussing the matter with members of the county board yesterday afternoon the necessity for action in this county was made evident owing to the rapid growth of the school population of the county, which has now reached the i'm mense total of H,925 white and colored pupils, nearly half of whom live out side of Birmingham and come under the supervision of the county superintendent of education, who has now under his charge, in 152 districts, 159 white and 62 negro schools, in which are employed Soe white and S2 colored teachers.
 According to the information on file in the county superintendent's office, there are many schools In the thickly popu- lated districts lying just outside the cor porate limits of the towns around Bir- mingham, which could easily be absorbed in the incorporated schools by eonsolida- ton and better results could be obtained for the good of the pupils and the public generally by the proposed plan ot unit ing the teaching forces and dispensing with unnecessary buildings and surplus teachers
 This plan will also be carried out in the rural districts, where old schoools have outlived their usefulness on account of the changes in centers of population and the establishment of new schools.
 Consolidation of rural schools is ques- ton that has been prominent In the thickly settled districts of the northern and eastern states, and the problem has been satisfactorily solved with splendid results in most of the states. Fewer teachers are thereby employed, the num- Der of school houses decreased better buildings erected and better teachers em- ployed at better salaries. Consolidation has worked a hardship on very few pat rons of schools on account Of distance from the schools and in many instances nouch of the money saved has been used to provide conveyances for pupils living at a great distance from the schools.
 Another result Is the better grading or nupils. with a consequent improvement ln inc course of study, and lastly the estab- lishment of rural high schools, which pro vide for higher education to the pupils or the county who are unable to attend college.
 The above plans have also been put in operation to a limited extent in many of the southern states and the Jefterson County Board of Education feel that II Is their duty to give all the advantages possible to the young people that can be derived through consolidation and inn provement in the schools.
 The reports of the county schools, as furnished by Secretary R. G. Hewitt show a. very satisfactory condition. About three -fourths of the schools have closed for the year and the rest will complete their terms during the present month. Thirty of the schools that have been tenn porarily suspended will resume operations In Iuly