The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-27
SCHOOLS
 FUR ALL ALABAMA Enthusiasm and Development
 Are Hand In Hand SACRIFICES FOR CHtL LDREN In Many Poor Communities Parents Are Willing To Act Upon Any
 Movementiof the State To
 Make Schools Better.
SACRIFICES FOR CHt tDREN
BY HERVEY w. LAIRD.

ucation and better schools have the call in Alabama, even though the legislature IS to consider in most part the diffi- culties that have arisen in an effort to further regulate railroads. There has never been time when enthusiasm for metal development along popular lines was so high nor interest in the proper teaching of the children so great and far-reaching. It is also a fact of par ticular interest to all that most of the activity is in the country where the peo- pie, though less able to pay the bills. are most ready to make sacrifices.
 The brand that has set off anew the fires of education in the rural territory is the county high schools. Nothing has ever so stirred Alabama as this move- ment. It is no trouble to get a crowd in even the smallest sections for discus sion of this subject. In places where 50 assemble to hear a railroad speech 300 shout themselves hoarse over a talk about education. Not long ago william w. Brandon, state auditor, went to Oden- vile in St. Clair county, where the citi- zens had begun a movement for the high school of the county. He was met by
 crowd that filled the little country streets and escorted to the place for speaking with banners flying and music playing. "It seemed to me like every man and woman and child for miles aroound was there," said General Bran don.
 Dekalb Reception.
 Lats week Gov. B. B. Conner, Auditor Brandon and Superintendent of Educa- ton H. c. Gunnells went to Fort Payne on the same sort of mission, that place desiring the high school for DeKalb county. They were met in carriages es- corted to the school building by a band and found there a crowd that was three times over the capacity of the building. Streamers were over the streets waving Welcome to Our Governor and the High School Board" and hundreds of little children in bright costume shouted and sang In gladness of heart and cordiality of spirit. So great was the crowd that each of the speakers addressed separate audiences and then all present could not get near enough to hear.
 After the exercises at Fort Payne the party dashed up beautiful Wills Valley to CollinSvlle, where another crowd and another glad welcome awaited them, where they made other speeches and re- ceived from the warm-hearted yeomanry of the country new insight into the de- sires of the people for better educational advantages. And with the ,waning of the afternoon train sent them speed ing over to Attalla, in Etowah county, where they found the large opera house full to the doors and to which citizenship they again told of the position of the state with regard to the location of the county high schools.
 Thursday of this week the same gentle men were at Centrevllle, which place dauf,s To Iax hn phno1
 and received an ovation of the same char acter that prevailed at the other towns. In the midst of mineral section where the material life Is kept well to the front all the time. they found in old Bibb enthusiasm for better schools that was surprising even at the present time. It is worthy of note, however that there they ran into the home of H. F. Key holds member of the senate, and the father of many Of the educational move | ments. Like others of his kind, he had paved the way. Today the same sort of thing is being seen at Dadeville, in Tallapoosa county where the board is be- | ing entertained
 Children Profit.
 It has been said that prosperity retards rather than promotes educational advance ment. This is not so, thinks George w. Brock, vice president of the State Nor maj school at Livingston. He says: My long experience has been that children come easier, stay longer and learn more when the pressure to get along is not so great at home. With the betterment of the conditions of the farmers for the past few years has come Q more general deSre to educate their children and a decided demand for facilities that are as good as those enjoyed by the towns and cities. This has been felt by the leaders of thought and action in the state, and they have helped to build up the better sentiment that is making the state, per haps, the most progressive in this line In the south"
 It is a fact not generally known that most of the recent work in the interest of better agricultural facilities has been done by the general education board, through departments of the government at Washington. Many of the soil experts who have aided the people of the country to learn better methods and more scien- tific ways have been paid not by Uncle Sam but by the general education board officers. who have taken the position that education will csme only with more or less of elimination of the question of earning a living. In other words if the farmer has the resources to harvest his crop, or work 1t, without taking his chil- dren from the schools, he Is much more apt to leave them there than when it IS a close call to make buckle and tongue meet.
 Proposed Legislation.
 The prospect for the adoption of a com pulsory education law at the special ses- sion is not bright by any means. The black belt and many of the white sections will fight it because of the negro, even though the negro is practically eliminated by the provisions of the bill as drawn by Senator Reynolds, who Is backing it. "I am against it." said Representative Pitts of Dallas county while here this week. What are we going to do with the negro?' he said. 'Yes, 1 know It looks like good thing, but l am afraid 1t will not work out, especially with us." Mir. Pitts is in the heart of the black belt.
 as 1t did at the early session. and, with the influence of Governor Conner 1t Is hoped to put it through the house It will strike number of hard places there and its fate is uncertain. The house has been a deadfall for much real good school legislation. Few men who know but ap- proved the school supervision bill of the last session, yet it was laid to rest in the lower section of the body as result of the eloquence of a few strong men. In the county of one of the enemies of the bill the superintendent of education, who draws more than s10O0 a year from the state for the service, has not visited the county schools in year.
 Fhgtins for Laws.
 The fight for local tax by districts will l. IaI l.xr nf he Q ta