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

tended not only outward, but 1t must be extended downward. To those who are eligible for attendance under the law the same opportunity must be given to the ones who do not have a surplus of money with which to acquire high school edu- catiton as to those who do. If this con- ditlon Is not created in the organization of the school, the door of it's blessing will be closed to a large part of the popula- tion of the county, and to the very ones who need it most. Not only must the boy with quick brain and money to pay his way be admitted. but also the boy with quick brain and willing hands and no money must be admitted. If this IS not allowed the school will be inacces" sibe to large part of the population.
 "How can this be done?' is asked. Lo- cate the school where the students will be required to pay the usual prices of the boarding school, and it will at once be realized how inaccessible 1t will be to many. Build dormitories and dining halls and board the students at cost, and you , will still find a large number to whom the school is inaccessible unless means is provided for earning power on the part of students of limited means
 can probably bring out the point I am trying to make here better by way Of H. lustration than by explanation. Let us suppose we have 15O acres of land and s5o000 with which to establish a county high school, and ample funds for oper- ating.
 In the first place I would arrange for all the teaching force and all the board ing pupils to live on the school grounds. With cottages, dormltories and dinHs halls the institution would become large home in which the students would come to live while they were attending would he the basis or support for the school; 1t would be In charge of scientific and practical farm CT: from it's fields, gardens, orchards, dairy, poultry yards, etc, supplies would be furnished and much of the work m raising and gathering the crops would be done by the pupils, for which they, of course would be paid. In the do- nestle science department the girls, under the direction of their teacher, would pre- pare much of the food and also do the housekeeping in part, for which, of course, they will be paid The school would have no wish to make profit on the boarding of the pupils, and they would therefore get their living expenses ut actual cost wood and iron shop. under the direction of the teacher of mathematics, with a competent assistant if needed, could be conducted with profit to the school, furnishing employment for
 
 The whole plant could be cared for and operated in part by the students. Nor would this practical work detract from the academic class room work. Proper organization would adjust that. By this system two advantages accrue to the pupils. They earn in part their living and acquire some skill in occupation. Would it in any way detract from the usefulness of the future professional man that he should have once learned the skill of the dairyman or the orchardist? And of what incalculable value would such training be to the boy who Is to be n future dairyman, orchardist truck gardener or livestock farmer. Would not such an arrangement be of incalcuable benefit to the county in the future in the better equipment of It's citizens. to say nothing of the help given the students who are by this plan enabled to acquire an education which otherwise would never have been open to them?