The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13

are likely to result in the distribution of the school fund. Lowndes county shows up with about 5000 less children credited to 1t than in 1906, while in a number of other black belt sections it has been inn possible for the local officers to develop anything like the school population that has heretofore been given them.
 Consequent upon this, those counties which have taken the census heretofore with reasonable accuracy will come in for more money than ever in the distribu- tion of the school funds. In the case of Lowndes county. it is estimated that sev- eral thousand dollars less will be appor- tioned this year than for the past two, while the saving from these excess cred its will be applied to a general readjust- ment of the fund all over the state.
 Friends of the schools are congratulat- ing themselves and the state upon this and a number of other movements hay ing for their object the placing of the school system on an absolute business basis. Publicity of figures of this kind also indicates that there has been gross carelessness in the past out of which has grown injustice to some sections of the state.
 It is desired by all patriotic men that the school fund be distributed with abso- lute patriotism to every county and every district, and it is believed that with the operation of the new machinery this will be brought about. The outlook also Is that the school population of 100000 chill dren credited to the state by the last cen sus will be materially reduced and that this will bring about a very much larger amount per capita than was anticipated before the present census was taken.
 The Normal Schools.
 The normal schools of the state, to which the people must look for the teach CTS of the future as they have in the past, are said to be doing this year the best work they have ever turned out. There is sentiment on foot to provide a uniform course of study for the white normal schools.
 This may or may not work out into an actuality, but, at any rate. it is expected that, as nearly as possible, all of these institutions will bring their courses into utilization with each other, so that a graduate of one school gets about all the good that he or she would be able to &C., quire from any of the others.
 New normal schools are also extending their scope of influence and bringing into them a large class of students who were not heretofore able to get proper equip ment. The progress that is being made by the higher institutions is so much a matter of everyday newspaper talk that there is little now to say about them.
 Higher institution.
 President Abercrombie, who was in the city this week, reports that the university is moving up into what promises to be by far the most productive year in its history The erection of new buildings will have the effect of encouraging stu dents from all sections of the state to higher appreciation of this historic insti- tuition and to build up the belief that 1t is keeping pace in every way with all the demands that can be made upon it.
 The Polytechnic institute at Auburn, has outrun the most sanguine expecta- tions of it's friends. Tn the neighborhood of 625 students have matriculated, and the demands have been so heavy that Presi- dent Thach has been put to considerable activity to provide for them However, he says there is room for all who come, and that with the increased equipment and enlarged building space, every stu dent will be provided with maximum op- portunities.
 Much interest is shown in the new plan for the south of corps of student wait CTS waiting on the tables in the new dining hotels. Heretofore this class of work has been left to the negroes, and the innovation of white students waiting on each other is one that is attracting much attention and the success of which may be the means of applying it to other institutions in the state.
 In this correspondence some days ago was mentioned the fact that the First dis triet agricultural school at Jackson had established a mechanical arts department through which 8 great many students were able to pay their expenses for the term. These provisions make 1t possible for hundreds of young men to get an edu- cation in Alabama which has heretofore been denied them because of lack of financial ability.