The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
Board of Education Points Out Inadequacy of the Present
 Buildings
NEW TERRITORY WILL
 OVERTAX BUILDINGS
Address Sent Out to Voters Gives In Detail the Additions That Must Be Made to Various
 Buildings.

l said Mayor George B. Ward yesterday afternoon. "Birmingham's public school system is the pride of Alabama. Vote right and make it the pride of the south." 1 Every effort Is being put forth to bring i out an overwhelming vote Monday in l favor of the SS50 600 school bond issue. i Every member of the Board of Education> l is hard at work, realizing the urgent l need of the money which they seek to l have appropriated from the funds of the i city.
 ! In a card which is being sent to every voter in the city the board sets forth its l reasons why the vote should favor the issuance of s35O.0O0 worth of bonds from which to derive money with which to improve the schools. The card follows: To People of Birmingham: | The Board of Education respectfully l beg to call your attention to the needs of the public schools of our city in the way l of additional accommodations. When the Greater Birmingham becomes reality in 1909 the pressure upon the central schools l of the greater city will be largely in- l creased, inasmuch as a great deal of ter | rtory contiguous to these schools will have to be provided with school accom- modations. Several of our school build l ings were designed with special refer l ence to their expansion and enlargement 1 by means of additions as the increase of i population might demand. The time has arrived in the opinion of this board when i these additions are imperatively demand- l ed, and when provision should be made to l relieve the present congestion in your schools and to meet the inevitable pres sure of the near future.
 1 The Ullman school consisting of four l rooms, is now entirely inadequate to meet 1 the requirements of that rapidly growing section of the city. We recommend that an addition of 10 rooms be made to the present building. The lot immediately in the rear of the school has just been pur- 1 chased.
 The Lakeview school is likewise four room building, and is entirely inadequate to meet the requirements of the district as 1 a primary school. Not only the rapid growth of the Lakeview district but the large expanse of territory already brought into the city require the addition or lo rooms to the present building for the ac- | commodation of the enlarged district.
 The South Highland school, now consist
 ing of 12 rooms, was originally designed with special reference to the doubling or its present capacity when occasion should require. We recommend that 12 more rooms be added to this school. The orig 1 inal design provides for two wings to the present structure, containing six rooms l each.
 ! By these additions, the three schools on i the South Highlands will be converted from primary schools to full grade | schools. which will accommodate all the elementary pupils south of the railroads.
 This will relieve the Paul Hayne school which now accommodates all the gram mar grade pupils south of the railroads, and will enable the board to convert this building for the relief of the High school. 1 The limit of accommodat tions in the pres ent High school is only 1O00 and the pres ent enrolment is over 800. Within the next five years the High school attend ance will reach 2OO0 pupils. The present | Paul Hayne building is conveniently To- | cated for High school purposes, and we feel sure that the plan of converting this property to that use will appeal to your | WlSUOil anu iiieSt tho "pPAS' - -
 pie of the city.
 | The Martin school, in the Fountan 1 Heights district has been entirely inad- equate to meet the demands of that sec ton of the city. The eight rooms Tn that | building have been congested, and but Tor the relief offered by the Barker school it would have been impossible to accommo- date the increasing population of that dis trict.
 The Barker school, consisting of eight rooms is now filled, and the admission of | more pupils will be impracticable The 1 addition of at least one wing of four rooms to the present building is impera- tive to meet the demands of this rapidly growing section of the city.
 The negro schools are thoroughly made ouate and duty calls upon us for some action at once. It is hoped in the distri- bution of the bond fund the city council will provide properly for them
 Tn response to request of Board of Ed cation. on August 5, 190S at regular meeting. the city council on recommenda- ton of the finance committee, ordered an election to vote on the issuance of $35o.- GOO of bonds for the construction and ad- dition to school houses.
 In addition to the ,000 asked for In our petition, $50,000 was added and reso- lution passed on August 19 ordering that a sufficient amount shall be appropriated from said bond fund for the purpose of establishing schools in the new territory recently annexed to the city of Birming- ham, viz: the Tenth and Eleventh wards.
 For the information of the public it should be stated that the title or all school houses and property is vested in the people of Birmingham, through it's municipal government, and all expendi- lures from this fund must go into per- manent property.
 We earnestly request the people of Bir- | mingham to vote this sum for school | system that they have every reason to be | proud of. We believe it is conservative | and just in view of the increasing educa- | tional demands of our population.
 BOARD OF EDUCATION. | By B. A. Thompson, President; sam
 Will John, E. P. Hogan, Ben M. Jacobs, | George B. Ward.
 J. H.. Phillips, Superintendent Public l Schools.
 C cJarr Assistant Superintendent