The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-25
1910 First Avenue

Montgomery, July 24-(Special.) )-In the interest of compulsory education and the passage of bill to that end at the special session of the legislature, the committee on education of the Alabama Federation of woman's clubs. Mrs. E. D. Thomas, chairman, is seeking expression from men of prominence in the state. Of 14 replies grouped in a recent paper, eight are in full accord, three are in line, but with reservations, one disapproves because of mixed populations, and two are against it.
 Congressman Richmond P. Hobson thinks the time for such a law has ar rived.
 Speaker A. H. Carmichael will work for the movement.
 H. 0. Murfee, school man, thinks 1t the only safety of the state. Dr. c. c. Thach. head of the Alabama Polytechnic, considers Its establishment the moral duty of the state.
 S. J. Bowie, lawyer and publicist, holds that everybodys child should be made to go to school. Charles Henderson, president of the state railroad commission, says: T in dorse the compulsory education bill for Senator Reynolds"
 Judge D. M. Powell, lawyer of Green vile, thinks that the state should see that the cnllQ IS euuCdleu. l J. Lee Long, representative from Butler sees in 1t the hope of the Anglo-Saxon | race
 i J. Manley Foster, aforetime member of l the house, maintains that this is the duty and the right of the state
 Editor Craighead of~the Mobile Reg ister, thinks well of it if the state can is taken by E. M. Shackleford of the Troy Normal.
 O. c. Wiley, former congressman from the Second, and w. H. Stanford of Troy are against 1t.
 Former Gov. William c. Oates is un- alterably opposed to it. He thinks 1t out l of line with American Ideas.
 Text of Letters. 1 Below Is given the text of the letters, ] and a statement of the chairman of the l educational committee of the federation. 1 They form interesting contributions to 1 the question now generally agitated in the state.
 the 9th has been received. I wish to | commend the work that the Alabama | Federation of Womens clubs Is doing | in the interest of education. I take pleas ure in assuring you that I believe the | time has arrived when a provision for compulsory education should be made by | our state legislature. l trust that in the l | our statute books
 Speaker A. H. Carmichael: 'I have your letter of July Il, and in reply will say that I favor the passage of an act at the approaching session of the legis- 1 lature providing for compulsory education of the children of Alabama" ! H. O. Murfee, head of Marion insti- , ute: Universal education is essential to the very life of a democracy. Such ed ucation should lay foundation of moral and civil virtues; upon these should be built the superstructure of individual skill and industrial efficiency This can be effected only through the power of the state.
 "In Alabama the work of compulsory education is impeded by perplexing eco homie and social conditions. That these can be successfully met by wise and l equitable statutes seems certain. The | need of universal education is imperative, and the state cannot safely delay the in- auguration of the work. The only safety of the state is in the education of all the people,
 c. c. Thach, president at Auburn: q cordially indorse the movement for com pu1sory education in the state of Ala bama. Thousands of ignorant parents. we know, subsist selfsh1y on the labor of their children, while neglecting all of their future and possibilities. Now, the child ,s the richest asset of the state, and
 
 interest of it's own offspring I think 1t the moral duty of the state to inter- vene with it's authority and counteract the cruel sefshness of the parent. There Is no economic value In a system of well regulated state schools if the children dc not avail themselves of the opportunities thereby afforded"
 Sydney J. Bowie. lawyer: "Re- plying to your inquiry. I beg to say that I heartily favor a bill for com pulsory education, and I think the time is now ripe for It's consideration There is no principle by which public schoo can be justified unless 1t carries witt it the right of the state to compel al to take advantage of the same. The pub lie schools are maintained by public authority and public expense. If every bodys money Is to be used by compul- sorry taxation for this purpose then every bodys child should be compelled by law to accept it's benefits"
 l Charles Henderson, president railroad commission: Replying to yours of 11th 1T reference to compulsory education in Ala bama. Since the annual appropriation o the state for public education is sufff cient to maintain the public schools fol eight months I think some steps to re- qure the attendance of the children be tween ages advisable. l indorse the compulsory education bill introduced by Senator Reynolds at the last session oi N the legislature"
 n M Powell iauver CsreenviIle