The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-09

by teachers themselves to compulsory at- tendance is the legal imposition of the in- corrigible upon the zealous and obedient who compose the body of the school. Here, again, We seem to magnify the diff fculty of the problem Statistics are not available with which to establish the per centage of incorrigibles in a given com munity, county or state, but expert opin- ion based on years of experience and ob- servation, places the per cent at from l to 5. When a child gives evidence of a reckless, vicious spirit, he must first submit to the penalties for disorder that shall prevail in the general school When these have proved conclusiyely ineffective he shall then be segregated in sehooI exclusively for those similar to himself. If still he shows no inclination to yield to the influences which make for his recla- nation, he must be consigned to the state reformatory for young criminals. Until the state shall establish and maintain schools of the character here suggested, the ideal system will be incomplete and her duty toward the moral and intellectual training of her citizens will be unper- formed.
 My contention is against the further prevalence of a condition which enables the ignorant, the indifferent or the greedy parent to deprive his child of the high est right of life and thus defeat the noblest purpose of organized society. Compulsory attendance upon the schools of the state is the only safe and sure de- fense against the man who esteems poodle above brain, money above man. hood. lucre above life interest above in- telligence, dividends above development, usury above usefulness, and the charm of cash above the character of childhood. Qualified County Supervision.
 Efficient supervision of rural schools is the perennial plea of educational condi- tions in Alabama today, and the Banquo's ghost of the fawning politician. The su- perintendent of schools occupies the unique position of being the only person connected with the educational machinery of the county from whom is demanded no professional duty, and upon whom is laid no mental requirement. He stands in the enyiable but unjust attitude of drawing maximum of salary for a minimum of service. Furthermore 0 careful compari- son with conditions In other states re- veals the startling fact that Alabama pays the highest average salary for coun- ty supervision and yet makes the lowest demands in the matters of professional qualifications and the performance of of f1cial duty. The times are gone wofully awry when the unanimous verdict of mod ern educational thought is futile to change these conditions. The fault lies not with the men who fill these positions, neither should they feel that they have cause for offense when we assert in the name of professional equity and collective welfare that these things must cease to thwart our efforts to attain to the American ideal
 of square deal'' for every man and for every child. Many counties, be it said to the credit of their patriotic dis cernment, have. by their ballots dslodged the unqualified and unprofessional, and have thereby given their stamp of ap- proval to this basic reform in the ad- justment of our educational machinery
 Yet to those who are at all conversant with conditions 1t will be apparent that many counties are yet 'fn the bonds of iniquity and the gall of bitterness hav- ing their eyes blinded by the opaque scales of dread. inspired by the wiles of the local politician, that the movement wears the cloak of reform only to com pass the restriction of popular elective privilege.
 Whence, then is to come our deliver ance from this bondage of death, this mllstone about the neck of the struggling giant of popular education? My belief Is that the membership of this association have it within their power and owe 1t as a solemn duty to their rural constituency to feed the flames of agitation into a mighty forest fire of enthusiasm for this supreme need of the hour. When the majesty of an aroused public opinion shall begin to assert itself. then shall legislative caution and political dread be swept away in the cyclonic rush to do the peoples will. My enhortation to you then, fellow teachers of this association
 is that both in public address and in pri- vate conversation. you will not cease to plead with them that they not only al- low, but that they demand that long delayed jusice shall be meted unto them
 In the further tolerance of the present hazardous status of county supervision
 there Is great injustice inflicted upon
 those members of the profession who
 have paid the price in money time and labor, of efficiency for the highest serv- ice. In many counties where the demand for efficient supervision has not yet as- serted itself there are men who teach for $500 per year under first grade certifi- cate and they are supervised by a man who draws 5000 a year with not educa- tional qualifications sufficient for a third grade certificate. These conditions ought never to have existed, and their continu- ance must be of short duration. The state is right in demanding high efflci- ency of those who teach, but 1t is wrong in requiring nothing of those who super vise
 The injustice of our situation manifests itself In the relation of the inefficient su- pervisor to the young teachers of the state. Youth is not an evil neither Is 1t crime to teach one's first school; but to be left alone with the burden of the new responsibility Is too much for any but the bravest spirits. and is a species of neglect scarcely less than criminal. Out from these dwarfing conditions very small per cent emerge ultimately into the glorious light of achievement, while
 the vast majority are lost in the dark