The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-21
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL IN NEED OF FUNDS Annual Re ports Show COndi-
 ton of institution HEALTH OF BOYS IS GOOD Better Equipment and More Teachers Are Badly Needed In Order
 to Get the Best
 Results.


 from the press, having been turned out at the school by the boys themselves. Seventy-two thousand dollars was spent by the school last year.
 The board of control is composed of Gov B. B. Comer A. M. Garber, at- torney general; J. A. Wilkinson, commis- sioner of agriculture Mrs. R. D. John ston, president; Mrs. Erwin Craighead, vice president; Mrs. T. G. Bush, treas urer; Mrs. A. W. Nelson, secretary; Mrs. J. MeLester, Birmingham: Mrs. Milton Humes, Huntsville; Mrs. Thomas M. Owen, Montgomery.
 Advisory board: IT. H. Motion, Birming- ham; S. D. Weakley. Birmingham; Hugh Morrow, East Lake.
 Here is the school faculty: D. M Weak ley, superintendent; Mrs. D. M Weakley. matron; l.. F. Morgan assistant superln- tendent; T. o. Jones, chaplain; J. N. Killough, physician; J. H. Carr, principal Of schools and captain of Company E. Claiborn S. Close, instructor in printing, music and military; w T. Moncrief, farm manager and captain of Company A. Miss Lestelle Stamps, teacher; Miss Gertrude Beard, teacher; Mrs L. P. Nor gan' cottage matron, Birmingham buid- ing; Mrs. D. V. Mcbride, cottage matron, Johnston building; Mrs. ". T. Moncrief. cottage matron, Alabama building; Mrs. c. James, tailoring department H. A. Johnson, assistant steward.
 Mrs. Johnston's Report.
 TI,jnY At
 will be of general interest:
 To His Excellency, the Governor of the
 State of Alabama, and the Members of
 the Board of Control of the Alabama
 Boys Industrial School.
 Ladies and Gentlemen-In many re- speets the closing of this year marks our highest attainment in the natural develop ment of the school
 We have now three buildings-the John- ston hall, Birmingham hall and Alabama hall.
 A general heating plant has been in- stalled, thus enabling us to heat the en- tire institution from one heating plant This arrangement is not only more eco- nonieal but more satisfactory. We have pqllt purification plant, or a septic tank for the disposal of all sewerage, thereby | greatly improving the sanitary conditions This step was necessary, for it would 1 probably be years before the county sewer l would be near enough to connect with
 we have been blessed with wonderful, good health among the boys, and realiz, that We have made great progress alons some lines
 The treasurer's report will disclose tn, dark side of the picture. and the figure. l Will bring us face to face with the sterr fact that We cannot carry on this work successfully with the present inadequate per capita appropriation of S1O0 per an. mum. When l went before the finance committee I insisted upon s125 per capita 1 appropriation even if this necessitated less money for buildings
 | We need first of all good food to build i up the boy physically, good teachers tc 1 develop him mentally and good trades 1 10 enable him to make an honest living i Our trades are positively inadequate ana ! poorly equipped, and I feel we have done l our boys serious wrong in not giving them a good trade. They can rise ur i against us in judgment and say truly. .'l asked for bread and ye gave me a stone"
 In the past we have been materially helped by gifts and money from the ooun. ties and individuals. The impression pre- l va1ls that We have all we need hence 1 these sources of revenue have all ceased l except the city of Birmingham and Jeffer- son county, who have never failed us am not willing to see these condi. | tions continue and shall beg of this board to consent to borrow enough money to place our industries on higher plane In the destitute regions of Tennessee and Kentucky, where mission schools have been established, they insist upon the very best teachers from northern and southern universities Our school. which IS perhaps the best equipped in all our industries, Is often supplied by under graduates from Howard college and other similar institutions. Yet they are doing good work in this department
 In conclusion l can say of our officials that they have been most faithful to the trust imposed upon them, and we are to be congratulated that we have found such unselfsh, self-sacrlfcing men and women to carry on this great work Re- speetfully yours,
 MRS. R. D. JOHNSTON, President.
 Superintendent WeakIeys Report.
 The report of Superintendent Wealxlev gives the details of. the work
 To the Members of the State Board n, Control of the Alabama Boys Indus.
 trial School
 Ladies and Gentlemen: I respectfully submit to you my annual report of tbe Alabama Boys Industrial school for ina fiscal year 1907-0S, ending September 3o 190S ~
 In many respects this has been to us a most eventful year. and I feel we have great cause for thanksgiving and gladness. We have been graciously show cred with many blessings that have made us more comfortable and at the same time increased the general efficiency ot the institution.
 The great state of Alabama has beer kind to us. The last legislature gave us an appropriation for new building and other improvements, besides she has granted us a per capita appropriation something we have been working for fo, years, and now, no doubt the members of the legislature are beginning to see it is cheaper, more generous, more Chris. tianlike to take the erring, who, per. haps, have thoughtlessly transgressed ths majesty of the law and make of them honest, upright citizens rather than place them in a felon's cell where they are thoroughly schooled in the arts of crime and vice.
 The question of juvenile delinquency' is interesting the whole world today. Able jurists, thoughtful divines and scholarly men of science are giving it much thought and while at present they seem to be content with only trying to dis cover some 'antdote, I doubt not that in the future science will 60 much to de- termine the cause of crime, or, at least determine and classify some of the ex- ternal forces. At present eminent crimi- nologists are widely divided in their theories Many view crime purely from the standpoint of heredity and rob from the individual all freedom of will An other class lays everything at the feet of environment, but we know many have risen unfettered, unaided only by the de- termination of their own will and scared