The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-25
OPENING SESSION
FAR GREATEST IN
STATES HISTORY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ~


its unborn generations to come.
1T may be we'll for lis to remember
here that not only in material but in So
cial, moral and intellectual matters we
are teaching the next generation, as well
this. We are not merely teaching the
boys and girls that sit Immediately before
us in serried rows. We are teaching the
parents the teachers and the leaders of
the next generation. Here is the bright
morning glow of the first full decade of
the twentieth century-we are teaching
the grandparents and greatgrandparents
of the people of the twenty-hrst century.
Herein lies our right to fame, our claim
10 consideration, an dour hope of ultimate
reward. Herein also exists reason for dep
recating our shortcomings, shuddering
at the realization of our own liabilities
and staggering beneath the load of our
own responsibilities as teachers.
Compulsory Education
There are three good reasons for COM
pulsory attendance-it is justice to the
state, justice to the parent and justice
to the child. The state needs it. the parent
should know that it is needed, but the
child cannot know that it needs it.
In the city it would solve vexing prob
lens of attendance, and in the country it
would overcome the evils of carelessness
with respect to educational matters. OF
course, such law must be at first so ar
ranged that it will be no great burden to
bear, and it must be enforced with fair
ness and discretion.
But there should be no shying at the
black speeter, nor parleying with the
white miser, nor signing for the days of
personal freedom. There is no such thing
is personal freedom to the irresponsible.
If all proper education is cultural, If it
is preparation for life, it cannot pos
sibly harm any human being, but must
L. t.
preparation for service and deserves rec
ogniton only in so far as 1t prepares for
efficient service in some of the multi
form relationship of human beings to
each other.
But enforced attendance calls for more
buildings and more teachers The ability
to furnish these in some communities de-
ponds upon the settlement of the question
of the right and feasibility of the plan of
local taxation by districts. Therefore the
subject must remain but smodering
ember until the granted right of local tax
alton adds fuel to the flame and makes
possible the solution of this as well as
many other perplexing problems.
Local Taxation
Every citizen is the center of at least
four concentric sociologic entities
He belongs first to a family, next to
a community, third to a state and fourth
relationship is taken by the civic authori-
ties. They surround him with certain
duties In the family relation certain OBJ
legations to his community, well-deflned
relationship to his state and undoubted
connection with the national or federal
government. This relationship is shown
in the matter of defense and protection of
service and recognition of service, in ed
ucation and educational returns
1T should be observed that while the
individual has obligations to perform
within each of these sociological grand
divisions yet each should bestow, and
in all states except Alabama does bestow.
return compensation.
In the family the individual provides,
by means of labor sustenance, clothes,
habitation and diversion. In the COM
munity he provides exchange of thought
and of material commodities or other
moral or financial support. To the state
he pays a direct tax and to the nation an
indirect tax or revenue, and to both state
and nation admits his obligation to bear
arms.
In return the nation with respect to
educational matters supports a depart-
ment of education, or should do so; COM
piles educational statistics and helpful
bulletins at public expense and in other
ways unif1es and promote education. In
the state machinery the cause is aided by
similar functions, and in addition by a
sum of money paid in trust direct to
community or district.
The individual even provides books
clothes, tuition and other expenses for
training the embyro citizen But Whist
does the community or district do in OUR
state for the development of the individ-
ual? Nothing. Except by spasmodic
'Insystematic procedure, outside of a few
incorporated towns. not even buildings are
provided for school use.
Duty of Community
1T is the business of the community
to support the schools in systematic
and substantial way. And this view is
taken in all the As other states of our
country. The city and town receives reg
ular support by property tax. The most
important branch of the town govern
ment, the schools, do not have the sup
port or the right to bestow it, Though
the community ought to construct and
hold title to the building in county dis
tricts as well as at least assist the state,
yet this additional burden is left to the
family with the result that too frequent
~ the obligation is never fulfilled
The citizen is not educated and de-
veloped for the family that fosters him.
He Is developed for the state in order
that he may become tn head of another
family which may be of use in the state.
Unless we recognize the right of any
OF its schools-and good free schools are
the most essential factor in the conf
dence and supremacy of any government
unless we admit that right deny the
right of all taxation, abolish the basic
principle of civilized government and
virtually advocate return to the primitive
condition of man.
why not permit local taxation by dis
tricts? Shall those who do not need or
desire more or better schools deny to
those who are in another part OF the
state the right to tax themselves? II
any man so Selfish so short-sighted or
20 vindictve as not to allow his neigh
Dor or his brother 100 miles AWAY the
opportunity of educating his children?
Does any one desire to expose him
self in the limelight as If figuring in the
old fable and there taking the part of
the dog In the manager?
rs there a =. one careless thought
less. or unpatriotc that he does not de-
sire to see the fair and euphemistic name
OF Alabama lifted from only the third
round of the ladder of Anglo Saxon lit
eracy in our country until it shall serve
eventually to bind the very top together?
According to the last census out of the
3OS23 native born white population in
Alabama ten years of age and over 103
80 could not read and write This is
one out of seven. We know that the next
census will greatly reduce this proper
tion. 1t may make 1t one out of ten. But
in Germany it is only one out of 1000; and
is of the German states have no illit-
eracy whatever The new state of Wash
fngton has but one in 300 I desire in this
nm