The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-20
TELLS OF
SCHOOL NEEDS
Four High Schools Necessary
Within Five Years
SOME QUITE TOO SMALL
Superintendent Urges Purchase of
Larger Sites In Order to Give the
Children Plenty of Room
for Outdoor Exercise
SOME QUITE TOO SMALL

Stating that within the next five years
Birmingham must have four large High
schools, and pointing to the urgent need
for new school buildings, increasing the
size and improving the sanitary systems
of others, Dr. j. H. Phillips, superintend-
ent of education, made detailed report
of the educational needs of the city of
Birmingham before the board of educa-
ton.
The report was adopted by the board,
and 1t was referred unanimously to the
city council, which meets tonight, with
letter from President John L. Parker,
calling attention to the urgent need of a
bond issue to put Birmingham on foot
ing with other cities in educational mat
tiers. Here is DR.. Phillips report:
ITO the Honorable Board of Education:
Gentlemen: In compliance with your
request for special report upon the i'm
mediate educational requirements OF the
city of Birmingham, I beg to submit the
following statement:
THE first problem confronting the
Board of Education is the immediate need
of more and better facilities for elemen-
tarv schools 1t must be remembered
that in most of the municipalities which
became a part of the city on the f1rst day
OF January, 1910, no provision In the way
of buildings and equipment had peen
made beyond their immediate needs at
that time. Many Of these schools were
then crowded and during the last half
wear the matter of accommodating the
pupils who applied for admission was
serious question. Some of these buildings
are small and will require additions TO
meet the increasing demands of the com
rnunities in which they are located
Among these may be mentioned the Gray
mont school, the Gibson and the Kennedy
schools of Woodlawn, the Robinson school
Of East Lake, the Seventeenth Avenue
school of North Birmingham, and the
Baker. the Fairview, the Minor and wy
lam schools of Ensley. Some OF these
schools are without modern heating ana
sanitary facilities, and when the addltlons
are built a modern equipment Will De re-
quired.
again, several of the old buildings are
not only inadequate as to size, put nave
heen pronounced by the city authorities
al unsafe and insanitary. Such build
inrs will have to be torn down and new
structures erected In their stead. Among
these buildings may be mentioned the
cate CITY school, and the Bush and
Moore schools of Ensley. Several other
schools will need extensive repairs 10
bring them to a modern standard. IN
this class are the Woodlawn Central, the
North Birmingham schooi anu INC o'A
Ayondale school.
Additional elementary schools musl
a,so be provided to meet the requirements
OF those rapidly growing sections OF the
CITY for which no provision has yet peen
made. Thomas, East Thomas and the ad-
Joining territory, with about 1000 eouca-
HE children, have no school building
u,orthv of the name. This section should
have a substantial and commodious build
inc az early as practicable. Again. new
building will be needed to accommodate
the rapidly increasing population In the
Vicinity of Fifteenth street and F1fteenth
avenue, South.
THE high school situation Is already
q. serious problem. The new Ensley
High school was planned TO accomho.
date 500 pupils 1t was estimated that
$40. 900 would be required to complete
the building. But as only about $780,
600 of this sum was available 1t was
to complete only eight rooms
at the present time. These eight rooms
are to be ready by September and 1t
ia doubtful whether they will then pro-
vide sufficient accommodation for that
rapidly growing school. To complete
this building and to provide the need
ed equipment will cost at least sl25,-
900 more.
"As is we'll known. the Birmingham
High school, built to accommodate
maximum of 500 students enrolled over
100 last year. From 1900 to 14oo are
expected in September and the board
has been compelled to lease several
adjoining buildings in order to pro-
vide for the expected overflow. Anoth er
high school located on the Southslde
which shall parallel the work or the
school ON the Northside Is an urgent
present necessity. Besides this new
high school located in the eastern sec
ton of the city Is inevitable. This
school will be located at some point
between Woodlawn and Eost Lake
Within the next five years tour high
schools will be required to meet the
demands of the city.
Sites for New Buildings
For the new buildings suggested adj
equate sites must be provided. No
greater mistake has been made In the