The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-15
WANT LEGISLATURE
 ID PROVIDE SCHOOL Petitions Are Sent to Members
 of Both Houses A BILL IS DRAWN UP Ladies Behind the Movement to Estab- fish Mercy Home Industrial School
 for Girls Mean to Accom-
 plish Their Purpose
 
A BILL IS DRAWN UP

movement to establish the Mercy Home
 Industrial school for white girls are going
 down to the legislature with bill provid-
 ing that s2O,000 be appropriated for the
 erection of an additional building, and
 that s40oo annually be set aside for the
 maintenance of the school during the next | four years.
 The board of managers, headed by the
 officers, Mrs. C. B. Spencer, president;
 Mrs. J. II. Phillips, first vice president;
 Mrs, c. H. Estes. second vice president;
 Mrs. W. II. Jeffries. secretary, and Mrs.
 D. E. Wilson, treasurer, have issued a
 petition to the legislature, which has been
 mailed to each member of both houses,
 together with a copy of the bill and a
 number of press indorsements.
 The ladies mean business, and 1t is con
 sidered quite probable that the bill will | pass. Among some of their arguments are the following:
 For many years it has been the ulti-
 mate aim and plan of the board of man
 agers of the Mercy Home to establish an
 industrial school for dependent and delin-
 quent girls between the ages of 13 and 20 l "A number of years ago the Boys h. dustrial school, for the training and say | ing of wayward and delinquent boys was
 established at East Lake, and has been
 maintained by state aid for years. We do | not hesitate to say that that institution
 has fully justified itself, and has achieved
 a success even beyond the hopes of many | of those who contributed to it in the be- | ginning.
 "The state some 15 years ago estab- | lished a successful institution at Monte | vallo, but this institution was established | for those who were able to pay something | toward their maintenance and support, | and it has not been the policy of that in | stitution to accept, or retain delinquents.
 "The state appropriation for the Boys Industrial school at East Lake is S20,000 per annum. In addition to this the sum of $50,000 was appropriated by the last legislature for improvements.
 "The board of managers of the Mercy
 Home has through it's own efforts and through the generous aid of the citizens of Birmingham raised s230oO for the erec- tion and equipment of a building at Woodlawn especially adapted for the pur pose. The building is practically com- pleted, the money Is already in sight to pay for it, and the work is ready to be- gin. Provision will be made for 40 girls at the start They will be taught house.
 keeping laundry work, sewing, weaving,
 etc., each department being separate and
 under the supervision of a competent trained worker. In addition, outdoor work will be a speciality, such as gardening.
 dairying and the like. The girls will also be given a grammar school education. Having erected, paid for, and equipped a suitable building, the board of managers | feels that the state can now afford to contribute annually the small sum of $4000 | to the maintenance of this institution. | Girls from every portion of the state will
 be eligible to enter. In other words, it is | to be state institution and not a local | one.
 If the state can afford to expend $20,- | coo per annum for the maintenance of the l Boys Industrial school, and appropriate s500O0 for additional buildings, is 1t not a reasonable and modest request to ask for S4,0O0 per annum and an appropriation
 of S20,O00 for a building for dependent girls?
 For 20 years those who have had the work in charge have successfully con- ducted the Mercy Home at Birmingham for young children of both sexes. That the Mercy Home has been a success will be attested by every citizen of Birming ham. There are now S7 children provided for there, many of them rescued not only from poverty, but from a fate which might have been worse.
 What they have done for the Mercy Home of itself is the best evidence that
 can be offered as to what may be expect ed from this industrial school which is simply an outgrowth and development of their original work.
 At the age of 13 the boys can be and are sent to the Industrial school at East Lake. When the girls reach the same age there is absolutely no place for them in the state, except where they can be given away. often as servants, in private families.
 "It is because of the lack of adequate provision anywhere in Alabama for girls who are helpless and dependent, that the work of establishing this school has been planned and undertaken. Many applied tions are constantly made for girls who are past the age of 13, for whom provision ought to be made, if they are to become useful women. These can be protected from ruin if taken in time, and can be saved while they are yet young" Here is a copy Of the bill:
 "A bill to be entitled an act to make an appropriation for the maintenance of the Mercy Home industrial school for girls. located at Birmingham Ala, for
 the years 1911, 1912 1913 and 1914; and also
 to make an appropriation for the erection
 of an additional building for said school.
 Be 1t enacted by the Legislature of Ala
 bama:
 "Section 1. That the sum of $4000 is here
 by apprOpffdteu out Ol any HoHey III tic
 state treasury for the support. mainten- ance and improvement of the Mercy Home
 Industrial School for White Girls, located
 at Birmingham, Ala, for each of the
 years of 1911. 1912 1s13, and 1914.
 Sec 2. That the state auditor is hereby
 authorized and directed to draw his war rants on the state treasury in favor of
 the treasurer of the Mercy Home In dustrial School for Girls for the pay ment, quarterly, of the sums hereby ap- propirated for the maintenance of said school. "Sec. B. That the sum of $2o,O00 in addi- ton to the amount hereinabove appro- priated be and the same is hereby appro- priated out of any money in the state treasury for the erection of an additional
 building or buildings for the Mercy Home Industrial School for White Girls at Bir- mingham, Ala, to be paid by warrants drawn by the governor on the state treas ury in favor of the treasurer of the Mer- | cy Home Industrial school whenever in | the opinion of the governor the condition | of the state treasury will permit the same without endangering other appropriations | for the actual support and maintenance | of the state government
 "Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, that all | laws and parts of laws in conflict with the provisions of this actsbe and the same are | hereby repealed"
 --sos----- I l | Switzerland Population A
 Berne, January 14.-(Special.)-The re-
 suit ofthe decennial census for Switzer-
 land is known as far as the large towns
 are concerned. It shows a great in-
 crease. Here are few of the principal