The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-11-17
Willingham's Report to the
Governor Shows Splendid
Advancement of Schools
6572 SCHOOLS WERE
KEPT UP LAST YEAR
Alabama Spent sS,7O3.711 for Edu-
eating Children Last Year-OYer
5000 Teachers Paid--Favors
Compulsory Attendance
BY LEWIS S. BETTY.

Montgomery November 16-(Speclai.1-
In every department of the educational
system of the state considerable progress
was made during the past year me
public schools, normal schools. agricul-
turaI schools and all other institutions
of learning made great advance to-
ward a higher degree of efficiency and
usefulness, and right now the educational
system of the state is one of the most
perfected systems in the entire south,
although hampered by lack of funds and
many other obstacles which have for
years stood in the way of educational
progress.
In his report to Governor O'Neal OF
the condition and progress of the pub
lie schools of Alabama for the year end
ing September 30, 1912, Superintendent OF
Education Henry j. Willingham goes al
length into the work of the educational
sygtem of the state. He presents a
large number of figures and statistics
showing the work of the various schools
in the state the enrolment and attend
ance of the public Schools the attend
ance of the high schools, agricultural
and normal schools. and makes sugges-
taxation, compulsory education and 9TH
er questions that are pertinent TO the
subject of educational progress.
How Much Alabama Spent
Alabama spent for the maintenance OF
her public schools during the past year
ss,7o5. III, which was $4,000 less than dur
ing the preceding year, according 10 su-
xATf Inc 1ur "a
total cost of maintenance of the public
school system, the state spent $1,000 3d.
the counties, through the operation of
the one mill tax, $4,000 and the cities
through municipal appropriation, $527,Oc0.
The remainder, amounting to about $780,
600, was raised through tuition, incidental
and naturalization charges.
THE state provided during the year
lust closed $1,000 more than 1t did dur
ing the preceding year" says superin-
tendent Willingham. THE counties, in
ike manner, raised more through tho
one-mill tax than they did during the
year previous. and also the city govern
ments increased their expenditure last
year over the preceding year
Number of Teachers Paid
In the number of white teachers en-
ployed in the state during the past
year there was an Increase of 4 per
cent over the preceding year, white
there was an increase of 2 per cent In
The number of negro teachers. Alto
gether, there were 709S white teachers
employed and 234i negro teachers. SUI
perintendent Willingham says: While
the attendance OF pupils in the public
schools was practically the same for
the two years. this slightly increased
- r-fl nd dnA
to the efficiency of the work done dur
ing the year just closed as compared
with the previous year"
The number of white teachers !n the
state who held life certificates during
the Vast year was 659, as against SIS
fer the preceding year, while the num-
bar of holders of first grade certificates
was reduced from. 1881. for the proceed
ang year, to 73S for the year covered
by superintendent Willlngham's re-
port.
The salaries paid the white and ne
gro teachers for the past two years
were substantially the same, the white
seachers receiving slight reduction IN
salaries. and the negro teachers small
increase. In this connection. II is In
teresting TO note that the average an
nuai salaries paid the white male
teachers of the state was only $40,
:, hite female teachers 1894, negro male
Itacner5 flfo, negro AeHluAe loaSAois
f155.
Enrolment and Attendance
The small enrolment in the public
schools OF the state as compared with
the number of educables In Alabama
Between the ages of and 81 leads SUI
yerintendent Willlugham TO recommend
tue enactment OF a reasonable compui-
sorry attendance law.
According to the school census OF
1919. there was a total number of chill
6ren in the .state of school age of 49,
297, of which number 399,273 were
whites and 32S.024 were negroes. The
statistics from all the schools Of the
state, public private and denomina-
ti.nal, show that the total enrolment
for the past year was: White. 29S, 64s:
colored 146,457. In other words. ~ per
cent OF the white children of the state
of educable age had their names upon
the school rool and 46 per cent of the
colored children
srThe conclusion seems Irresistible
Gays superintendent Willingham. that
Alabama without much more delay will
be compelled to enact reasonable
&C mpulsory attendance law, and thus
FOLLOW In the footsteps of all but a
half dozen of the states OF the Amer
lean union. Such law should neces-
ga rily be without any harsh require
inents. so that its execution would not
anflict an injustice on any of our peo-
rle, nor on the Industrial conditions In
Alabama. Public sentiment throughout
this state seems TO be growing strong
~ In favor OF law requiring com
pulsory attendance, and If the next ses-
sion OF the legislature should see I'll