The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-08
Will Look Into Agitation
Regarding Christmas
Holidays at School
PARENTS ARE STIRRED
UP OVER THE MATTER
Head of Board of Education Deplores
Threatened Jar in Relations of
Student and Instructor-Gives
Views on Matter
BY CLYDE w. ENNIS.

The threatened strike" of school pupils
of Birmingham on certain days during
christmastide will not take place for tho
reason that John L. Parker, president Of
the board of education, intends to see that
the children get those days they desire
if such is at all possible. He said so yes
terday, and the children of Birmingham
may rest assured that power is at work
Not only does DIR. Parker favor grant
ing the children the days they wish but
Judge A. o. Lane, commissioner of JUS
tice, who confessed that he remembered
when he was kid" said yesterday that
he thought it was folly for the authori-
ties at the high school to arbitrarily set
aside certain days for the children, there
by causing ill feeling.
DIR. Parker said yesterday that he had
not been informed of the reason for
changing the customary holiday term, but
that he would look into it this morning
and see what the reason for the change
is That he was in favor of giving the
children what they wanted was the gist of
his statement.
Get Only Five Holidays
The prevailing idea expressed by par
ents is that they prefer their children
at home on Christmas day, which is the
day of all days to children, and also on
New Year The school authorities say
that the schools shall be closed Friday
December 19, and remain closed until De-
cember 2s, resuming on the last named
day, which is Monday, and going through
the week including New Year day The
children want the schools to close Christ
mas eve and remain closed until January
p. As arranged by the High school staff
they will in reality, 1t is pointed out, get
only five holidays for the reason that
during the period closed there are two
Saturdays and like number of Sundays
which are always holidays at the schools
DIR. Parker and Judge Lane, who have
the reputation of being thoughtful men,
said last night that they could not sec
what difference it made to the instructors
what series of days were set aside for
the children, that 10 days here was a loss
equally as well as ten days there. They
both said If the kids wanted ten DAYS
during which something was doing, that
they should have 1t, rather than a set Of
days which included but one holiday.
There is one undeniable feature to the
proposition, and that is the parents OF
this community are very much stirred up.
Dr. Parker said:
DIR. Parker's Views
II would not have the amicable rela-
tions between the students and the teach
ers disturbed for anything on earth. [
have not been told the reason for this
holiday order and intend to look into it
thoroughly. 1 am in favor of giving the
children what they want if it is consist
ent in any way whatever. l can see no
good reason for one series of days being
denied the children if they prefer them
l see no reason to punish 10000 children
for what an infinitesimal number do, that
is to say, accept positions during the hol-
idays. When l was a kid l did the same
thing, and am glad of it. / will try in
every possible way to arrange the holi-
days differently"
As to the situation, Judge A. o. Lane
said last night: Il see no reason for de-
nying the children the days they wish. J
think they should not be taken in before
New Year for. as matter of fact, from
Christmas until New Year all business is
practically suspended. The children
know best what they want in that way. or
course, the matter rests with the board of
education. but remembering when 1 wa
a kid l would try to apepase the stu
dents. 1t appears to me that this thing is
most wasteful step. l can see where
the disfavor of instructors will be in
CURED by some of the children, and where
the relations existing now between the
student body and the instructors will be
disrupted and all for nothing. l think Bir-
mingham is too big for this sort of trou-
hle. Give the children what thew want