The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-20
W|[[|NCHAMF FILES
ANNUAL REPORT AS
LAST OFFICIAL ACT
Says State Must Adopt Local
Taxation Laws and Com
pulsOry Education
TAKE UP DUTIES IN
FLORENCE SHORTLY
Superintendent of Education Calls
Especial Attention to Need of Com
puIsory Education-Important
Subjects Are Discussed

pulsOry EducatiOn-lmpOrtant
Subjects Are Discussed
Montgomery, November 19-(special)
Local taxation laws and compulsory edu
cation must be adopted IL Alabama in
tends to keep pace with other states In
the union, and steps looking to the i'm
mediate enactment of such statutes should
be taken, according to Superintendent of
Education Henry ]. Willngham, in his
annual report to the governor.
Filing his annual report on the state
educational department was the last Of
fetal act of Mr. Willingham, whose resig
nation as state superintendent takes place
tomorrow. Mr.. Wilingham will leave III
a few days for Florence, where he will
take up his duties as president of the
state normal school at that place. lie
will be succeeded by William F. Fea-
gin, who has served as chief clerk of
the department for the past seven or
eight years.
Mr.. Willingham calls especial attention
in his report to the need of compulsory
education. EVERY patriotic Alabamian,
when he gives the matter any serious
thought, earnestly desires to remove the
blight of illiteracy from the citizenship
of this state" says Mr.. Willingham, who
declares that the only effective method
will be the adoption of law to require
children of school age to attend schooi
a certain number of months each year
IIliteracy Among Natives
According to the figures of the United
States census of 1910, illiteracy among the
native white population places Alabama
above only four other states and on an
equality with fifth,' said the report.
1.-The illiteracy among the negroes of Ala
bama, according to the United States GEN.
sus, is greater here than in any of the
other states of the union. except one. If
il is really desirable to remove from our
people this handicap of illiteracy in order
that Alabama may make more favor-
able showing in the sisterhood of states.
then 1t Is absolutely necessary for larger
percentage of the youth to become en-
rolled in school and to continue with rea-
sonable regularity during the session after
becoming enrolled.
''The conclusion seems irresistible that
Alabama without much more delay will
be compelled to enact q reasonable COM
pulsory attendance law, and thus follow
in the footsteps of all but half dozen
Of the states of the American union. Pub
,lic sentiment throughout this state ap-
pears to be growing strongly in favor of
a law requiring compulsory attendance
and if the next session OF the legislature
should see fit to reflect this growing pub
lie sentiment 1t is my opinion that such
law will be popular and greatly bene-
fetal.
Compulsory Attendance Law
within recent years number of the
southern states have enacted compulsory
attendance laws. During the present year
the legislature of South Carolina passed
a statewide compulsory education bill
which was vetoed by the governor, but
the legislative enactment shows public
sentiment in that state where the negro
regulation is in the highest percentage
OF that of any state in the union. Be-
sides South Carolina there are only the
states of Mississippi. Alabama, Georgia,
Florida and Texas which have no leg
islation compelling the children. under
reasonable circumstances, to receive the
benefits of a. common school education
provided by law for them,"
Superintendent Wlllingham said If the
next legislature should not enact a COM
pulsory attendance law and the state
should be compelled to wait four years,
outhern states states would go ahead of
this state and leave Alabama the only
one in the American union without law
requiring children to accept the benefits
provided by the state.
TO disclose any state any civilized
country which ever repealed a compulsory
attendance law after it, was enacted,
continued the report. 1T is modified from
time to time usually extended in its scope
and in its requirements, but when once
enacted it proves so popular that history
does not chronicle the repeal of any law
on compulsory attendance"
Local Taxation
focal taxation must be the means IL
Alabamas educational system is to be
broadened. Mr.. Willngham declared that
sentiment in favor of leyying taxes by
districts is growing and that the state
hope for the future of education in Ala
bama was not by increasing the support
from the state government, but by allow
ing the people in the counties and in the
school districts to increase their own pub
lie school revenue to such a degree and
extent as they are willing to provide"
Superintendent Wiilingham quoted from
reports of the commissioner of education
at Washington, which show that Ala
bama depends more on the state taxes
and less on local taxes than any other
state in the American union"
Relief can come through only one chan
rel, according to the superintendent, and
this was the suggested remedy: THE next
legislature ought not to hesitate to SUBJ
nit for ratification by the people of Ala
bama an amendment to our consultation
which would authorize any county by
majority vote of it's qualified electors to
levy any part OF mills according to their
needs in the schools of the county as
supplement- to the state fund, and at the
same time the amendment should provide
that the qualified electors of any school
district or municipality might have the
privilege of determining by their own vote
an additional supplement-, if one should be
needed, In the local schools of the district
or municipality. If the people of Alabama
are capable of self-government they are
certainly worthy of being trusted to vote
a supplemental tax on their own property
for the education of their own children"
Receipts of Department
Total receipts of the state educational
department during the fiscal year ending
September 80 were s., ,993,571, compared with
s., ,7O3, I'll, or an increase of $29O,000 OF the
amount the state provided 81, ASS, as
compared with $2,004,945 the previous year.
Referring to receipts, Superintendent Will
lingham said: 1.-THE counties provided
through the 1 mill tax last year .$55S. .143.
as compared with the income from like
source a year ago of $540,223. The cities
appropriated through municipal taxation
last year $443,86S, as compared with the
income from similar source year ago
of S527 900. In this connection it might
be observed that the larger part of this
appropriation, $2s9,S9l, was obtained
municipal taxation in Greater Birming-
ham, as a supplement to its own public
schools"
school age show that Alabama has 399.273
x.,1,; and oI,i1 n,,ri