The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-16

II was a serious crowd of men that
left the Birmingham Central High school
building yesterday afternoon. Every man
is serious when he thinks.
Some hundred or more men and women.
mostly men from the Chamber of Com
inerce, made complete tour CT the great
High school building yesterday after
noon and the majority of them came
AWAY with two dominant impressions.
Ono was pleasant, the other was not
Many remarks were heard and many
more thought but did not say that for
given amount of equipment and funds
birmingham has one of the greatest
school systems In the United States.
And equally as many were impressed
with the conviction that the school chill
dren of Birmingham were far, far from
getting what they deserve.
1t was inspiring to stand in the physics
laboratory, the great lunch room, the
wood working shop, the machine or black
smith shop. the other manual arts de-
partments, including the domestic sci
ehee, the sewing, the drawing and vari-
Gus departments, ard see the future
learning the practical things of life along
With the scieaces of culture and refine
n.ent.
1t was not inspiring when two dozen
little chaps were seen in a sitting, hot,
rickety shapCy behind the main build
ing, studying mechanical drawing. when
an equal number of bright young girls
were seen 1uddled together in a small
upstairs room of another shanty, prac-
i1it ;,,o thar f,na-h -hon Il
drawing or even over in the main build
ing where in some rooms there were al
most twice ds many youngsters in some
of the classrooms as there should be, and
as any modernly educated man or wo-
ran knows there should be-
Below the Standard
The whole thing, as ona man said Sits
down to nothing more nor less than the
fact that the children of Birmingham are
not receiving at school nearly the care
nor the treatment they receive at home,
simply because the buildings and equip
trent of some of the schools are far be-
low standard.
After seeing what we have here to-
day." said another man, what could and
would the school authorities do If they
had more and better buildings and
little more funds to operate them WITH
The inspection of the High school yes
terday is an annual affair, being given
once each year in order TO afford any
citizen VINO desires, an opportunity to
see exactly what the schools are doing
anC under what conditions it is being
done.
The main party at the High school yes
terday afternoon was a party of Cham
Der of Commerce members TO the num-
Der of so or more. who went to the
ent department is well equipped, but
since the addition of Jonesboro and
outlying districts the territory to be
covered has made it a hard matter for
the fire wagons to make as fast runs
as are necessary so the council decided
to purchase the new equipment com
plete change in the system Will be
made, probably the location of a horse
truck in Jonesboro or the discontin
uance of the station in the Third
ward. which can be covered easily by
the auto truck.
The organization of Southern Wood
men Will be perfected at Bessemer Mon
day night with 55 charter members.
Field Marshall w. L. Riley will have
with him on this occasion Dr. H. c.
Greedy, head physician; Samuel j.
Simpson, head clerk; J. M. Burnett, di-
rector and o. L. Chambers, head bank
er, to assist in the organization.
The charter members are DR.. G. r.
Lewis, f. a, Tubb. r. I. Wood, ]. &.
Glenn, Jr., Dr. j. NJ. Tubb, W. F. Glenn,
G. w. Trout, w. L. Anderson, Doc 5.
Wessen, T. l.. Cook, Harry Firstbrook,
George Barr, j. C. Chisenhall, Jake
Halfacre. j. w. Pickens, &C. S. Riley, G.
r. Lewis, Jr., ]. Fl. Vines, DR.. j. r.
Wilson. DIR. r. I. Smith, c. Mclaughlin,
L. H. Bailey H. D. Parker, Nathan +.
Coins Henry F. Martin, A. l.. Coker,
]. F. Riggs, Frank Powell, Sam Barr,