The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-19
ADERHO[D WRITES
ON SCHOOL PROBLEM
Rural Schools Given Too Lit
tie Attention Under the
Present System
Age-Herald.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
l noticed in your editorials a few day.
ago an article regarding schools of Ala.
bama. and comparing other states will
Alabama, and l also notice in your ISSUE
of January Is an article from Mr.. VII.
lingham, superintendent of education In
Alabama.
Being an ex-ehairman OF board of edu.
cation of Calhoun county, 1 have an In
side knowledge of the system of our pub
lie schools. Therefore. | thought a few
remarks by me on that subject would not
be amiA.
As I comprehend the situation, it is an
impossibility to employ competent teach.
ers when we have only 81 per child to
pay said teacher. and only s2.e5 per child
for the public schools And the public
schools are the schools and only hope we
have for the masses of children to procure
an education. 1t has been cry for years
Back to the farm" But as long as oul
rural schools are operated as they are al
present city people may go to the coun-
try, and one year is sufficient.
l am In favor of making a change In
Jul PicScDl ScHDDl system.
We, under our present system, employ
teachers of both sexes, and of any age.
just so they hold a state certificate. and
these teachers ere placed entirely upon
their honor to teach our rural schools.
1t is true that each district has three
trustees. But, not over one trustee in q
could enter sehoolroom and be capable
Of in6QinU xyb q.
duty Therefore, the parents send their
children through mud and rain, from one
to three miles, to school with the antici-
patton of their being advanced, and In
stead, as is often the case they would do
as well to remain at home
To remedy the situation we should place
our rural school on a similar footing TO
the city schools. by employing enough
competent supervisors in each county TO
take full control of a certain number of
schools, and see that said schools are
properly graded and properly taught
And If teacher is not competent in every
respect, the supervisor should have power
to remove said teacher with consent of the
county board of educat'on. Then, a pupil
moving from one district to another could
resume their studies without any hin
drance to their advancement And should
they could do so without hav-
ing to spend several years on some studies
that the teacher has failed to teach
thereby forcing n heavy expense on such
pupils before they can enter their grades
as they should had they been properly
taught
Now, Mr.. Editor, II Is the case that ev-
,ry fellow has kick coming. You state
hat Birmingham Is contributing large
s.f i.
'tate for mol purposes. / am proud
hat Alabama has such great and grand
'ity as that And while Birmingham is
irawing from every corner of this great
tate and is growing in magnitude every
ear from the utilization of her resources.
Why not be willing to contribute to the cd
ication of the Children of the state?
When greater the knowledge. greater the
production, and greater. thereby, the op-
ortunity for Birmingham to grow great
I am opposed to the plan OF distribution
Though ! realize 1t is not popular with
ur lawmakers; nevertheless. It is a fact
hat the money is received for school
purposes and Is often handed out for spe-
ial interests in certain localities When
ur legislature is assembled you will find
. Montgomery people from Tuscaloosa,
.uburn. Monttevalo and the normal
chools and agricultural schools lobbying
'itii Jul Ia WiItlncis lpI iflDTt IlOHey afDf
uildings and maintenance OF their indi-
idual schools. For example, heard
Ion. Mr.. s. Mallory of Selma in his
peech at the laying of the cornerstone of
he State Normal school at Jacksonville
Jacksonville for not asking for
lore money; that he as a trustee of
Iontevallo school asked for $4,000 and
OF 1t.
But, Mr.. Editor. you will not find in !
anyone lobbying for our
ural schools when II we expect to ever |
lot out ignorance from this broad state !
e shall certainly have to do 1t by fur
ishing an opportunity for the children |
the rural ana city public schools. If |
lere is no public school in reach of the |
Iral children there Is not more than one |
25 who will ever learn to read and |
rite, while they receive state aid OF |
.65 On the other hand. not more than
ne in "a who atteEd our state institutions |
ut who would get an education were the
tsitutions not existing. II am not er-
,neously informed. our state university
raws over 5000 rer pupil. Look at the
fference. Mr.. Editor-s2.G and $780, I /
ould not have my readers believe thatSI |
n against the abcve institutions. But if |
should wish to ascend a ladder, would |
ot want to destroy all the bottom rungs /
nd leave a few at the top out Of reach |
lstead. would commence at the bottom |
nd add rung by rung until the desired |
eight Is reached.
T. M ADERHOLD.