The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11

| for any other purpose than paying teach CTS. It is possible that a part of this per cent may be made available for pay 1 ing the expenses of transportation, and
 with the good roads that are being built
 in Jefferson county, this difficulty would
 be removed and consolidated schools wodu be realized. It would be a great step toward better schools. for 1t would l strengthen the weakest part of the coun- | tvs school system. According to Mir. Hewitt it would not mean saving in money, but it would mean increased ef- ficiency
 MT. Baker, Field Superintendent N. R. Baker has just taken up his work as one of the assistant superintcnd- ents. MT. Baker is known in Birming- ham from his connection with the city schools Four years ago he went with the state department of education and general board of education as state su- pervisor of rural elementary schools Since that time he has been travelling over the entire state, visiting the country schools. He has lead in standardizing the schools, introducing practical features of school extension. adjusting individual schools to local conditions, creating n- terest in the country schools, and encour- aging attention to these schools. He has advocated longer terms, better school building, improved grounds, and higher standards for the teachers. Mir Bakers work has ranged from the one-room schools in isolated districts to consoli- dated country schools which represent Alabama's most progressive move for the education of her country children. All of Mir Bakers work has been con structive and it is equaled by only few educators who have worked in this state.
 In leaving the state board after this work of four years. MT. Baker has two objects. One is that in coming to Jeffer- son county he will have an opportunity to do intensive work along the lines that he has been advocating. The statewide supervision does not permit this, while in the single county the territory is suf- hciently small to give opportunity for the concentration of effort which he pre- fers. Beside this Mir Bakers work here will permit his reaching Birmingham where he will make his home, almost every night. During the past four years he has been away from his home in Montgomery almost all the time. owing to the extent of the territory he cov- cred.
 MT. Baker has supervision of the south | west or lower half of the county and he Will continue there the work he has done for the state at large, except that it will be concentrated on the smaller num- Der of schools.
 MT. Erwin Field Superintendent
 The northeast or upper half of the county will be in charge of E. B. Err 1 win, who has been principal at BoyIes for the past eight years MT. Erwin has been directly in touch with the schools here for an even longer time, as he taught here previous to the time he was connected with the schools of Athens, Ala. He left there eight years ago to resume the principalship at Boyles He and Mrs. Erwin have been instru- rental in building up the BoyIes school from one of two teachers to six with a r modelled building, feature of school ex- tension. and with such a spirit toward the school that 1t was possible to bid successfully for the county high school In addition to their marked success with the Boyles school, Mir. Erwin has been honored with the presidency of the coun- ty teachers association and with mem bership on the county board of educa- tion
 Athens has never quite relinquished it's claim to the Erwins and there have been repeated and attractive offers for them to return.
 To his new work as supervisor MT Er- win carries an intimate knowledge of school conditions in Jefferson county Knowing both their strength and their weaknesses.
 MT. Tidwell Superint endent Tennessee
 Company Schools
 R. E. Tidwell. superintendent of schools or the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail- road company, has supervision over all schools of that company. including their schools in Jefferson, Bibb, Walker and tuscaloosa counties, and points in Ten nessee His supervision in Jefferson is in connection with the county department of education. He, MT. Erwin and MT Baker each have supervision of certain schools and the three cover every school Ihey spend their time in these schools Superintendent McNeil has a general out me upon which their work is based brlefly, 1t is this: The field superintend- ents or head supervisors shall keep closely in touch with the schools assigned them and shall so help the teachers that their schools may be brought up to a stand ard. This standard shall be uniform throughout the county the three field superintendents conferring with Mr Me Neli as to points they shall cover, yet each superintendent shall consider the school in its relation to its particular locality. Their work will include stand ardizing the course of study, for although the textbooks are uniform, there is often wide difference between the work of parallel grades in different schools This or course has its confusing effect on the uniform seventh grade examination and on the grading of children who move rom one school and enter another.
 on the other hand, adapting the schools to the communities in which they are located is equally important That this De regarded in school extension is es- sential, for features of extension shit able for one school are of secondary i'm portance in another, and there Is danger ol a vast waste of energy and of oppor- tuiiity when school extension is not adapt cd to the community
 These and many other points will con,e uhder the direction of these superintend- ents. They will advise the teachers in regard to their daily schedules, actual teaching, the mechanics of the rooms, ana With the trustees in their duties to the schools. There are always inexper- fenced teachers who need help, and many questions arise where the teachers need advlce and support from someone who IS Tn their school room frequently enough to understand conditions Miss ROsser Supervisor Domestic Arts
 MISS Jennie Mae Rosser is suner- visor of household arts in the county schools. Miss Rosser is a graduate of the Louie Compton seminary and is especially talented in arts and crafts. With wonderfully delft fingers and a natural skill forf hand work. After teaching for several years she took a piace with the county department of education as teacher of cooking and sewing. This was a year ago and was the first time these subjects had been formally introduced into the county schools. though few schools had be-