The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-21
Incidental Fee No Bar to MatriculatiOn Total
 Almost 30,000
NEED OF ADDITIONAL
 FACILITIES IS SHOWN
Buildings Overcrowded-Nece to Rent Cottages at Hemphill School in West End-Formal Exercises
 at the Central High School

Fifty-three schools in Greater Birming- ham opened their doors yesterday morn ing at g o'clock for the enrolment of be- tween 25.ooo and 5000 school children. Yesterdays enrolment exceeded that of any previous year in the history of Bir- mingham and emphasized the fact that there is not sufficient facilities to accom- modate the big increase from year to year
 Despite the fact an incidental fee of 25 cents per month is charged for each child in the grammar school and 50 cents for each high school pupil, the enrolment yesterday was beyond all expectations. The result Is that number of schools are crowded beyond all hope for efficient learning The Central High school. which can accommodate 1000 pupils, enrolled more than that number yesterday. and it Is expected that there will be additional enrollments from day to day for the next few weeks. The Ensley High school shows an appreciable increase over last years enrollment as does the Barrett school of East Lake, The Hemphill school at West End is crowded beyond it's ca pacity. it being necessary to rent several cottages in the vicinity for the purpose of accommodating the increase over last year. The Barker school of Norwood is crowded beyond all hope.
 C. B. Glenn, assistant superintendent of education, in speaking of the big enroll ment, said;
 We are highly gratified over the large enrollment this year, and it is with pleas ure that we see the parents of the chi," dren so eager to give their children an ed- ucation. It is we'll known fact that there is no county In Alabama or in the United States that offers better curricu- lum and finer trained teachers for the benefit of the children.
 Far Beyond Expectations
 Some were of the opinion that the in- cidental fee for the children would de- crease the enrolment, but it did not. The enrolment was far beyond expectations and will in all probability reach near the s0000 mark. Today's opening of the schools demonstrated the fact that Bir- mingham must commence to look forward to vast Improvements in the way of school buildings. We expect to have more day after day for the first week and 1t will tax all our ingenuity to take care of this overflow. We wil do our best, however, and no child in Bir- mingham will suffer for the lack of suf- fieient instruction.
 ''Yesterday was taken up in the enroll ment of the children and the giving out of the book lists. All promotions were read out and after that the children were dismissed. This morning they will al, re- port with lessons ready for recitation and everything will start off without any hitch. The training of the teachers the latter half of the week for the purpose of handling the children came in fine and we are gratifed at the good work we ao- complished thereby
 Formal exercises were held at the Gen. tral High school yesterday at 1015 o'clock. Dr. H. M. Edmonds opened with prayer and delivered forceful address to the students of the High school, impressing upon them the value of good education and pointing out the advantages of the High school in giving 1t to them. Dr. J. H. Phillips admonished the students to grasp the opportunity to re- reive the best thing on earth. an educa- ton. Mrs. D. A. Echols and Pryor Grant, a former High school student and grad uate of Columbia university. also spoke.