The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-26
Announcement Made by the
Board of Education of
Plans for the Coming
Scholastic Year
FREE TEXTBOOKS IN
FIRST FOUR GRADES
WILL BE RETAINED
Each Pupil in First Seven
Grades Will Be Required
to Pay rs Cents Monthly;
so Cents in High School

In order to keep the public schools of
the city open for the nine months' term
the board of education has decided to
charge fee of rs cents per month for
each pupil for the first seven grades and
so cents per month for each High school
pupil The board also decided to abolish
the kindergarten department and the free
supplies. In a statement issued by the
board through its president Ben M. ia
eobs, the statement is made that the
board has no authority of law to charge
for tuition, but that the supreme court
of the state has ruled that the school
board of the state has the right to charge
reasonable Incidental fee for heating,
lights, janitor service and so forth The
board further states that IL 1t could col
lect from this source sufficient amount
to pay for the incdentals, 1t could run
the public schools for the full term.
1t asks the cooperation of the patrons
of the public schools in the present crisis
and states that as soon as financial relief
can be obtained the system of incidental
fees will be discarded and the kindergar-
ten and free supplies restored 1t also
announces that the school will open at
the usual time. the third Monday in Sep
tember. The statement follows:
Statement From Board
AN unfortunate situation confronts the
people of Birmingham and those charged
with the administration of Its educa tional
affairs.
During the last year our revenues,
stated approximately, consisted of about
$4,000 from the county board of educa-
ton and $4,000 from the city. a smaller
sum in the aggregate actually and per
capital than any other city of its size
In the United States. Not all of the
amount pledged by the county has been
paid. This was due to the abnormaly
large number of people who did not pay
their taxes during the present fiscal year.
1t is to be hoped that this amount will
be made up and that we may get some
increase from that source In the ensuing
year.
Last spring in an effort to make the
city's revenues come approximately with
in its expenses, and with the idea of
doing as little damage possible. the
city authorities notified us that they
would have to reduce the amount previ
ously allowed us by at least $4,000 and we
adjusted ourselves as well as we could to
ln6 situdllOf, the superintendent, ttdCn-
ers and principals alike, although under
contract. cheerfully and periodically sub
hitting to a reduction imposed In order
to meet this situation.
"Siice that time the city has lost in
revenue from licenses and other causes
more than $150,000 per annum. 1t has
been escertalned that the reductions made
In the spring were not sufficient to bring
the city's income within the outgo even
ac off mt In 10 n nd W IN this "a adda6
more than $4,000 of additional loss
ievenues without any material increase
from any quarter In sight during tho
present year. 1t was found still another
adjustment was necessary In order that
the city's expenses might be held with
in it's income, and thereupon an additional
reduction of $4,000 in the school appro
priation was made. Other like reduc.
tions were made in other departments
of the city. This made the total reduc-
tons for schools $115.000. or nearly one
fourth of our total income AS we weie
air eady operating our school system upon
a less per capita expense than that cf
any other city of its class in the United
States and as we had always been forced
to exercise the most rigid economy. 1t
has been found exceedingly difficult to
solve the problem which now confronts
us. We attribute no fault to those in
authority for this situation.
Two deficiency bond issues, one for
81 100000 and another for 81, 25O000, have
been issued within the last four years.
The first one was to cover a deficit in
revenues inherited from a former admin
and the second to cover deficit
created by the present administration.
These bond issues were necessary and
the money so obtained was not wasted
or misapplied, but 1t was impossible tina.
the city should run continuously and in
definitely by issuing bonds to take up
deficits. I.
Schools Desperately Crippled
"A halt had to be called and 1t was
called at this time and our schools. along
with other useful governmental agencies,
have been seriously and desperately Grip
rJcd
THE deficit in appropriations thus Gre
ated would represent the expense of run
ming the schools for at least two and
thought was that we would be compelled
to shorten our school term to at least
the extent of two months.
Upon reflection. however, and upon a
study OF the ton, we have been. ap-
palled at the calamity in which that
would involve u.s. We have been trying
to do, and have been doing In nine
what the average schools of the
are expected to do in 10 months
Of q scholastic year. We could not
; hon ten this to seven months without
putting our system out of line with every
other up-to-date system in the United
States and without doing incalculable in
Jury to the good name. as well as to the
welfare of the city itself.
The work of the schools of the coun-