The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Dr. Ullman's Tribute to Dr. Phillips

Dr. Ullman's Tribute to Dr. Phillips To the Editor of The Age-Hefald: 1 I have noticed in the public press that during the recent consideration of the committee on municipal organization of the proposed amendment to the Bir- mingham Commission bill MT. Isadore
 Shapiro saw fit to make an attack upon Dr. J. H. Phillips. superintendent of the Birmingham public schools, in effect, charging that Dr. Phillips was a poli- tician, in the offensive sense of that l word, and that no man could be ap- pointed as a member of the board of education of Birmingham unless his ap- pontment was first O. K.'ed by Dr.. J. H. Phillips
 The necessary inference to be drawn from these statements, as published in the press is that Dr. Phillips not only holds this power, but uses 1t for ulterior and improper motives, and that the board of commissioners are his political tools, while the board of education are his political puppets and carry out his political dictates.
 The mere statement of the proposi- ton ought to carry its own reputation From my long association as mem Der of the board of education of the city of Birmingham, from the fall of 1884, until the summer of 1903 during which time I had the honor of being the pres ident of the board for nine years or more, I believe that I am in a position to speak with authority on this subject and I am unwilling as citizen of Bir- mingham, intensely interested in the flu ture progress and welfare of our pub lie school system, to permit such a statement to go unchalenged or to per init the character and. reputation of so faithful servant as Dr. J. H. Phillips to be besmirched by one who evidently totally misconceives the purpose, motives and character of the man he assails. I can say unhesitatingly that during the 19 years of my membership on the board of education Dr. Phillips at no time ever used any improper in- fluence with the board. nor did he ever attempt to dictate to the board of alder men the method of select on or the per- sonnel of the same.
 In 1884 when first became connected with the system it was indeed small institution, but under the guidance and
  to duty of Dr. J. H. Phillips the Bir- mingham public school system has grown to be the pride and admiration of all who are acquainted with it's merits, and
 Dr. Phillips is beloved by the vast ma
 iority of the children who have passed through our public schools in the years gone by.
 As far as I know his corps of teach
 CTS with singular unanimity are intensely
 loyal.
 For % years pr. Phillips has la
 bored unceaslngly to keep politics out of
 our public schools. Teachers have been
 chosen and elected solely on merit and
 efficiency and without favoritism
 I know of my own knowledge that
 during the time I was a member of
 this board pr. Phillips received flatter-
 ing offers from other cities and institu-
 tions to become the superintendent of
 public schools and the president of some
 educational institution. In several cases the salary offered him was more than
 he was then receiving from the city of
 Birmingham. From purely patriotic mo-
 lives he declined to accept these of-
 fers, preferring to stay in Birmingham and to continue the development of the school system which was the child of his brain.
 In conclusion. permit ms to gay that