The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-17
MIR. FEAG|N PRAISES EDUCATIONAL WORK
 OF THE LEGISLATURE
State Superintendent of Ed ucatiOn Thinks Conditions Have Been Much
 Relieved
By l.. s. BETTY

Montgomery August 16-CSpecial) Prom an educational viewpoint, the present legislature has done two things that entitle it to honorable mention the passage of the local tax amendment for which we have been striving for more -ounty administration and supervision bill"
 This statement is made by Superintend- ent William F. Feagin in m interview which he gave out today regarding the work of the present legislature in reliev- ing conditions in the staate
 Superintendent Feagin declares that the removal of the constitutional inhibition against local taxation relieves the great est weakness which the educational sys- tenn has suffered.
 Local taxation will bring in addition to increased revenue, local pride and ini- tiative that will make the schools even in our most backward districts responsive to the needs Of the new social ideals in education, declares Superintendent Fea- gin.
 Continuing. the superintendent of edu- cation says that "a still more significant step IS the passage of the bill looking to the leorsa nizaton of the county school system, as provided in the bill requiring the election of the county superintendent by the county board of education, which is elected by the people.
 County Supervision Bill In discussing this bill, Superintendent Feagin says:
 Tt provides for a complete reorganza- ton and recast along the most progres- siVe lines; it provides for a county board without pay, elected from the county at | large by the voters for terms of six years. one-third of the terms expiring every two years, so as to provide for con tinuity in service. The most important provision of the bill is the unification of the educa tional system of the county Instead of the conflicting interests of our present system, where we have trustees elected by the people of the district, a county board of education elected by the chairmen of the district trustees and a county superintendent elected by the voters of the county, We have county board of education elected from the coun- ty at large by the voters of the county with full power to appoint a county su- perintendent or education, district trustees and to administer and control the schools, thereby avoiding any conflict of author
 ty."
 Other important benefits to be derived by this bill, according to the superinten- dent of education are, first. higher type of superintendent and, second. the con solidation of schools and the transporta- ton of pupils at public expense.
 Under the election system heretofore in vogue. it has been impossible to se- cure the best men in every county, for the chief qualification has been the abil- tA rxAt schools" he states. Furthermore, the superntendent-elect has had to devote great deal of his time to politics that might have better been given to the schools, and he has been compelled to weigh the probable effect of his official acts on his reelection"
 To Consolidate Schools
 Regarding the plan to consolidate the schools, Superintendent Feagin declares:
 The one-teacher country school is in- sufficient and costly. The consolidated school with two or three teachers will make it possible to give a much higher type of instruction, to give more time to the individual pupils, to inaugurate better system of grading, and a higher class of teachers. Tn such schools there could be added high school grades and country boys and girls given an op- portunity to obtain an education while | the present time to the consolidation of rural schools is the prejudice and jeal- ousy existing between neighboring school districts, which prevent them from vol untarily uniting, and the even more fre- quent desire on the part of district trus- tees to retain their office and to have a school as near their own door as pos sble. Of all the southern states, Ala bama has done the least in consolidation, not because our people do not believe in it. but because our system of administra- tion and organization have, in practice, prohibited it. The Alabama measure has the il<lorsement of the United States bu- reau Of education, of the Southern Edu- cational association, and the Conference for Education in the South. The courts of final jurisdiction for educational policy in this country.
 Under the constructive influence and power of local taxation and better ad- minstraton of the machinery for or ganizing and supervising our school sys- tems. education in Alabama will move forward by leaps and bounds. All friends of education have cause to appreciate the wisdom and foresight of our Iegis- lature in that these remedial measures