The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-20
REROUT|NG PLAN IS EM|NENTLYLOG|CAL STATES DR. PHILLIPS Points Out COnveniences to School Children by Pro- posed Through Routes SCHOOLS ARE CENTER OF COMMUNITY LIFE Plan Would Give Night School Work New Impetus by
 Through Cars to the
 Suburbs

pr. J. H. Phillips, superintendent of the public schools, estimates great influence upon the schools of the city as well as the general public.
 After studying the plans of the re- routing committee with care, I can find only praise for their efforts" said pr. Phillips. The general plan of through cars, reaching to all parts of the city is eminently logical. Industry should be read in a public context, that the great est good may be attained, but it is from the viewpoint of the public schools that I wish to speak.
 The proposed car line from the South Highlands to NorWood will obvate the necessity of transferring by those stu dents living on the Southside, for the Norwood car passes within one-half of a block of the Central High school and the pupils will be able to take advantage of this convenient line for the same fare -one school ticket-which formerly brought them only to the shopping dis trict, forcing them to walk almost a ticket to transfer. The monetary saving will be helpful, but far more important to the parents will be the increased physical and moral welfare of the children. The large majority of our disciplinary com plaints arise from the influences attend ant upon changing cars in the business district. The rerouting plan Is simple solution to difficult problem.
 NUMBERS AFFECTED /
 IirtI 1a-r,1 rici,, ,hor, fNf students will be affected by the new plan. The school census, recently completed under the supervision of Prof. c. B. Glenn, shows that of the entire number of children who, having finished the sev- enth grade, are eligible to the high schools of the city, one fourth-25 per cent-reside in the South Highland dis trict, bounded by Mountain Terrace, Idle wild and the railroads. The importance of the changed plans to such a great number of children should weigh heavily in favor of the new system.
 Another aspect of the situation is the condition of the school children who will enter high school this fall from the Nor wood district. The first semester of the high school is temporarily conducted at the Paul Hayne school. Any plan which enables the young members of this first class to go directly from their homes to ScIOOI VIII De deeply dppTeCldteQ by the school authorities.
 < COMMUNITY LIFE
 ..The tendency in the United States to make the school more and more the cen ter of the community life gives added importance to any plan which will bring our high school building within easy reach of the general public. The enter tainments of the high school students are of increasing importance while the ly- ceum lectures would have record break ing audiences if placed in easier access by through car lines from the resident have a deep interest in the intellectual activities of the community do not feel able to take advantage of the splendid lyceum courses on account of the strain of transferring in the city, with long waits and loss of valuable time
 There Is another side of the high school activities which deserves the in terest and cooperation of the public. allude to the night school work con- ducted three nights week in the high school. The various classes have an ag- gregate enrolment of 150 students, but if the through cars from Ensley and the Southside to the high school are estab- lished, the work will be given new im- petus All citizens who have the intel lectual development of our city at heart should feel an active interest in the changes on the street car routing as pro- posed before the city commission this week."