The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-03

The greatest rally of the school bond campaign was held last night at East Lake when a crowd that filled the huge auditorium of the Ruhama Bap- tist church turned out to hear the is- nady and s. J. Bowie, and to witness the pictorial tour of Birmingham schools, as presented by the former.
 The meeting was presided over by Dr. N. A. Barrett, who created laugh ter and applause when he referred to the fight being made upon the bond issue by the Birmingham Ledger He said that it doubtless amused the thinking people of Birmingham to see the editor of this journal, who doubt less had never seen the inside of half dozen Birmingham schools, tell the peo- pie that $2,000,000 was entirely too much to spend on the schools when every member of the board of educa- tion and every member of the city commission declared that this sum was needed after they had made a most painstaking investigation of the school needs. One statement was based upon lack of Knowledge, the other upon absolute knowledge, he said. He then urged upon his hearers the gravity of the situation and urged unanimous ac- tion in supporting the bond issue which was to remove the dangers that sur rounded Birmingham children and pro- vide them with adequate facilities.
 CROWDED SCHOOLS
 MT. Hornady was then introduced and he showed picture after picture Illustrating the crowded conditions of the schools and the dangerous situa- tions that exist in many of the school buildings. He declared that these dan gers should be removed without a mo- ment's unnecessary delay and that while this was being done that pro- vision should be made for the children who are now being cared for in base ments, in rented shacks and in cloak rooms. He was frequently interrupted by applause and it was apparent that the great audience was in thorough ac- cord with his view that prompt meas ures should be adopted. When he said in conclusion that the child should be put above the dollar and that the par amount duty of Birmingham citizens was to help the little ones who can- not help themselves, there was a storm of applause.
 Mr. Bowie, in emphasizing the fact that all of $2,000.000 is required at this time, said that during the past six years only eight classrooms had been added to the school system and that during this time the school population had increased by nearly 15,000. The ar gument that the money that would have to be paid in interest on this sum should be used to put up a new building or two every year was an- swered by him in two ways. In the first place he said that the interest money of the city could not be used for this purpose; and, in the second place, Birmingham children could not be made to wait 10 or 20 years for safe and adequate facilities. 'These facil- ities are needed now" he said, mot 10 or 20 years hence, and duty demands that they be supplied
 MT. Bowie said that the board of education asked for a million and half dollars five or six years ago. put the bond issue was not submitted. "The million and a half was needed then and since then the needs have multiplied until every cent of two millions IS needed to meet the situation. Ills plea for hearty support of the bond issue was applauded vigorously, as was his request for favorable action upon both the light and bond issues.
 This afternoon the March of Em- pire" will be presented al a matinee in WoodlaWn at the city hall and there will be another performance tonight. Tonight there will be another mass meeting at Vivian, when views of the schools will be shown.