The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-17
S2,OOO,OOO BONDS IS NEEDED ID MEET NEEDS OF SCHOOLS. Commission Finds COndi- tiOns At Some Negro
 Schools Deplorable RAPID GROWTH OF
 CITY IS TO BLAME Ward Says Citizens of City Are Too Likely to Get Scared When
 Big Figures Are
 Mentioned

An inspection of the public schools took up the time of the city commits sioners yesterday. It was the second one within the past 10 days and tend ed to reveal the deplorable state of affairs that exist from lack of school facilities in Birmingham.
 In the negro schools yesterday the commissioners were especially inn pressed with the imperative need of more space to house the children, as some schoolrooms were visited which were packed to suffocation in rooms the interiors of which had not been painted for years, and with the win dows broken, the places presented a dilapidated appearance. In one of the dent George B. Ward of the city com- mission:
 We have very poor attendance to- day"
 'Why?' inquired MT. Ward.
 Because the children have no shoes, and it is too cold today for them to come out barefooted"
 w HllS Luc SCHOOlS TUT tuc WUlLGS were not in quite such deplorable shape as the negro schools, the com missioners were still impressed with the need of many improvements.
 BOTH GOOD AND BAD
 "A trip of inspection of the schools of the city," said MT. Ward, shows what wonderful school system we really have and also in what ter rible shape it Is in through the lack of funds to support. We have some grand schools and several others that are not as grand by any means. As for the negro schools, they are in a deplorable shape and something should be done immediately toward repairing and building new schools to take care of the additional influx of negro chil- dren.'
 "What can be done?" inquired a re- porter.
 "Oh, things will get in such a terrible shape after awhile" said MT. ward, that the people will awake to the needs of the schools and pass a whopping big bond issue to build schools iSl every direction. A $2,000, 900 bond issue would coIservatively cover the present needs Of the Birmingham school system.''
 IndI s some bona issue.
 That is the trouble with Birmingham citizens." replied MT. Ward. sThe city has grown so quickly that big figures scare the life out of them. A $2O00,000 bond issue is but a drop in the bucket of our municipal greatness"
 President Ward also suggested that the constitutional amendment that comes be- fore the voters of the state next Novem- her should be passed as the additional -Yoi1 tnx rryi1J t @l,1 city of Birmingham will greatly alleviate the present school situation.
 -''We need to repair the present schools" :" said MT. Ward, "enlarge most of them and then build new schools in nearly every section of the city. The school problem is a vital one at the present time"
 HORNADY COMMENTS
 Commissioner John R. Hornady stated yesterday afternoon to an Age-Herald reporter that he would soon offer to the board of commissioners a proposition to submit bond issue of $1,5O0,O00 to the people for the improvement of the schools. He proposed to speak to his brother com missioners about the proposition at to- days conference.
 We visited and inspected 15 public schools of the city today said MT. Hor- nady, land I am convinced that my DTOtLcI Wci0 LllOIOuSI convinced of the needs or the schools once the inspection trip was over. At Elyton we met with the school improve ment association and several of us made little short talks in which we urged the adoption of the constitutional amend ment which means an additional 3-mill school tax for Birmingham.
 Now as soon as this trouble is over about the liquor inspection law I intend tn int a resolution fO the S- sion that we submit bond issue of $1,- 5OO,O00 to the people for the improvement of the schools and to construct new schools. If Birmingham needs anything today she needs more schools and the citizens should awake to that important fact'
 From the attitude of both Commission CTS Ward and Hornady, it is assured that something will be done for the schools by the city commission before many months elapse.
 the United States will have little trouble in securing two or even three hundred thousand men, for the regular army al the present time presents many difficult ties. the most serious being the general apathy of the public toward military service.
 IN EXCELLENT SHAPE
 "As for the situation of the National Guard in Alabama if war comes I can state that we are in excellent shape. Two years ago when war threatened with Mexico the war college at Washington prepared for the militia of the country mobilization booklet in which we have all the directions on how to act the mo- ment we receive the telegram to mobilize
 we would mobilize in Montgomery which is in the Tenth district of the United States plans of mobilization. The present status of the National Guard ir