The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-14

 quate to take care of the increased at tendance, it has been necessary to shorten the school term in 1914 and 1915 one-half month, or reduce it from eight months to seven and one-half months, the follow ing year one week, and the present year we cannot expect over seven months
 COMPULSORY EDUCATION
 The present year is the last before the compulsory attendance law goes into eff feet. There are in the whole county 7S,- GOO children between the ages of and 2l years. Twenty-four thousand of these children did not enter school vlast year. While it is not expected that all of these children of school age will have to be pro- vided for, it Is safe to say that 5000 or 10,0o0 will apply for admission to the pub lie schools next year, and it will require from 200 to 300 additional teachers to in- struct these children. the same number of school rooms and equipment to accom- modate this increase. One hundred and eighty thousand dollars would provide only the most temporary accommodation for this increased attendance. The county board of education cannot use any of the school funds now collected for any other purpose than the payment of teachers salaries.
 So. there. are only two ways to meet the emergency which confronts the people of Jefferson county; either levy the B. mill tax or go down in their pockets, as heretofore, to the amount of; S150OO0 @ year. In fact 1t occurs to me that with the large increase in attendance, it will make it necessary to make the incidental fee much greater than at present and the expense in the way of buildings and equipment much more burdensome than heretofore.
 Some have raised the cry that the equalization board has raised taxes ex- tremely high. It is not my purpose to question whether or not it has been just in this work. In some instances it may not have been, but after all, it is a fact that the assessment of 1916 is not over 71a to per cent greater than it was in 1915. We cannot expect any material increase from that source. Not enough at most to run the schools one-half a month on the present basis.
 BUILDINGS CROWDED Our school buildings throughout the county are already overcrowded. Many of them are unfit for the use to which they have been assigned. The health of the children is endangered and they tell tale of educational poverty to those who seek homes in our midst.
 The new laws make 1t the duty of the county board to build, repair, and equip schoolhouses. They canont do so unless means are provided The 3-mill tax when levied and collected will be a coun- ty fund, levied and collected in sJefrer- son county expended in Jefferson county on Jefferson county children. and not dollar of it to leave the bounds of the county. It is not alone for the purpose of increasing teachers salaries, but for the purpose of making the school equip ment of the county adequate It will be for the people of the county and will be expended by the county, and will come back to the people in the way of in- creased pay rolls, of labor in all trades, the. carpenter, the brickmason, plumber, lumberman, brick manufacturer, the school teacher, the physician, the mer- chant the farmer, and children
 l cannot believe that the people will let this opportunity go by unimproved. The children of the county need it and need it now. In few more years they will be beyond the reach of it's benefits while others will be denied the oppor- tunities that they should have.
 This tax, therefore, in the true sense of the word, is not tax. It Is an inc vestment that will come back to the peo- pie in increased intelligence, in culture and refinement, and will greatly enhance the value of property, and largely in crease the population of Jefferson county. 1t is not my purpose to present this gloomy picture for the purpose of in ducing someone to votey for the tax. but it is a frank and open statement of the actual conditions that are facing the people of Jefferson county. re- gard it as problem that should receive the most serious and thoughtful atten- tion of every citizen in the county as every home, almost every acre of land, and every business in the entire county will be affected favorably if carried, un- favorably if rejected, by the decision the people will render on January 30.
 Not to levy the tax means that Jeffer- son county with all of its resources and wealth, it's progressive and business popu- lation must submit to a five and one half to six months term of school for the children of the county. Respectfully, P. M.MNEIL, County Superintendent.