The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-28
Big Problem Is to Get Voters to the Polls for
 Election Tuesday
ACTIVE CAMPAIGN
 WILL CLOSE MONDAY
Committee Issues Statement Predict. ing Victory at POlIs-Praises Co., operation People Have Given
 Leaders in Movement

The active campaign to insure the pas sage of the 3-mill school tax at the polls Tuesday will close tomorrow.
 The leaders in the movement are sat isfied that favor is with the levying of son county will go to the polls In sub stantiaI numbers. An appeal has been issued urging the voters not to be dere- lict of their duty.
 It is the belief of the committee that the tax will Sbe authorized by a land slide. The sentiment in the county is reported to be strongly in favor of the tax, and in the city there is also favor.
 The final appeal, as issued by the com mittee composed of J. R. Hornady, 5. J. Bowie and P M. McNeil. follows:
 We believe that the great majority of citizens have become aroused to the grav- ity of the situation that confronts the educational system in Jefferson county, and we are confident of the result when the voters register their verdict next Tuesday. The thing that concerns us most at this time is the matter of get ting the voters to the polls.
 s'Sympthy for the thousands of school children who are forced to endure almost intolerable conditions, and appreciation of the supreme importance of providing better educational facilities, count for nothing unless it results in victory at the polls, and we urge every elector to cast his ballot, even though it may cause some inconvenience. The question is one of the most important ever presented i+< -ioti zen should make it his business to have some voice in determining the issue. Not one of the tens of thousands of school children whose welfare is so intimately associated with the outcome of this cleo tion can cast ballot If they get re- lief it must be at the hands of those who vote, and the call comes from every school district in Jefferson county for every voter to do his duty by the schools,
 SCHOOLS ARE INADEQUATE 'fThe fact has been shown that the schools of Jefferson county are entirely inadequate to meet present needs and that most critical situation will de- velop when the compulsory attendance law becomes operative next fall It has been demonstrated that with the great influx of new pupils it will become neces- sary to curtail the school term from six to eight weeks unless additional funds are provided. It has been shown that in order to maintain these overcrowded and in many cases, unfit schools, the people are forced to pay fees amounting to more than $150000 a year. These things are more than enough to call for sweeping victory in behalf of the levy of 3 mills But this is not all. In hundreds of cases teachers have to instruct far greater number of children than they can handle to the best advantage, and there is ar economic loss here which cannot be meas ured in dollars and cents.
 'The 3-mll school tax will provide suf. l ficient funds to take care of the sit. uation It will enable the school authori ties to provide safe and adequate schoo buildings; to make these schools absolute. | ly free and to operate them for nine
 months in the year. This will mean z | tremendous advance along educationa lines, and when we score great advance: along these lines, then 1t follows tha similar advances will be made along al
 the lines that have to do with human progress