The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-19
EEIICATION

Our entire educational system should De revised, harmonized and co-ordinated so as to prevent unnecessary duplica- tion and waste and secure the greatest possible efficiency and economy. state board of education, vested with the very fullest administrative powers, authorized to harmonize our entire educational sys- tenn, so as to prevent duplication ana waste, to employ suitable agents and e&- perts and to prepare and recommend suitable iegislation, should be cNsated This board of education should be en- trusted with the management and con- tro of our normal colleges, agricultural district schools and hlgh schools and should supersede the' boards now estab- lshed for the management ot those ln- stitutions. The management of all of our educational institutions, including ele- mentary schools and high schools and normal colleges by one board would se- cure more economy and efficiency III management. The state superintendent of education is now the head of our edu- cational department, but with multi plicity of duIles imposed on hlm by law it is impossible for him to give that at tenton and supervision to the entire edu- cational system which IS necessary. The present constitution approprates nearly one-half of the revenues of the state de- rived from taxation of property Tor the support of our elementary schools, pu1 with the present amendment, authorlz~ ing local taxation, such a burden on the state treasury is both unwise and un- necessary The state should continue to make sufficient appropriations for the support of our elementary schools, but the larger proportion of their revenues should be derived from local taxation. With this relief to the state treasury the present deficit should be overcome and proper appropriation made for the maintenance and support of the state university and other higher institutions of learning.
 Under the system now prevailing our higher institutions of learning will con- tnue to clanor at every legislative ses- sion for additional appropriations The result will continue to be d system ot iog-rolling and lobbying, appeals to local prejudice or local interest, which can but result in making the appropriations for these higher institutions of learning un equal and discriminatory, leading to un- certainty jealousy, rivaly, confusion and demoralization of our entire educational system With the relief of the treasury from the burdens formerly imposed, the uniform proportion or percentage or the taxable income of the state should be appropriated LOT lll0 SuppOll ailu iiietiii tenance of the University of Alabama, Alabama Polytechnic institute, the Ala bama Girls' Industrial school and the State Normal schools, with the result that as the state grew in wealth and popu- lation the income of these institutions would annually increase.
 While provisions in the nature of statutory enactments should not be i'll : corporated in the state constitution, vet such proportion or percentage of the taxable income of the state for the institutions mentioned should De provided by the framers of our new constitution. so as to rf1iN-o these ia stitutions of the uncertainty as to their incomes resulting from the changing moods of the legislature ana so as to allow them to proceed with