The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-01
C|TY'S NEW SCHOOL SYSTEM IS RAPIDLY GETTING UNDER WAY Facilities in Birmingham Will Be Equal to Any
 in America
ACTUAL WORK IS
 ABOUT TO BEGIN
Commissioner Hornady Discuss ss Plans and Tells How the Great School Problem Is ta
 Be Solved

1 The task of modernizing the schools Of
 Birmingham Is now fairly cn ths %ag.
 And when the undertaking has been agln- pleted 1t is declared that Binmineham
 will have school facilities equal ta and
 superior to those of any city in America. The plan, as outlined by the board of education, contemplates the erection of 32 new buildings, including number of
 additions to existing buildings. When the programme is completed Bir- mingham will have four modern high schools are some 60 grammar schools, with every community and section properly provided for.
 "Inaugurating the work of providing proper educational facilities for the school children of Birmingham" said Commis- sioner Hornady commissioner of educa- ton. those in charge took up the most
 pressing problems first and with these l out of the way, as they will be in very
 short time, attention will be given to others.
 The first buildings to go up will be at Vivian. Ensley and Avondale where the educational facilities are most inade- quate. Sites have been selected and act ual work on the buildings will be begun in short time. These buildings will be modern in every respect; will be equipped with the manual arts departments and will be erected on the unit plan, under which enlargements can be made in the future upon predetermined plan so that 1 the architectural beauty of the structures will be maintained.
 Plans are now under way" the com missioner continued, Ito take care of sev- eral extremely bad situations connected with the negro schools, and at the same time the needs in other departments arc being carefully considered. It is expected 1 that at least six new buildings, including the high school for the eastern section, 1 will be under way in the next few weeks" I Coming new schools for white children l include one at Acipco and East Thomas, 1 both of which will be under constructor I in very short time; one at Norwood; i; l two at Woodlawn; one on the Southside, ] in the vicinity of Fifteenth street and Fifteenth avenue; one at East Lake; one I at Palmer Terrace, and perhaps one In l lower West End. The original plan, it is l said, was to enlarge the Hemphill school at West End. but this has been deemed as probably impractical and the board of education is now considering the con- | struction of an entirely new building. 1 Additions to existing schools are planned to be erected at Ensey. Fairview, l Central Park, North Birmigham, Pratt l City, East Lake and Gate City.
 1 The programme as provided for the ne- gro schools includes new building for the Industrial High school. new build I ing on both the north and south sides
 to take the place of four frame build- | lings. New structures are also contem- plated at North Birmingham and
 Thomas. The programme also privides for the completion of the Pratt City school.
 1 It is stated that repairs will be made
 on all present school buildings this sum mer and all structures put in first-ciass
 condition.
 Commissioner Hornady. who managed 1.-the three campaigns which made the work
 now under way possibility, is- giving practically his entire time to the work
 of pushing through the plans. which were
 considerably delayed on account of litiS l gation. He is elated over the progress
 now being made well as gratified over 1 the fact that the success of the cam paign he waged for the 3-mill school tax made it possible to abolish the incidental l fees in the public schools.