The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-20

STATE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS We found at this place g. girls
 and young women crowded into Il
 two-story frame building scarcely
 large enough to accomm odate
 family of 10 people. We would cx-
 pect to find such herding of hu-
 mnnity in German prison camp,
 but certainly not in civilized
 community. We found one room in
 which 26 girls were supposed to
 sleep on cots placed as closely to-
 gether as it is possible to put
 them. This room is about 10 by 30
 feet. with five small windows for
 ventilation. with no ceiling, it be-
 ing constructed with a skeleton
 roof which renders the heat aI-
 most unbearabIc. In another room,
 about 10 by IF, we found three
 beds in which seven girls are re-
 quired to sleep.
 The cooking, washing, eating, teaching and working are all done in the same building, which adds materially to the discomfort from heat and odors The inhuman treatment of the unfortunate in mates of this state institution is unpar- donable, and we feel that we cannot too strongly urge the governor to re- lease the appropriation of S50,0oo. made by the last legislature, in order that provision can be made for the accom- modation of these girls. We are aware that the state has been hard pressed for funds. but it would seem that the relief of this institution is such an ur- gent necessity as that moneys intended for, or appropriated for other purposes could have been withheld, pending the making of provisions for the care of our unfortunate girls.
 In view of the inadeuuacy of the grounds and buildings. the matron in charge is due great credit for efficient management. Thrift and economy are everywhere apparent
 BOYS INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL This institution has large and well located grounds. high and healthy Some of the buildings are modern and of suf- ficient capacity to accommodate the boys that occupy them. In the original plan nings of this institution. it was certainly not thought that it would be necessary to have the boys sleep two in a bed so what are known as three quarter beds were provided, and these beds are now occupied each of them by two boys which is very uncomfortable and crowd ed. There are 160 boys sleeping on such beds. There is pressing need for an- other dormintory, equal to the largest they now have, and it should be sup piled with regulation beds, if it is de- sired to sleep two in bed. The school has grown so rapidly, and the number of inmates increased so much that it has been impossible to accommodate them other than by crowding them as stated. Notwithstanding this, under the very able and humane management of the superintendent, watchfulness and care, less than 1 per cent have been sick, and there has not been a case of infection from necessary operations
 SHERTFF,C OFFICE When the term of the present sheriff expires in January. 1s19 the fee sys- tenn of this county will have become a memory. The sheriff to be elected next fall will be on a salary, as well as the deputies who will be employed in the transaction of the business of that of fee. These salaries will have to be paid by the county, and for the first three or four years there will be little coming in to reimburse the county for this large- ly increased outlay, which will amount to some $3o.000 or s40,000 per annum. We, therefore, recommend and urge the board of revenue to not delay the con sderation of the adjustment of the af- fairs of this office to the changed con- diton until the change has been made, but that ways and means be now adopt ed looking to the economical manage ment of this office, which, otherwise, eANN county. Every hour of every available man now on the pay roll of the county should be utilized in keeping the ex- penses of this office to the minimum. We trust action will not be delayed until the necessity has been forced on the board.
 MUNICIPAL COURT In our Investigation as to the con ditions prevailing in this court, our att tention has been called to section or an act approved July 12, 1915, estab- fishing the municipal court Of Greater Birmingham, passed by the legislature in it's wisdom, which reads as follows:
 "Section 6. The court, majority ol the judges constituting the action or the court, shall make any and all nec- essary rules for the filing and try ing of causes and for the distribution of the work of the court, and they shall, as far as possible, designate one divis- ion for the trial of criminal cases, and desigate one of their number to pre- side over said division trying criminal cases"
 The evident purpose nnd intention of the legislature was to avoid the compli- cations that would naturally arise be- tween two sets of constnblcs operating ,, from different divisions of the same court, and avoid the necessity of hav- ing solicitors in more than one divis- ion of the municipal court to look after criminal cases, being an added expense | to be avoided. In view of this legisln- l ton, we suggest that the Judges of tn |