The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-13
Board of Education
 Receives Many Offers
 for Temporary School
(Continued from Page Five)

rom rage E1ve) task and erect the greatest high school l building in the south
 l Chief Middleton of the city fire de- | partment is of a firm belief that tho Central High school building. which was destroyed by fire at an early hour yesterday morning was ignited by hu- | man hands, and that there was noth- l ing more nor less than destruction in the mind of the man who ignited the l building, and he also believes that there l were several fires kindled in the audi torium where the blaze started. CONFIDENCE IN WATCHMAN l The members of the board of edu- cation and Dr. Phillips expressed per- | feet confidence in the watcninan, U. A. l Caughran, who made the statement | that he was at home getting some med | icine to apply to an aching tooth when 1 he noticed the fire. Caughran has been l in his present position with the Cen tral High school for several years. and has always given absolute satisfaction. 1 The matter of reward for the van dal who fired the school building is be- 1 ing considered by the commission. and will very likely be announced in few days.
 About 1900 pupils are to be cared for in the new arrangement, and it is Hercn- lean task, but the members of the board and the city commission are bending their. best thoughts towards permanency in every move they make. and Birming-
 ham may expect a great educational cen ter to arise out of the ashes of the ill., fated Central High building, which to- day, in physical appearance is but a mass
 of grinning, ragged brick crags, but in
 memory holds much for the youth turned back yesterday morning by the smolder- ling ruins, and for those men and women who have their diplomas from this well
 known house of learning. Then. too, there are only ashes where priceless records of every pupil were formerly guarded we'll. and the museum. library, and all valuables connected with the school, which it took years to secure, are gone Only one relic of the infant days of Central High remains-an old piano-the first one ever owned by that institution.
 Birmingham went through a silent demonstration yesterday, for every man was getting his eyes open to the fact Charles Edward Russell was right when he said: We need to use the rope and the rifle-we have taken enough for our
 enemies here at horne' It is the con sensus of opinion in Birmingham that some agency is at work to destroy the school buildings of Birmingham, this ca tastrophe having followed so closely uron the destroying of the Pratt City school by fire.
 It seems very likely that the board of education will settle upon the medical college and Paul Hayne school as the best offerings for their immediate needs. This plan is going to be thoroughly in vestigated at once with that fact in
 mind, but of course there may be
 change in their plans. Nothing was set tied, or even discussed with an idea to
 immediate action at the meeting yes- to-day afternoon.
 The Central High school building was
 insured for 5l,00o, and it is stated that it would cost $35o,000 to replace 1t today,
 though the initial investment was s250.o00
 forx the building and equipment