The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27
WORE SCHOOLS FOR COUNTY ARE NEEDED
 STATES SUPT. BAKER
Board of Education Fails to Solve Problem and Patrons and Taxpayers Asked
 for Suggestions

Additional buildings for the county school system are greatly needed, ac- cording to the statement of the county board of education and N. R. Baker, county superintendent. The board took up the matter of providing the needed school facilities yesterday, but after a long session, failed to arrive at a solu- tion of the problem, and suggestions from the school patrons and taxpayers are solicited in order to arrive at so- lution of the question. Superintendent Baker yesterday issued the following statement in reference to the school sit uation:
 "The county school board for some time has been wrestling with the problem Of cor structing adequate school buildings ill sufficient numbers to take care of rural and suburban districts. All buildings are crowded and often additional rooms arc rented even though they may be necessarily inappropriate for school pur- poses. On account of the lengthenlng ol the term, the elimination of incidental ] fees, and the purchase of equipment at public expense, it has been estimated that
 
 anrum can be spared for building pro- jects With the advance in the values of building material this amount will not build more than from three to five of | the larger and better consolidated schools But more than 20 such buildings are needed at once.
 l .It may be mentioned that England, notwithstanding her war conditions, far more perplexing than ours, has continued sl-- .~.xI izes that the next generation needs de- velopment now in order that it may cope successfully with the conditions that must prevail after the war is over. Many | of us remember the handicap placed upon the children of the civil war on both sides by the suspension of and the interference with the schools. How to make good the promises of the constitu- tional amendment campaign, how to pro- vide facilities for education in war times, how to treat all sections of the county and all classes of schools alike, and how | to be just to teachers with the cost of living nearly doubled, are some of the perplexing problems now facing the board.
 After long session yesterday, the members consisting of J. w. Minor, chairman; N. l.. Miller, J. D. Moore, Prof. c. R. West and Mrs. FloribeI Brown
  1 the board at the courthouse with the problem unsolved to their satisfaction l Car we borrow money? If we can, how much should we borrow at this time? 1 How much interest should we pay? What would the taxpayers have us do? Should i we make out as we are doing or face 1 debt and high interest under present COT dtions which may last almost indef- l initely? If county warrants can be is sued and sold to investors. what should they bring and what would they bring on the market? Would they sell at par l or above par or, as is more probable, below par?
 i NO doubt the board would like sug- gestions from tax payers and voters, patrons and teachers. In fact, we have i a hunch that such opinions as we'll as bids for furnishing from s20o,00O to $400, ,00Gs in easy payments are solicited I IN. R. BAKER,
 County Superintendent of Schools"