The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-19
NEWS FROM CAPITAL. CASTS GLOOM OVER
 FORCES OPPOSED ID ELECTION OF BOARD
With Entire Delegation Fla vOring Plan to Let Voters Select City School Board, Trip to Capital Aban- dOned-WOrk Among
 Civic Clubs


 scheduled to go to Montgomery yester- day for the purpose of defeating the plan to have the city board of education elect ed by the people did not make the triI. The journey was abandoned at the last minute, the decision not to go being made at the railway station.
 Various reasons were advanced for their change of plans by members of the delegation which had planned to go to the capital. However, advices from Montgomery last night were to the eff feet that they had been informed tha; their journey would be in vain and that they had therefore decided to remain ar home.
 Accurate information from Montgomery to the effect that every member of the Jefferson county deiegation had voted for the Benners amendment, ven inclut ins Representative Dickson, who IS su- perntendent of the North Birmingham l ubIic schools, is supposed to have put damper upon the ardent enthusiasm Of lhe committee. The majority by winch the house had ratified the educatona bill with the amendment providing for the election of members of the Birmingham beard of education by direct vote of the people gave them no encouragement thar their trip would be success.
 The further fact that while the sen ate had not yet voted on the Benners amendment, it had already expressed It. self in no uncertain terms as favorins the election by the people in passing ths West bill, held out small hope that the status quo of the educational system III Birmingham could be perpetuated. The strength of senatorial courtesy, the knowledge that Senator West has long been a strong advocate of electlng the board by popular choice, made the task of overriding the expressed deternlna ton of the legislature seem herculean.
 CONFERENCE AT STATION
 The scene at the Louisville and Nash vile station yesterday morning just prior to the departure of the train for Mont gomery was one of animation. In aooi- tion to w. J. Rushton and Mrs. U. A. Echols, members of the board of educa- ton, and w. JM Adams, chairman Of the committee which had been made by the Chamber of Commerce to make the trlp. there were more than dozen others present prepared for the journey to the capital Almost without exception, theFe were women who are affiliated "ilH school improvement associations of the city. After a hurried conference, fn which the news of the real situation Al Montgomery was broken as gently as pos sible to the enthusiastic workers .o keep the schools out. of politics.. the announcement of the abandonment V the crusade was made pubic.
 And all day yesterday the furore which lad been started Wednesday when the news of the passage of the behhels amendment was received, continued un- abated. The proposal to elect the schooi board by popular vote was the cniei .opic of conversation in all parts Of the GUY The feyerish activity of certain educa tional forces which had been so marked and in some quarters so success1ul on Wednesday,, continued yesterday, put with less enthusiasm and with less signs of success. Those who viewed with sucH marked alarm the revou'slonary Propo- sition of allowing the average voter .o have a choice in the selection or the board of education were shocked 10 iinu that the general public was indifferent. The expected indignation, the resounaihs call to arms to keep the senoois ou' I politics failed to materialize Ihe eo- ucationar workers almost despaired or arousing the school patrons from tneH lethargy.
 WORK AMONG CIVIC CLUBS
 
 over the fact that the matter, which cer- tainly has taken on some of the asp'sts of politics, should have received the at' tention of the Kiwanis club. Resolutions adopted by that organization expressing opposition to the election of the board by the people were explained yesteroay by members. It was declared that Iriehus of members of the board of education au- 'yanced their arguments and put through al hefOrH those Wn0 favor the election by the people had time to think over the seriousness of the mat ter. It also became known that an ef- fort coming from the same sources tc have the Rotary club take similar acton was defeated, it not even being allowed to be brought before the organization ne- cause of it's known political aspect. HOW ever, better success was had al the Chamber of Commerce.
 One of the chief arguments advanced yesterday by those favoring the direct election of the board was that the peo- pie desired board which was answer able for its acts. They contended that it was wrong to have a board with as much authority and which exercised such an influence over every homo in the city which could not be held ae- countable for it's acts It was also contended that members of the board whose services had been satisfactory to the majority of the electors of the city need have no fear that their posi- tions would be lost in an election. And as for any whose services might not have met with the approval of the people. the principle of self-sov- ernment demanded that the voters have the right to express themselves on that score
 DANGESROUS EXPERIMENT
 Advocates of the present plan 6a- clared that the elective system would be a dangerous experiment. Those fayoring the Benners amendment an- swered that it had worked perfectly with the county board and that re- gardless of this fact the American people were long since irrevocably committed to self-government. regard less of it's results. The argument thai the members of the board of educa- ton might not be in sympathy with the city commission was answeret with the assertion that the majority at least. if not all of the present city commissioners, favored the change ard that since the board of education ana city commissioners would be chosen at the same time there was certainly more chance of their being in symra- thy under the elective system than now. when members of the board hold over for years and the city commission only fills occasional vacancies. Among those opposing the plan for direct election are W. J. Donnelly and E. B. Irwin.
 "It will be a dangerous experimert, in my 0oinion.' said Mir, Donnelly. 'The board of education. whose mem- bers have been appointed in the past. tA A