The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-09

strongest body of men ever brought together to study state school sys- tenn The various findings and recom- mendations of the survey committee were subjected to the most critical ex- animation and scrutiny by the com mission
 FOUND IMPRACTICABLE
 Some of these recommendations were found ideal and forward-looking, but impracticable at present. A few were believed to be of doubtful propricty because of geographical or racial con dtions. The great majority. however, were so constructive and timely as to make it possible to formulate an edu- cational programme that will give Alabama when translated into law, as nearly an ideal school system as IS possible under our present constltu- tion, thereby winning for ourselves a good measure of popular favor and of national respect.
 The report of the Alabama edu- cation commission is, in my Opin- ion, the most epoch-rnaIxing pro- nOuncement for public education every promulgated in Alabama. It will go down in history Ala bama's charter of educational lib- erty, as the beginning of thnt
 articulation and coordination of the various parts of our educatfOn- al system heretofore without par aIIeI or precedent in the history of the state.
 All that has been done so far, how ever, is but preliminary. To rest here is but to falter in duty and to squan- der opportunity We would be untrue to the men who fought and bled, and to present and future gene ions, if we should fail to translate into jaw the admirable recommendations of the commission and thus purchase in a | large degree for the boys and girls of Alabama the plenteous and intelligent blessings of life, liberty and happi- ness.
 This is no time to go backward. Our work is to be constructive, | not destructive. Special. legisln- tion growing out of peculiar or ab- normal local conditions must not 1 be allowed to blind us to the | greater and more compelling Obli- | gatiOns which we owe to Ala l bama.
 ] The present machinery for adminis- | tration of our county schools, which ] has received the unqualified approva, | of the survey committee and the Ala bama education commission. should be 1 improved by prescribing such qualifi-
 cations as will necessitate the employ ment of county superintendents o1 education meeting reasonable educa | tional standards, both as to scholar
 ship and professional training. The responsibility for the con-
 duct of the state department of
 education should be taken from the shoulders of one man and l placed upon lnymen of proven abiI- { ity such as compose the Alabama education commission. The office of state superintendent of educa- | ton should he removed from poll-
 tics and from the imputation of
 organized succession and ring
 domination.
 Other states have bazed the trail 1 the way has been charted; a state council of education for the co-ordina
 ton and direction of the work of tho three institutions of higher learnins
 and a state board of education to have 1 direction and oversight of the othel state educational agencies are th' l sure means by which to avoid duplica
 tion and waste and to insure busi ness-like. efficient and progressive | supervision of our educational enter magnitude. of the largest financia
 outlay and of the most powerful pos 1 abilities
 Along with new machinery must come more money. The budget
 commission and the recess com- | mittee finance md taxation
 could not see their way clear, in /! the light of the state's financial condition. to provide all the funds
 required to meet the conservative | claims for additional revenue made bv the Alabama education commits | sion.
 The sincere desire of the budge
 commission and the committee ant their great faith in the willingness c the people through you. their agents to respond to the needs of the new | day in Alabama are reflected in tn,
 appropriation of $1.000.0o0 from tn, general fund to the public schools an 1 in the modest increases to the parts O our school system which you are aske, l to make.
 Let me repeat, the provision of nor, revenue is the unalterable condition o | progress in education. as we'll as il
 the other lines of improvement whic, am recommending. It is my cain
 and deliberate judgment that the peo pie of Ala abama and of the world wcr, never so conscious as now of the in trinsic worth of education and wer never more ready to enter upon a wid ening career of development in field factory. forest and mine that this ca.
 only come through free. universal edu cation.
 There are many phases of tho schoo problem that I should like to call t
 your attention, but deem 1t unneces sary to go into details since the Ala bama education commission has nfe