The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-30

board. This is mentioned for the pur- pose of showing that the board has not ignored any protest, and mas been always ready, as it is today, for an open hearing. The president of the board of education has repeatedly of- fered to call a special meeting for the hearing of both sides of the question, but so far this offer has not been ac- cspted.
 It is interesting to note that NIT. Randall supports his plea of discrim- ination with series of letters from psrtiesN who seem to have personal grievances. In some cases these griev- ances are admittedly commercial It must be understood now that the schools of the city are operated for the benefit of the@ school children, and not of the merchants At any cost, our children are entitled to the very pest wherever it can be found. The board of education selected what seemed to tEem was the best for the children without regard to any other consdera- ton, but it seems in this case that Mo legitimate merchant or private teacher , has lost anything by it. The people have a right to inquire on which side of this controversy they are most like ly to discover selfish purposes and interested motives. Which side is likely to be interested in real educational
 
 youth of the city? Which should be con- sidered the more competent to choose the best and most efficient system, the school authorities and the board of education, whose duty it is, or the parties to this protest?
 MT. Randall requests me to answer series of questions, some of them quite irrelevant to the real merits of the case in point, but all of which I shall answer with pleasure as matters of information for the people.
 In the first place, he wants to know why pianos bought for the schools by the School Improvement association should be approved by Miss Kitts. The School Improvement association in each district is voluntary organiza- tion. whose officers and membership change from year to year. Moneys are raised for improvement or special equipment by the teachers and pupils of the schools, under the auspices of the association. The association, in every instance, co-operates with the board Of education and the schools. It is decided to buy a piano for certain school with moneys raised by school entertain ments A committee is appointed to so into the open mark st to purchase. When the instrument has been selected the board of education requires the test and approval of the music department. Now, let me give two illustrations of conditions which led to the imposition of this burden upon the music depart ment: Several members of one asso- citation complained that a member of the association was about to sell to the school, at high price, an ancient in strument in order to replace it with a new one in the home It was indeed a delicate matter for these ladies to risk offending a popular neighbor. Some inn yl1 rt al a11th @ character of the instrument. As it is to be the property of the board of educa- tion and used for the education of the children, the board must assume that responsibility. Again, committee from the association visits all the piano deal CTS and inspects their instruments. salesman offers what seems to be good instrument at what appears to be re- duced price. The committee may or may no consist of expert musicians, but since they are engaged in a CO., operative service for the children, now and for years to come, they are glad to submit their selection for the ap- proval of the musical department of the school. The schools have been taught by experience the necessity for this regulation, and reputable dealers should welcome this requirement as a protec- tion to them as well as to the public.
 Now as to the next question. Why did we not purchase band instruments from local music house? Yes, in organiz- ing our first band in the high school we had only limited fund gathered from high school entertainments. MT. Sewau, the band instructor, and Miss Kits made out minimum list of the instruments required, and in discussing prices with local music houses, discovered that they would cost about s1S0O. As this price was prohibtive, it was decided at first t, aI,o ha Vrf fnr ho tfov was taken up by MT. Sewall directly with the York company, manufacturers