The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-29
Exhaustiue Report Is Made on Educational
 System Of AIaban1 q
Commission Named by Governor Gives History of States Schools and Urges Legislature Come to the Res
 of Present Inferior System
By WILLIAM l.. GORMLEY

Montgomery. June 2S.-(Special,) Quotations from laws relating to edu- cation in 1S40 and after the Civil war, "when there were proportionately fewer illiterates," hundreds of figurrs showing the total bank deposits of several states in the union, value of crops in Alabama as compared with other states, amounts paid into the school fund of this and other states and recommendations that the legisla- ture come to the rescue of the inferior school system of Alabama make up the voluminous report of the state educational commission created by the legislature to conduct thorough in- vestigation of the school system. The commission believes that an additional appropriation, per annum, of s1.00U.- 900, will not make the school system perfect, but this, in the opinion of the commi mission. will remove the reproach of four months schools in a large number of our counties"
 The report contains 21 legal size pages, It is addressed to Govern or Thomas E. Kilby, who was behind the resolution of the house which resulted in the naming cr the special investi- gating committee.
 Commenting on existing limitations, the report says:
 When the state has done all that I. can under existing limitations, the people themselves should have another charter of liberty granted to them, ard by cons nstitutional amendment they should be permitted in their discre- tion to say how much more they are willing to pay for this purpose. We do not deny the principle that limit should be placed upon taxation but we say that limit should not be too small"
 The commission is composed of Syd- I obair way, representative from Dallas coun- ty George H. Lanier Senator A. IT. Carmichael. Rev. Robert H. McCaslin of Montgomery. Prof. w. F. Dickson of North Birmingham acted as secre- tary of the commission, He, with tue assistance of Prof. Hewett of Birmins- ham, is now compiling laws relating to education.
 The report begins with quotations Cf the resolution which authorized the commission to investigate the school system during the recess of the legls- iature, reporting not later than July l.
 Believing that there was no exist ing private agency that could do the work so well. the commission got in touch with Hon. P P. Claxton of Ten nessee. now commission of education of the bureau of education of the United States in this work" says the report. "Commissioner Claxton cheer fully agreed to lend the services of his best men for this purpose and to cot operate with them in the conduct and direction of the work
 'The time allotted was so short that 1t was necessary for the bureau of education to detail for this service Is Of their foremost men and women. Even this group was insufficient, but Comm issioner Claxton was able to as- sist in procuring the services of other eminent specialists of the highest character and standing in the United States for certain phases of the work. These men include Dr. Horace D. Arr mold, Massachusetts; pr. Edwin A. Alderman, Virginia pr. C. R. Mann, Washington; pr. W. S. Small Wash ington; pr. A. F. Woods. Nevada; Dr. ". E. Johnson. South Dakota; Dr. Thomas Jesse Jones. Virginia; pr. J. J. DIdcott, Tennessee; MT. P w. Horn, Texas; MT. Jackson Davis, Virginia, and MT. c. H. Lane, Georgia"
 Compliments are paid the members of the delegation furnished by the united States. The report shows that each man had a certain task to per form. the experts going to the lines with which they were familiar Only the actual expenses of the men were paid by the state.
 At the outset we find ourselves un- able to adequately express our aD- preciation of the able, untiring ard effective services which have been rendered by Dr. Foght and his asso- ciates," says the statement of the commission. Tt would not be an overstatement to say that since they undertook this responsibility they have worked at it day and night. It : Is the opinion of the commission that