The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-29

| the details of what will be recommended.
 Concsely prepared the recommendations
 fellow:
 | 1. A nine months school term, access sible to every child in the state. The
 recommendations of the survey commit tee. who have investigated this matter ! are that we employ our teachers by the | year; that we should subdivide the year
 into two terms of six months each, the vacations to be so adjusted in each To- cality that the children who work upon 1 the farms can be at home during the | term when their services are needed. 1 2. The divorcement of education from politics. Establishment of state board of | education to be appointed by the gover-
 nor and not elected by the people sug- 1 gested. Board would have control of normal, secondary and elementary schools Tt would be an emnently bet | ter plan for a state board of education | to select him on basis of professional training and ability rather than to hand over the office to man who might hap pen to possess those elements which would enable him to win an election in the primary says the statement Continuance of the policy adopted by the legislature four years ago in regard to county superintendents and boards of ed ucation is suggested.
 3. Better trained teachers. Eighty per cent of the white teachers have no pro- fessional training whatever One-third have gone no further than elementary schools. and a great majority have gone no further than high schools. Commis- sion contends that when d teacher goes higher than the high or elementary school he or she does not want to teach at the small salaries paid in Alabama. 4. More adequate supervision of schools. Tn about 40 of the 67 counties of the state the county superintendent has no assist ance. The duties are so numerous the superintendent has no time to visit the schools.
 5. Reorganization of the course of study on the 'six-t three three' plan. Age for admission of children into school be re- duced from seven to six years, full course of study be increased from Il to 12 years: elementary school limited to six years in- stead of seven. On the proposed six three three plan the commission says:
 "The reorganization on the six-three~ three plan as contemplated, will give to the children of the future not merely the usual education in letters, but special and practical training for the actual work ot life itself"
 G. The pay of the teachers must be in creased The average salary for white teachers in the state is at present $4l9. The teacher, the commission says, must pursue some other work during the recess to keep abreast of the times" Many of the best teachers have found more lucra- tive positions, finding they could not ex- ist on the small pay of teacher.
 ', County high schools should be inn proved. Some schools are showing good results. due to local support. "We, there fore, recommend,' says the statement, i
 that as a condition to state aid, the county high schools shall receive local aid, either from the county board of edu7 cation, the commissioners court or the communities where they are located, in an emount equal to the sum granted by the state, the law to be so amended so that minimum of $2000 and maximum of $4O00 shall be available"
 8. The agricultural schools should be- | come such in fact Claim made that the agricultural schools are such schools in | name only. In reality, the commission says, they are high schools. Commission recommends abolition of the schools and creation of six which will in fact be ag- ricultural schools Extension work would necessitate approximately $12,o0o
 9. Normal schools should be strengthen l ed Increased appropriations recommended for all the normal schools. Abolition ot the schools at Daphne and Moundvilie l should be abolished and made high schools. The commission charges tha, , they are not doing the work" and "are nothing but local schools" Withdrawal of the 5000 appropriation to the Northeast Alabama Agricultural and Industrial school should be ordered because the school is not doing the work intended.
 10. Institutions of higher learning re- uuire additional help. Increased appropri- ations recommended. we have not asked for the expansion of these institutions at the present, but we do ask that enough | money be given them to let them live ana maintain the standards they had before 1, the war" says the commission.
 Il. The need for more revenue IS im- perative. Facilities inadequate and not more than one-half of white children get beyond the fourth grade. One million dollars per annum additional would not provide what is needed but would re more the reproach of four-month school"
 In only few cities of western si- beria are there two-story houses. Baths
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