The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-24
ANNUAL REPORT ON
 COUNTY EDUCATION
Activities and Developments of Jefferson Covered In Bound .
 Volume


 Iwenty-nine new school buildings have been constructed or contracted for in lief ferson county during the past year at cost of s616,590, according to the annual report of Dr. N. R. Baker, county super- intendent of education
 A review of the building programme for the past three years is contained in the report and shows that during the first year of construction activity IT major projects with T rooms, costing s1e5. .2l6 were erected, while 21 minor projects. costing $9S65, were constructed.
 During the second and third years a total of 54 projects of 155 rooms were constructed at a cost of s312,S71, which to- gether with IA major contracts under con- struction at an estimated cost of $4oO, ,O94 and sites costing SS00, makes total ex- penditure of $9S1, ,s47 on rural education in three years.
 IN BOOK FORM
 The report. which is gotten up in book form, and Is one of the most complete ever submitted by the county superin- teEdent, refers to the other activities of the board of education with reference to the improved educational facilities in the county, improved system of transporta- tlon Of pupils, increased number of teachers and improved attendance, con- solldation and other matters
 Five new state school buildings have been constructed, three rooms have been added to other buildings and 30 others have been remodeled during the past two years, the report recites. The state has furnished $10.1Si in this work which called for twice that amount from the county or district amounting to $20. .3e9.
 The consolidation of schools and the transportation of pupils at public ex- pense has been one of the greatest de- velopments, according to the report It is very expensive under the present condi- tlons. Efforts have been made, the re- port recites, to. hold back rather than to encourage the movement during the pass few months because of the present finan- ciai condition of the board.
 ELEVEN DISTRICTS
 Jefferson county has been subdivided into II districts containing about W schools each. A supervising principal has charge of each of these districts, and he devotes his entire time to supervision, according to the report He travels through the districts making visits. It is now necessary for person teach ing in the county schools to have a nor nal school diploma or it's equivalent, or III lieu Ol lliS d. HlSH ScIOOi ulplOfnd With two years successful experience else where.
 The number of high schools in the county has increased from 1 to F, which has resulted from the division of the county into IT districts, with the uitl- mate purpose of having senior high school in each district.
 The number of graduates has increased from to SS annually, the enrolment from 150 to 1,400, the number of teachers from 4S doing part time work to S7 doing full time, the value of equipment from $500 to $f3,00o, and the value of buildings from $12,0o0 to s460,000. In addition to this it has resulted in no child going more than Ii miles to obtain the benefits of senior high school.
 i The average distance is not more than 1 three miles and transportation is fur nished, in most cases, where pupils live i more than two and one-half miles from the school building. By this method the number of places attempting high school work has been decreased from 3S to 2S there being F four-year, 5 three-year and 1 Il two-year high schools. There are b9I teachers now in the county educationa l systems.