The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-21
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Democracy is laid deep in education, and the best way to make it safe for the world is to see to it that the people have proper instruction. But am not going to speak of it in it's broadest sense, but more particularly as it applies to our public schools.
 | The campaign here in Birmingham in which the two-mill tax was voted. not merely raised the money needed to do justice by the teachers but brought viv- the public schools that they belonged to them, and if they failed to measure up to the needs it was because of their neglect.
 Too long Alabama was conspicuous as a backward state in educational affairs, and then the leaders woke up and be- gan campaign of enlightenment which stirred the citizens to be willing to be taxed for the betterment of it's prepara- tory, high. agricultural normal schools and colleges. Some of our best men and women gave much time to the propa- ganda without any thought of, pay save the reward which came to them for per- forming a needed public service.
 For years have been interested both in private and denominational public schools, and never more so than now, as I have two sons who are getting an ed- lucation. I once heard man at con- in If iona | college, say that as he had a boy who was headed for it, he proposed to do his best to see to it that it was the very best of it's kind. Now, that is the ray II feel about Howard and the Birming- ham-Southern. and also about the Univer- sity of Alabama and the Alabama Poly technic Institute. I want all of them to be in the front rank as colleges.
 But none of them will ever be what they can be and must be unless the pre- be- I am always glad when any com- munity makes up it's mind to have the very best schools possible. This was one reason I was glad to go to Aliceville for I know that it was the determination of this hustlng town to put it's schools in the very forefront of all those in Ala bama. Each year the idea is growing that a town or city without the best edu- cational advantages cannot hope to in- crease it's population.
 For the present story want to put emphasis on the need of having the best high schools possible in each county, for they are the stepping stone to higher education. It is matter of regret that only small percentage of those who finish in the preparatory schools continue their studies in the high schools. The high schools are the feeders of the colleges, for it is in them that students get a glimpse of what culture holds in store for them if they are willing to pay the price.
 have seen great improvement in the high schools in Alabama, not only in the matter of buildings and equipment, but
 in the broadening of the studies and the
 improvement in the personnel of the teaching staff There is an increasing
 
 teahcrs, and that is why it became SC necessary to raise the pay of those who were willing to make teaching their life profession rather than as a makeshift, until they could find place in the law,
 ministry, medicine or agricultural, mer- cantie or industrial world.
 l
 For years I have made it rule to ac- : cept every invitation | got to preach 5 commencement sermons iat high schools 5 or deliver literary addresses, and have r ways consider it great privilege tc
 stand before a body of students and urge : them to make up their minds to fnisf s their education It also affords a grea chance to boost education among theil . parents for only too often fathers ant s mothers are indifferent about making } further sacrifices to give their sons ant
 daughters the benefits of a college course
 In this day, however, any boy or gir
 who makes up their mind that they ar'
 going to go through college can do so 9 they have the grit and the determination . There is small excuse for the average l. student who drops out in high school @ Put the ambition in their minds and tn d will to make good, and in nine case s out of ten a way can be found to pu Iany worthy student in touch with thos t who will see to it that they get chanc a to bring home a diploma to frame : Feeling as I do, it was with pleasur . ithat I accepted an invitation from Prin il cipal Weldon of Carbon Hill to Seacl the commencement sermon to the hlgl school boys and girls on last Sunday a
 the new and well appointed Methods
 church. which was built to take tn | place of the one which was blown dow
 several years back in the cyclone whlcl y laid waste the little West Alabama town
 Carbon Hill has pluck, for 1t arose ou of the debris and built better than De
 fore the storm. The old ramshackl
 school building gave way to new an Y, commodous one, modelled on the old hig l. school building at Boyles. The Iron
 is most imposing and the grounds cove
 nearly a block. As soon as the auui
 torium is under way and completed tn d people will have avery reason to be prou to of what they havA done to give the chil a dren a chance to be comfortable whil
 at school.