The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-09
08 CHILDREN IN
 SEARCH OF SCHOOL
 SEEKING CITY AID
Bad Roads Prevent Reaching Nearby House Over County Line and Can't Use City
 Schools Without Paying
By MIGNoN HALL


 There are Ss children just outside the city limits of Wylam who are all excited over the hope that this year they may have a real school of their own.
 Most little boys and girls have schools so convenient to them that they never think what it would be without one.
 But the situation of these children is peculiar.
 With. a splendid school within one mile of them-the Wylam school they are compelled. if they go to school, to pay sometimes as much as s2 piece a month to attend, or walk from miles to 21a miles. They are all ages from years old up to 2l years, and the smaller children and the girls find the distance and the cold and bad weather u handi- cap to their going.
 May Borrow BuIIding
 So they are going to petition the T. C. l. company to give them school They will take it up with the superintendent, J. C. Blackwell.
 Mrs. Mary Jenkins of Wylam, urged by the children themselves, came to Birmingham yesterday and first called on Dr. N. R. Baker. county superintendent of education, about it. Before she came, the chil- dren themselves had written the list of names of children who needed the school so that the superintendent could see it.
 They are not allowed to so to the city schools because their parents live outside the city limits and there lore do not pay city taxes.
 Mrs. Jenkins says the situa-
 ton has been the same for prac-
 tcaliy 20 years, and rhnt many
 children in that neighborhood--
 now grown-ups-have hnd poor
 educauons on this account. Her
 own children did not get the ad-
 Vantages they should have had
 because of the distance they had
 to go to attend school.
 It was pointed out by one of the mothers that during the lifetime of Prof. J. II. Phillips she went to him about her children not being able to attend the Wylam school, and he let them go without pay.
 Superintendent Baker, Mrs. Jen- kins said, told her the children could go free to Edgewater school, McDon- ough's chapel or Cottage Hill, but the distances are too great, except for a few.
 Seeking Aid It is a schoolhouse formerly used by the T. C. 1. company that the hopes to get for the school if some arrangement can be made to pay teacher. Most of the people are too poor to pay for the school privilege. and it is hoped some plan can be arranged. Every thing hinges on what Superintendent Blackwell has to say. Mrs. Jenkins went to see him, but he was out of town. If they could get this school 1t would be within 9 half mile of all. She is asking his aid at the advice of the city superintendent, Dr. c. B. l Glenn, who she says, told her he could do nothing as long as the pu- pills were beyond the city limits.
 If there is any room the city will | be glad to take them at Wylam | school, but can not take them with out pay. Mrs. Jenkins says Dr. Glenn | declared this could be paid by the | county as it is a county matter.
 The children are eagerly awaiting | some action. The days they lose from school when they have to go so far puts them behind in their classes, they complain.