The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-14
Success Of Big Bond Issue VIII Be Public Calamity
 Is Opinion Of Mrs. Fisk

improvements coming from if we vote these bonds and the necessary addi- tional three-mill tax. and thus ex- haust our borrowing power at one time?
 Living On Future Income
 The past history of Birmingham shows that the greater the popula- tion. the larger has been the propor- tion of the bonded debt to the as- sessed property valuation. In the past we have attempted to live on estimated future income, with the result that we have had to vote five issues of deficiency bonds
 In view of the above facts, it seems to me that the answer to question No. is an overwhelming No" and that in voting this bond issue and the tax, we shall not only be counting our chickens before they are matched, but letting them starve after they are matched because we cannot feed them.
 To turn to Question No g. as to the need for this expenditure at present. there is no doubt that conditions are bad now, that the oyercrowding situ- ation in the schools Is acute, and some relief is necessary. It is, ot course, wise and expedient that the board of education should prepare an adequate program and ask the public to supply the funds for it. An Inquiry into what Is proposed to be spent becomes pertinent. In it's published statement, the board pro poses to spend the five millions as follows.
 Total for high schools. sa.2oo.ooo, 64 per cent.
 Total for elementary schools. s1.s0o, 900, 36 per cent.
 From figures given by the boards secretary it appears:
 Total pupils in schools, 39,555.
 Total pupils in high school, 5,3s6, IA per cent.
 Total pupils in elementary scchools, 34,159, S6 per cent.
 It therefore appears that the board proposes to spend 64 per cent of the bond issue on IA per cent of the pupils, a cost of $500 per capita for high school students and $52.50 for students In the elementary grades. The 3-mill school tax will produce $42o.ooo per year, s1,6s0,00o in years. According to the boards own figures, the whole program of s1.s00,- 900 for elementary schools t86 per cent of the pupils) can thus be com ton of s2o,o00) by the levy of this tax without any bond issue.
 Get Elementary Schools First
 am an ardent advocate of high school education, and understand the Comparatively high cost of construc- ting and equipping these schools. but, in view of the citys financial condition. I merely inquire If 1t would not be wise to walt four years on our high School program, completing the elementary one which we can do by voting the 3-mill tax without going into debt? This inquiry seems par ticuiarly pertinent when we consider that of the s2,oo0.oo0 voted for schools In 1919, s1.ooo,oo0 Is being spent for high schools, about s$1S5 per capita, and $1.000,000 for ele- mentary schools, s29 per capita.
 It Is interesting to note that 40 per cent of her total revenue Bir- mingham expended In 1921 for school purposes Exclusive of payment Of interest and sinking fund on out standing bonds). This is much higher percentage than other cities of her class Compare Atlanta's similar ex- penditure of s0.s per cent in 1920. Other southern cities fell much be- low this figure, showing that our trouble lies in our low per capita wealth, not in percentage spent for chools.
 Judging from the statistics given above, I conclude that Birmingham cannot honestly afford to issue this large amount of school bonds with out jeopardizing her future and lay ing an intolerable burden upon the shoulders of the very children we are seeking to benefit. Furthermore, such an issue seems unnecessary If we are willing to pass a smill tax for schools and adopt a program that this revenue will carry, providing thus for the elementary schools ac- cording to the boards estimate, over Ia period of four years, and at the end of that time. voting another bond is sue for high schools. if necessary. It seems to me obvious that the in- terest and sinking fund on the pres ent proposed issue cannot even be met without deficit that will leave no margin for other necessary inn movements. such as the sewer sys- tenn, and therefore I believe that to vote this issue will amount to public calamity for Birmingham. And so, at the risk of being classed as an enemy of progressive Birming- ham, an inhuman reactionary. 1 earnestly appeal to the thoughtful voters of this community for the sake of our children to defeat this bond issue and later to vote 3-mill tax for school purposes. Yours truly,
 AMELIA wORTHINGTON FISK.
 Birmingham, May 13, 1922.