The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-12

| l in Birmingham schools and school administration.
 l Embracing the copies considered by Mir. Murray which probably are l if interest to taxpayers. incluoes | publicity of school funds, origin of | personnel of board members, who he asks certain questions regarding i connection with equipping schools, 1 appointment of board and other vit- al questions.
 The questions directed to the school board for reply are:
 "The revenues already in your l control. plus the sum you are asking l for, constitute vast sum of money. We believe that you are 1 willing to give full information as to the policies that will govern the disbursement of these sums, and 1 every guarantee of a wise and eco nomical expenditure.
 We wish. therefore, to ask you these questions.
 Some time ago committee of 1 the board made a trip to St Louis | at a cost of $500 to the people of expenditures7 If the bond issue carries will you undertake such l trips at the expense of the taxpay- CTS?
 Though the superintendent of l schools has for a long time received a munificent salary. 1t seems to have I become the custom for him to make l two trips to the meetings of the | National Education association at the expense of the people, amount ing to from s150 to s2o0 per trip. As the ordinary taxpayer pays for his | own trips and disapproves of such expenditures we thing 1t Is fair to ask you your policy in the matter. The records of the city board show that great quantities of equip | ment have bought without competi- tive bidding, and from favored con cerns. What Is your policy in this | matter?
 Cites Law on Interested Party
 "section "A, page IS. of the act
 "Section 24, page IS, of the
 act of the legislature governing
 the city of Birmingham saysi sNo officer or empIoye elected
 or appointed in my such city
 shall be fnteresttt, directly or l indirectly, in my contract for | work or material, or the profits
 thereof, or services to be fur 1 nfshed or performed for the
 city, and imposes n penalty for
 violation. of the provision. It
 is alleged that Commissioner
 Dixon is n stockholder in the
 Educational Exchange company,
 which concern has long had
 very favored position in the sale
 of school desks to the city of
 Birmingham. What expiana-
 tion have you to offer in this
 matterf
 "The records of the city show that great quantities of school equipment have been bought from the Birmins- ham Supply company, when IL IS all legged that the Birmingham Supply Company is owned by a member Of the city board of education who is l appointed by the city commission. Can you give us the real facts in this case?
 Alleges Favoritism
 "It Is alleged that the favoritism towards the Educational Exchange company has resulted in the pur- chase of great quantities of school desks at higher prices than other presumably good desks could have been bought for, and in at least one instance at a higher price than the same desk was being sold for at an- other place. What is your policy in the purchase of school equipment?
 Tt Is understood that one mem- Der of the board of education. ap- pointed by the city commission, is heavily interested In the sale of coal and ice. We wish to ask whether purchases of coal and ice have been made from concerns in which this member Is interested. It is alleged that such purchases have been made. | which would apparently be In viola tion of the city charter referred to l above.
 Hints at Failure to Report
 "In recognition of the prfn- ciple that full publicity in all ex-
 penditures of public money is the
 best guarantee of wise and eco-
 nOmical use, the legislature of
 Alabama. acts of 1919, pnge 800.
 article s, section 22 of the school
 code has provided thnt city boards of education shall Issue an annual report, in sufficient quan-
 tity for distribution, and that, the
 amount expended for teachers 1 salaries in each school and the
 amounts paid out of the school
 fund for my other purpose than
 teachers salaries must be shown
 and shall include the name of the person to whom paid. the amount of such items and the
 purpose for which said amounts
 were cxpended,' and you have
 not published such report as the II law requires, we wish to know what is your explRna ation of your failure to perform this duty.
 "As responsibility to the people is the fundamental principle in our form of government. and since your board is appointed by the city com mission and not elected by the peo- pie. and therefore not directly ac- countable to the people, and since the last legislature, in response to a demand from the people made your office elective and not appointive, which law was vetoed by the governo,. we think 1t but fair, in view of the vast sum of money for which you are ask ing that you should state to the peo- pie whether you are willing to ac- | cept such direct responsibility to the people by having your office made elective.
 Tn view of the fact the Commits sioner Mrs. Echols was a member of the board of education for a long time while the practices referred to above were going on, and that Com missioner Dickson is a member of the favored Educational Exchange company and that these two members of the city commission by their of ficial votes help appoint members of the board of education, this mater is especially pertinent.
 Asks Glass Room Estimated Cost Inasmuch as many most excellent school buildings are being built in Alabama at cost of not over $5,000 per class room we wish to know what Is your estimate of the cost per class room under your proposed build ing program?
 .Tnasmuch as 1t is reputed that you are paying architects fees of per cent, which applied to the II $5,OOO,OOO bond issue would cost
 the city @25O,OOO for these fees