The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-26
COLLEGE TRAINING.
Of STATE s WOMEN
URGENTLY NEEDED.
DR.. Palmer Tells How Ala
bama Should Fulfill obi
cations at Montevallo
College

training of women.
That's the problem for Alabama
people to decide upon-their decision
being very far-reaching upon the
lives of this states young woman
hood
For that is what Alabama Girls
Technical Institute at Montevallo
wants to give this state. and for that
reason is going before the coming
legislature for sufficient appropria-
ton to lift the school from its pres
ent technical high school class.
The school actually neds S1,535. 900
and sets this vital need down in
figures and items. The money in
eludes maintenance Of the college
during the next four years, and sew
eral permanent buildings.
School authorities, leading citizens
who have studied the question, and
hundreds of predetermined, thinking
mothers and clubwomen point out
that IL Montevallo is not given ade-
quate financing and appropriations.
thousands of young women must
leave the state to get higher edu-
cation.
Need Broader School
They stress the real necessity for
a woman's college which will spe-
cialize on subjects women are not
given access to in co-educationat,
planned colleges; and that the
demand at Montevallo for high school
work for women is decreasing. The
reason for this is that the general
establishing of high schools over Ala
bama is cutting down the usefulness
of Montevallo as a high school, but
l. -, Il e. ,cr,au MI :
four-year standard institution. In adj
dition, the demand for college train
ing has forced that college to give
such work.
fixtures show that in 1912 there
were 500 high school pupils at Mon
tevaIlo and that this year there are
only 10 It's college work that is
wanted.
TIE budget. therefore. that the col
lege trustees have submitted to the
budget commission as to the needs ef
the school from the legislature for
the years between s192s-27 includes
1. Twenty thousand dollars to
pay accrued Indebtedness incurred in
completing the music building
2. Nine hundred and twenty five
thousand dollars for permanent build
fngs and equipment, to be paid in Is
quarterly installments, beginning
October /, 1923.
8. Five hundred and ninety thous-
and dollars appropriation for main
tenance for the quadrennium of
1923-1927.
Detailed Figures
In a letter of explanation, T.. w.
Palmer. president of the school, has
these things to say:
.tThe $4,000 is to cover an indebt-
edness incurred in completing a
building erected during the war. The
many vexatious delays greatly in
creased the cost, and we were forced
10 draw upon the maintenance fund
to complete the work. AS this fund
was already too small for general
expenses. the debt has not been paid.
This matter was fully explained at a
meeting of the trustees over which
Governor Kilby presided.
lin our second item, the buildings
and equipment needed by us are as
follows: Auditorium and equipment.
$780, 900: class room building and
equipment. s15o,oo0; further equip
ment for laboratories, S60,00o: resi-
dences for president and professors.
$4,000: practice home and furnish
ings, $4,000; training school build
ing and equipment. 100000; dormi-
tories and furnishings, S250.000;
gymnasium and equipment, $4,000;
propagating house for teaching
plant culture, $4,000.
"Without these buildings we can
not do effective work. The present
auditorium is totally inadequate
and in such state of repair as to
be an actual menace. 1t was erect
ed in 1852 for general service in
nrivate school and has never been
suitable for its present use.
Great Building Lack
"There Is no academic building.
The classes are scattered over the
entire campus wherever vacant
room can be found.
.The president has no residence.
He and his family are at present
doriciled in the infirmary.
TN another year there will not be
room in the dormitory for the
teachers. Yet there is no place to
take care Of them in town.
"In the third count-the matter of
maintenance for the coming four
years-to bring the institution to a
standard college basis, larger sal
,r,es must be paid instructors IL we
are to command the services of the
heat talent Instructors salaries
row paid are lower than those of
any other Alabama college, and
lower than those of many of the
high schools"
Dr.. o. c. Carmichael. dean of the
school. and who is so well and
f.vorably known in Birmingham,
where he did herculean service in
an educational way, was in Birming-
ham short time ago in an effort to
interest local women in he needs
~ tba institution and hoped at that
TINE TO form committee to go to
the legislature in the interest of
Montevallo 1t Is possible that the
schools alumnae association will
Also take up such l move.
Alabama a Laggard
7, I. pointed out that state
.t.rAard four-year college for
woren is maintained by many states
.r6 that in such matters Alabama Is
iarrsrd. Notable among nearby
states which have such institutions
a.. virginia. North Carolina. South
rs.ci;na Georgia. Florida, Missis-
.,rni Texas and Oklahoma.
white the Montevallo trustees
rrure that $4,000 maintenance
~ annum Is needed for Mentevallo.
thev are actually asking smaller
.r,nunt than that each year.
co-educational schools, 1t IL de-
.,...A cannot fill the bill for women.
.,rr. such colleges were made pri-
v,.yiiv for men. and later admitted
women. The plan Of instruction
courses Of study. emphasis on these