The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-13
VISITING EDUCATORS MAKE 6O-lLLE SWING AROUND
 JEFFERSON COUNTY TO SEE SPECIMEN RURAL SCHOOLS
Thirty Automobiles Carry Big Bugs" in State Education to Real Picnic With Coun-
 tvs School Children
By NmGNON HALL

ny AA-AhA It's been long time since such a gala and educational [ le has been had by the educators of Alabama. They went for picnic among the rural schools of Jefferson county yesterday.
 Take look at them.
 They are about 50 to 100 of the big bugs" who are county superin- tendents. supervisors and board mem bers of the state.
 Swinging out of Birmingham in about 30 automobiles, and led by N. R. Baker Jeffersons splendid county superintendent. the top picture shows them at Alliance school. where the little children are all saluting the flag. and where everybody is just getting ready to go around the build ing to a fine "dinner-on-the ground" :"
 The middle picture. where county leaders of education are all sitting around on the earth, gives you an idea that there are some women along too, while
 Triple NotabIes
 The bottom, picture depicts three unusual human beings. One is Sup erintendent Baker, who is in great measure responsible for the develop ment of the Jefferson rural schools and the establishment of 16 new county high schools-and two women superintendents of education.
 The women are. left to right:
 Mrs. R. L. Faucett of Autauga county. who has been superintendent about three years; and Mrs. J. NJ Sanders, whose county. which is Pike, has honored her with the position for the past six seasons. Before that she held down the job for her hus- band. who was county superintendent.
 Both women are working like Trojans to get consolidated schools such as Jefferson county has through out their fields of activity.
 They declared yesterday:
 Mrs. Sanders: We need more money and more schoolhouses. If we get pretty and well-equipped school houses. We get good working com munity-a contented people. We are offering our people the advantages of various elubs-pig and poultry and other practical things. We are also very much interested in physical edu- cation-having a complete health unit.
 Mrs. Sanders thinks women can be extremely successful county superin- tendents. They can get closer to the women and they understand and love children.
 Consolidation Fine
 Mrs. Faucett:
 "The benefits of consolidation in schools we are striving to attain. We want to consolidate our little weak schools. and make strong, better r~f. I. T transportation to get to them. We already have eight wagons running. Alabamians must begin to think of schools in terms of dollars. In Ala bama the state is paying $4 a head per year for each child. Texas is spending $15. That won't do. A good school in any community is the greatest possible builder of commu- nifty pride"
 How the benefits of consolidated schools are being attained in Jeffer- son was pointed out to the county superintendents and guests by Superintendent Baker, who related that, only a short time ago, 150 children of Jefferson were receiving high school education. Now that num- Der has increased to just 2.320l
 That means that the states chill dA Cn 0it tO OC DNAbCF tQdSdlcu and women, and that hundreds of country children are not having to stop at the grammar grades.
 Long Trip
 The trip made by the crowds Of visitors yesterday included a journey of 50 miles. That would have meant two days hard driving with horses a few years ago!
 The visitors saw and personally in spected the Jones Valley High school at Powderly; passed the old Lipscomb building, where new six-room school will shortly be erected; and thence, through Bessemer, went to Hueytown High school. Here lunch was served, and a splendid program was given. The school children cheered Superintendent Baker and the visitors.
 From Hueytown the trip was made to Alliance school, where barbecue was enjoyed and chicken pie and de- licious cake, plus many other things, and where the visitors got ths chance to see the teachers and prin- cipals homes, the school gardens, po- tato house and farms. The last schools visited were Mulga and Minor.
 A notable visitor fas D. O. Whildi7, Birmingham architect, who has la bored very strictly to- see that the
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