The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-05-26
N NEGR0 HIGH. WILL
 BE ERECTED
Board Awards Contract Over Protest Of Labor DeIega- tion-- Ramsey Statement Defines Boards Atti-
 tude On Subject

The Birmingham board of educa- tion Friday afternoon awarded the contracts for the proposed new ne- gro Industrial High school which Is to cost approximately s200,0 900. Grounds for the new structure will probably be broken by the contrac- tors within the next week.
 The action of the board was talk en after three-hour session at Which protest was made by a dele Gation from the Birmingham Trades council against the erection of the building until public sentiment sub- sided or free text books and more adequate housing could be provided d for white children.
 After the meeting President Frs Kline Ramsay of the board of edu- cation issued a formal statement in which he pointtd out that the board had acted in accordance with the agreement made at the time the bonds were issued that 25 per cent of the issue should be used for ne- gro school buildings. His statement pointed out although negro children constitute 8 per cent of the school enrolment, the total bond fund ex- penditure for negro schools since 1916 including the S192.696 contract made Friday was only 33S,955 or 11.6 per cent of the total. The expendi- lures during the same period for white schools have been s2,5S7,63 or SS.4 per cent of the total.
 Fulfilling Promise
 Tn awarding today the contract for the erection of the Industrial school for negroes" said MT. Ram says statement the board of educa- ton is fulfilling the promise made to the people before the election, namely-that approximately 75 per of h in would be applied to white schools, and 25 per cent to negro schools.
 The public should know that the contract for the erection of the ne- 1gro Industrial school awarded this afternoon for s192,699 and which does not include the equipment, talk en with the $146,256 already expend- ed for negro schools, still leaves a considerable balance before the board will have complied with the promised basis of relative distribu tion of 75 and 25 per cent.
 That the program as outlined by the board regarding the number of schools both white and negro that were promised to be built with the bond money has not been carried out is due to the vol known fact that the purchasing power of the dollar has been greatly reduced since the bonds were voted. Every
  tion.
 "It is well known that in many sections of the city additional and better schools are badly needed, but in the opinion of the board the peo- pie were wise in approving by their votes the boards plan of setting apart portion of the bonds voted to be used for the benefit of the negro.
 standing and to inform the public fully regarding the attitude of the board toward the matter of negro education, we would say that in our opinion industrial education of the type now being given in the Indus trial High school will prove great benefit to the community and not a detriment to the negro. Apart from the fact that we believe this is the wise and proper thing to do in the interest of both races, the board, as pointed out above. is simply doing it's duty and endeavoring to carry
 Continued on Page Ftve)