USA > Alabama > Hand-book of Alabama. A complete index to the state, with map > Part 16
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To give effect to these constitutional provisions and to afford the means of education to the children of the State, the general assembly has established a system of free public schools within the State, of which the following is a summary :
* See Constitution, Art. XIII, ante.
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Appropriations for Public Schools .- For the mainten- ance of the system of public schools throughout the State, the following sums of money for each scholastic year have been appropriated by the Legislature :
1. The annual interest, at six per cent., on all sums of money which have heretofore been, or which may hereafter be, received by the State as the proceeds of sales of lands granted or entrusted by the United States to the State, or to the sev- eral townships thereof, for school purposes, amounting in 1891 to the sum of 8117,921.75.
2. The annual interest, at four per cent., on that part of the surplus revenue of the United States deposited with the State under the act of Congress approved June 23, 1836, amounting annually to the sum of $26,763.47.
3. All the annual rents, incomes and profits, or interests arising from the proceeds of sales of all such lands as may hereafter be given by the United States, or by this State, or individuals for the support of the public schools of the State.
4. All such sums as may accrue to the State as escheats.
5. The further annual sum of $350,000 out of the treasury of the State.
6. The net amount of poll tax collected in the State, amounting in 1891 to the sum of $155,073.47 .*
7. All rents, incomes and profits received into the State treasury during the scholastic year from all lands heretofore donated by Congress for the support of public schools, and remaining unsold, to be applied to the support of public schools during the scholastic year next succeeding their re- ceipt into the treasury.
8. All licenses which are by law required to be paid into the school fund of any county.
In addition to the foregoing sums, a considerable amount of money is collected annually for school purposes by local taxation, and which is applied exclusively in aid of the schools in the counties or districts in which it is collected.
Apportionment of School Revenue .- Annually, on Oc- tober 1st, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the State Auditor certifies to the State Superintendent of Education the amount
* Including poll tax collected in Mobile county. For the nature of poll tax, see page 111, ante.
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of money which has been placed by him to the credit of the educational fund, for the scholastic year commencing on that day.
On receiving this certificate, the Superintendent of Educa- tion sets apart an amount sufficient to pay such expenses of the department of education as are by law payable out of such fund, and the appropriations to the normal schools, apportions the balance of the fund to the various townships and school districts in the State, according to the entire num- ber of children of school age therein, as shown by the latest official school enumeration, and certifies his apportionment to the State Auditor and the county superintendents of educa- tion, and the latter are paid the amounts due their respective counties on the Auditor's warrants on the tax collectors .*
On receiving the annual apportionment, the county super- intendents notify the township trustees of the amounts appor- tioned to their respective townships, and the trustees appor- tion the fund to the schools in the township for the equal benefit of the school children thereof.
Each township or school district receives as school money, all the poll tax collected therein ; such tax paid by white persons to be applied exclusively to the support of white schools, and that paid by colored persons, exclusively to the support of colored schools.
Local school fands, raised by taxation, are expended in the district where raised, as required by the law authorizing such taxation, and funds contributed by private parties for school purposes, are applied as indicated in the grant.
School Officers .- For the efficient administration of the public schools, there are the following officers :
A State Superintendent of Education.
A county superintendent of education in each county.
Three township trustees in each township or school district.
The Superintendent of Education is elected by the qualified voters of the State, every two years, on the first
* In making the apportionment. the Superintendent of Education first set - apart to each township or other school district, the amount due it, as interest on its six- teeth section, or other trust fund held by the State; and all townships or districts having an income from such source, or from the lease or sale of sixteenth section lands, receive nothing out of the balance of the educational fund, until other town- ships or districts, having no trust fund, have received from the general fund such amount as will give them an equal per capita apportionment.
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Monday in August ; holds office for two years ; gives bond in the sum of $15,000, and is paid $2,250 a year. He is required to keep his office in the Capitol building of the State, and is allowed a clerk at an annual salary of $1,500. A vacancy in his office is filled by the Governor.
He is the chief school officer of the State, and has general supervision of its educational interests, and is required to devote his time to the care and improvement of the publie schools, and the promotion of public education in the State. All the other school officials are, directly or indirectly, subject to his control; and he may remove any of them for delin- quency in office. He appoints the county superintendents of " education, and supervises their official aets. Ile is charged with the legal apportionment of the educational revenue, and required to see to its proper disbursement.
The County Superintendents of Education are ap- pointed, and may be removed, by the State Superintendent of Education ; hold office for two years; give bond in a sum fixed by the State Superintendent of Education ; receive, each, for their services seventy-five dollars a year and two per cent. upon the amount of school funds disbursed by them ; keep their offices at the county site of their respective counties, where they must be present, for the transaction of business, on first Saturday of each month during the school year; receive, apportion and pay out, in accordance with law, all school moneys aceruing to their respective counties ; examine into the condition of the county school funds ; sue for tresspasses on, and for the recovery of, school lands; appoint the town- ship superintendents of education and the township trustees, and may remove them; notify the township trustees of the annual apportionment of school moneys, and pay the teachers. Vacancies in the office of county superintendent of education are filled by the State Superintendent of Education.
Township Trustees .- In each township there are three township trustees, appointed by the county superintendent of edneation, and who are required to be free-holders and house- holders, resident in the township for which they are appointed. These trustees establish the schools in their townships and apportion to each school such an amount of the public school revenue apportioned to the township for the current scholastic
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year as they may deem just and equitable, and for the equal benefit of the school children thereof. They also determine the number and what children shall be transferred, and set apart such an amount of the money apportioned to their district to pay for such transferred children as they may deem just and equitable.
The Teachers .- There are three grades of teachers' certif- icates - first, second and third -- each showing the branches . in which he has been examined, and his relative attainments therein, and every teacher must obtain from the educational board of the county a certificate in one of these grades. The certificates are valid in the county in which issued -- third grade, one year; second grade, two years, and first grade, three years.
The subjects on which teachers are to be examined are prescribed by law. They are required to keep a register of the actual daily attendance of pupils in their schools, and are paid quarterly.
Educational Board .- In each county of the State there is an educational board, composed of the county superintendent of education, as president, and two teachers. either in private or public schools of the county, who are appointed by such superintendent at the beginning of each scholastic year, and who hold office during such year, and one of whom must be appointed secretary. The county superintendent of education fills all vacancies in the board, and a majority of the board is necessary for the transaction of any business. The board meets quarterly, or as often as it deems advisable, at such times and places as the board may designate.
The board examines and licenses all applicants to teach in the public schools of the county,* and may cancel any such license for intemperance or unworthy or disgraceful conduct, and no teacher may be employed in any public school, or receive any portion of the school funds, unless he has been so examined and licensed.
Teachers' Institutes .- The board of education in each county is required to organize and maintain therein teachers institutes, one for_ teachers who are white persons and one
* A diploma from any chartered institution of learning entitles the applicant to such license, without examination.
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for teachers who are colored persons, provided there are in the county as many as ten licensed teachers of the race for whom the institute is organized. The county superintendent of edu- cation is the president and the members of the educational board are the vice-presidents of the institutes, and one of the vice-presidents presides in the absence of the president. The other officers are elected by the institute. Every licensed teacher of the county is a member of the institute organized for his race, but no fee or assessment may be imposed on a member without his consent. The law requires that there shall not be less than three meetings in each year of an insti- tute, one of which must be held in the month of September, and at this meeting an address shall be made by some person selected by the educational board, and licensed teachers must attend at least one of such meetings.
The meetings of the institutes are devoted mainly to dis- cussions and instructions in the methods of teaching and dis- ciplining schools, and to the text books used, and other matters connected with the schools and school laws.
The law also requires the State Superintendent of Educa- tion to hold, or to have held within the bounds of each con- gressional district of the State, one or more teachers' institutes, to be conducted by a teacher experienced in and familiar with the most improved methods of instruction, for a term of one week or more, during the summer months, and appropriates a sum, not to exceed five hundred dollars in any one year, to pay the expenses of employing such teachers.
School Districts .- Every township, and fraction of a township, which is divided by a state or county line, or natural barrier rendering intercourse between the different portions of the township difficult, and every incorporated city or town having three thousand inhabitants, or more, constitutes a sep- arate school district, and, in its corporate capacity, may hold real and personal property .*
Local School Systems .- Local school systems have been established by special laws in the county of Mobile, and in the cities of Montgomery, Birmingham, Selma, Huntsville, Eufaula, Tuskaloosa, Troy, Decatur, Anniston, Cullman, Phoenix City.
.The inhabitants of each township in the State are incorporated by the name of township - -, in range
-, according to the number of the survey- of the United States.
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Opelika, Prattville, Tuscumbia, Sheffield, Florence, Gadsden, Uniontown, LaFayette, and in a number of other towns and localities in the State.
Each of these constitute a school district separate and apart from all other districts, and having been established for the benefit and convenience of the inhabitants of those particular localities, are governed in all respects, in matters relating to public schools, by the provisions of the special laws under which they were established. They are entitled to all special school incomes raised by local taxation or otherwise, and receive their proportionate shares of the general school fund of the State.
Miscellaneous School Information .- Every child over seven and under twenty-one years of age is entitled to admis- sion into the public schools of the State.
Separate schools are provided for the white and colored races, and it is unlawful to unite them.
The school year begins October first and ends September thirtieth.
Twenty days constitute a school month, and a school day is not less than six hours.
The schools are divided into convenient grades, best adapted to give a thorough common school education.
There is no uniformity in the text books used.
Public examinations are held in each school at least once a year, and graduates receive certificates.
School lands are lands which have been granted to the State for school purposes, and which are held by the State in trust, to execute the objects of the grant.
The number of school districts in the State is 1,852; num- ber of schools taught, session of 1890-91, white 4,172, colored 2,347 ; number of teachers employed, white 4.230, colored 2.298 ; average length of schools, in days, white 70, colored 69; num- ber enrolled in schools, white 183,249, colored 117,730 ; average daily attendance, whites 108,300, colored 75,609; total school population of the State by the enumeration of August, 1891, whites 309,628, colored 241, 093, total 350,721.
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STATE NORMAL SCHOOLS.
To supplement and further the object of its public school system, the State has established, at convenient and desirable locations within its borders a number of normal schools, for the education of teachers, white and colored, male and female, to teach in the public schools.
A brief description of each of these schools is given below.
STATE NORMAL COLLEGE, FLORENCE, ALA.
This college is located at Florence, in Lauderdale county, Alabama, and is for the education of white teachers, male and female. It was established by an act of the board of education of Alabama,* approved December 14, 1872, amended by an act of the general assembly, approved February 28, 1887. The college is supported by an annual appropriation of $7,500 from the State treasury and from revenues derived from tuition fees, the Peaboby educational fund and other sources. It is governed by a board composed of six directors, appointed by the Governor, and the State Superintendent of Education, who is er-officio a member. The course of instruction is established with special reference to educating teachers in the theory and practice of teaching, and its purpose is to furnish young white men and women an opportunity to qualify themselves to teach in the public schools of the State.
Applicants for admission to the college must be not less than fifteen years of age, and must pass a satisfactory exam- ination.
Students, who are residents of the State, are entitled to tuition free, upon signing a written obligation to teach at least two years in the public schools of Alabama, but any student may release himself from this obligation by paying tuition Students from other States, and students who do not wish to make teaching a profession, may enter the college by paying tuition.
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. This board was abolished by the present Constitution of Alabama.
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Graduates receive a certificate which entitles them to teach in the public schools of the State, without examination.
In connection with the college, and as an adjunct thereto, there is a model training school, for the instruction of chil- dren, who pay tuition.
The rate of tuition in the college, where tuition is paid, is eight dollars for each term of twelve weeks ; and each student is required to pay an incidental fee of two dollars at the begin - ning of each term. Instrumental music is twelve dollars a term.
Boarding in pleasant, private families can be had at from $10 to $13 per month, when engaged for the term, and the washing and other necessary expenses need not increase the amount more than $2. There are no dormitories connected with the college.
The year is divided into three terms of twelve weeks each.
The course in pedagogics, proper, covers a period of three years. The work of the second year is largely practice work ; in the third and fourth years, practice and theory are com- bined.
The enrollment in this college for the year 1890-91, was- model training school, males 31, females 14, total 45. Normal college, males 101, females 117, total 218. Normal students, 166. Non-resident students, 147. The patronage of the col- lege is extended over 12 states.
For catalogues and full information apply to the President of the college, at Florence, Ala.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, JACKSONVILLE, ALA.
This is also a school for the education of white teachers, male and female. It was established in 1882 by an act of the general assembly of Alabama, and is supported by an annual appropriation of $2,500 from the state treasury and revenues derived from tuition fees, the Peabody educational fund and other sources. The provisions of the act establishing this school are almost identical with those of the act establishing the State Normal College, at Florence, Ala., and its purposes
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and objects are the same, namely, to furnish young white men and women an opportunity to qualify themselves to teach in the public schools of the State.
The school is governed by a board of directors, composed of eleven persons and their successors in office, and the State Superintendent of Education, ex-officio. The qualifications for admission to the school and the obligation to be entered into to receive free tuition and the certificate entitling graduates to teach in the public schools of the State without further exam- ination, are the same as those of the State Normal College, at Florence. Students from other states are admitted by paying tuition.
For catalogues and full information in regard to the school, write to the President, at Jacksonville, Ala.
ALABAMA NORMAL COLLEGE, FOR GIRLS.
This institution is located at Livingston, Sumter county, Ala. It was established in 1882 by an act of the general assembly of Alabama, and towards its support the State makes an annual appropriation of $2,500. The act establish- ing this college, in its provisions, is nearly identical with the acts establishing the normal schools at Florence and Jackson- ville,* except that this college is solely for the education of white females. The college is governed by a board composed of seven persons and their successors in office. Applicants for admission to the college must be not less than fourteen years of age and must pass a satisfactory examination. The obligation to be signed to receive free tuition, the mode of release therefrom, and the character of the certificates to graduates are the same as those of the normal school at Florence.
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, TROY, ALA.
This institution is located at Troy, in Pike county, Ala., and is for the education of white teachers, male and female.
* See pages 178-179, ante.
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It was established by an act of the general assembly of Ala- bama, approved February 26, 1887, and the State appropriates annually the sum of 83,000 towards its support. It is gov- erned by a board of directors, composed of nine persons, and their successors in office, and the State Superintendent of Education. Like the normal schools at Florence and Jackson- ville, the object of the school is to afford young white men and women an opportunity to qualify themselves to teach in the public schools of the State, and in all its essential features it is identical with those schools .* The qualifications for admission, the obligation to be signed to receive free tuition, and the character of the certificate given to graduates, are the same as in the Florence Normal College. Students from other states are admitted by paying tuition. The total number of students who had received pedagogic instruction in this school from its establishment up to September, 1891, was 425, and the number of pedagogie graduates was 50. The school year is divided into four terms. After the completion of an average high school course, it requires two years to complete the ele- mentary, and three years to complete the advanced, course in this school. Troy, the site of the school, is the county seat of Pike county, and is located at the junction of the Mobile & Girard and the Alabama Midland Railroad, fifty-two miles southeast of Montgomery. By the census of 1890, Troy has a population of 3,449. It is a prosperous city and a most desirable location for an institution of this kind. For cata- logues and full information, write to the President of the school at Troy, Ala.
HUNTSVILLE NORMAL SCHOOL.
At Huntsville, in Madison county, is located the Huntsville State Colored Normal and Industrial School, established by aets of the board of education,t approved, respectively, De- cember 9, 1873 and December 14, 1874, as amended by an act of the general assembly, approved February 17, 1885.
* See pages 172-1-0. ante.
t The board of education was abolished by the constitution of 1875.
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The aim of the school, in its two departments, normal and industrial, is to educate colored teachers for teaching in the public schools of the State, provided for the colored race; and to give both practical and theoretical instruction in agriculture . and the mechanic arts, and other useful branches of domestic industry. Beside the normal and industrial school, proper, there are connected with the school, a preparatory school, and a model school. The latter affords to the normal students an opportunity to gain practical knowledge of the profession of teaching, and the preparatory school yields considerable reve- nue to the normal school from tuition. The school is under the control of three commissioners, named in the act of Feb- ruary 17, 1885, and these commissioners have power to fill any vacaney that may occur in this board.
The school is supported by an annual appropriation of 84,000 by the State, and income derived from the Peabody educational fund, and from its preparatory and model schools, from tuition, and so much of the fund provided by the act of Congress, approved August 30, 1890, "to the more complete endowment and support of the colleges for the benefit of agri- culture and the mechanic arts," as is apportioned to the colored race of Alabama .*
To be admitted into the normal department, students must be at least fifteen years of age, and present satisfactory evi- dence of good moral character.
Tuition is free to normal students, who sign an obligation to teach two years in the public schools of the State, on con- dition that they are paid for their services.
Board is eight dollars a month, and includes furnished rooms, fuel, lights, washing, etc. All students may work out a portion and a limited number are permitted to work out the whole of their board.
In the industrial department, instruction is given in car- pentry, printing, mattress making, shoe-making, laundrying, cooking, cutting and sewing, nursing, house-keeping, and in farming and horticulture, and in the dairy and the keeping of live stock.
Diplomas are granted to normal graduates, entitling them to teach in the public schools of the State, without further ex- amination.
. See act approved February 13, 1891, acts of Alabama. 1890-21, page 433.,
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The number of students enrolled in the school, for the session of 1890-91, was, normal department, 96, and in the other departments, 230, total 326.
The sessions commence in September and end in June. For catalogues and full information write to the Principal, at Huntsville, Ala.
TUSKEGEE NORMAL SCHOOL.
At Tuskegee, in Macon county, there is also a state normal school for the education of colored teachers, established by an act of the general assembly of Alabama, approved February 10, 1881, as amended by an act passed in 1883, and called Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. It is governed by a board of three commissioners, named in the act, who fill any vacancy that may occur in the board. It is supported by an annual appropriation of 83,000 by the State and the contribu- tions of generous friends in and out of the State. From the beginning of the school to the close of the school year end- ing June, 1890, the receipts of the school from all sources amounted to $175,144.90.
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