RELIGION, INSTRUCTION— FINANCE, DEFENCE 425
Religion, Instruction and Charity.— Protestant churches are in the ascoiulenoy in the State. The order of strength ^of different religious bodies is : Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Disciples or Christians.
The public elementary schools in 1910 had 8,756 teachers, and 424,611 enrolled piipils. The 142 public high schools had 450 teachers and 9,895 pupils in 1911. Tlic six public normal schools in 1909 had 51 teachers and 1,390 pupils. For superior and professional education there are various institutions, the more important being (for men and both sexes) : —
Besun
1831 1S30 1841 1850 1802
Institutions
University of Alabama (State) Spring Hill College (R.G.) Howard College, East Lake (Bapt.) Southern University, Greensboro' (M.E.So.) St. Bernard College (R.C.)
Other important schools are the Alabama Girls' Industrial School, the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, the Tuskegee Institute (negro) under Booker T. "Washington, besides various special and technical schools.
Within the State are 35 benevolent institutions (hospitals, homes, orphanages, &c., but not almshouses). County commissioners make_ rules for the support of the poor. Indigent and intirm veterans are pensioned, the foUoAving sums being authorised : to the first class, 100 dollars per annum ; to the second, 80 ; to the thiitl, 60, to the fourth, 50. Relatives, within certain degrees, are liable for the support of their poor. On January 1, 1905, the almshouses in Alabama contained 771 pauper inmates, of whom 414 were white and 357 negro.
Finance, Defence. — The revenue is derived mostly from taxes on property of all kinds, the assessment being made at cash value for State and county purposes by the county assessors on the sworn statements of the taxpayers. The board of county commissioners sits as a board of review and adjudges on objections to the assessment, the State being regarded as plaintiff and the taxpayer as defendant. The State tax commission equalises tax values throughout the State and it alone lias power to assess the franchises and intangible values of public utilities. In the State Board of Assessment is vested the sole power to as.sess the properties cf railroad and long-distance telephone and telegraph companies.
The receipts and disbursements in the year ending September 30, 1912, were : —
Dollars
BalaneeOctober 1, 1911 7,071
•Receipts, 1911-12 . 6,261,236
Total 6,268,307
Disbursements, 1911-12 6,006,255
Balance, September 30, 1912 .... 262,052
The bonded debt of the State in 1908 <imounted to 9,057,000 dollars. The assessed value of real property in 1907 was 255,301,787 dollars ; of personal property, 195,397,866 dollars; total asses.sed value, 450,699,653 dollars.
