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72 101 Huntsville, Ala May 9th 1968 Sheppard Genl O. L. Asst Comr Sir In compliance with Special order No. 46. I have the honor to report that I have visited the place specified, and find the schools generally in good condition, with the exception of the house at Athens the school buildings are in miserable condition and not of sufficient capacity to accommodate the children who desire to attend: particularly is this true of Huntsville where pupils are almost daily rejected for want of room, and in one of the schools only half of the pupils are taught in the forenoon and the other half in the afternoon. because the building will not contain them all at once. From the foregoing statement together with the fact that there is a large colored population in and around Huntsville, and the further consideration that Huntsville is an important point in the state and that only $9.50 have been expended by the Bureau in the way of buildings and repairs. I would respectfully recommend an appropriation of $4000. for the erection of a large and commodious school building, provided, the people of Huntsville furnish the grounds on which it may be erected On personal examination of the records of this Office I find that the sum of $900.00 has been expended at this place. Of this sum $800.00 were expended in modifying an old building and in erecting an addition to it The remaining $120 were expended in making repairs upon other buildings used for school purposes. I have also made inquiry and find that good desks cannot be made here for less than seven or eight dollars each. Barnes and Rankin 73 sell the best article of school desks at their factory at Madison Ind. at prices ranging from $3.73 to $5.75 according to size and quality. I have further ascertained that desks almost as good as new (of the Rackin Patent, can be purchased of the M E College at Nashville Tenn. at from $3.15 to $3.25 each according to size. Enclosed is list of prices from Barnes and Rankin. Also correspondence with G. T. Hartusser of the M E College at Nashville. Desks and blackboards are urgently needed at Huntsville. also blackboards at Athens. I would therefore recommend that the Sub Asst Comr at Huntsville be authorized to purchase 50 desks from M E College at Nashville, 20 No. 1 and 20 No. 2 at prices specified in enclosed letter of G. W. Hartusser. Further that he be authorized to furnish blackboards for Huntsville and Athens as specified in their enclosed request and on the most economical terms. Also that said desks and blackboards together with desks already purchased for school at Athens be taken up and accounted for on the records of his office as property belonging to the Bureau. R. D. Harper Supt Education
