Birmingham age-herald., 1895-05-19
A GRADUATING ESSAY.

SdIliS tO Dc IGdu dl N% on any other public occasion, but never theless they are required to write 1t. Several of the pupils graduating last week drew on their imaginations for their articles, and one of these-that of Miss Minnie McGehee-was particularly striking.
 The young lady author, looking into the future, when she imagines woman will vote, speculates as to the probable condition of Birmingham s city govern ment under the new order or thlngS. She read the paper at the reception In the high school building last Tuesday night, and it reads as follows:
 If Were Mayor.
 Shall I give you some progressive ideas for the administration of model city!
 As l am woman you VIII e&Iect Il paper full of vague ideas and impracti- cable suggestions, but l hope to prove to you that a woman can be reasonable when it is necessary.
 In view of the probability that in a few years any woman of this audience may be eligible to the honorable office ot mayor of Birmingham, 1 suggest that strict attention to my hints on the part of each one of them may meet with a reward in the future. But as a prellml- nary confidence, 1 will tell you that 1 would not accept this trust from the people unless the treasury were lull 10 oVerflowng; and l think it is shane that it is not always in that plethorlc condition.
 How can a mayor do things without money? Only in the Arabian Nights do we find magicians who, by a simple wave of the hand, bring forth wonderIol comforts and luXuries- s-reSardless of the money question
 We all know that the streets of the city are the most evident proofs of it's pros perity or poverty; so that 1 would ap- point board of street commissioners or some such high-sounding name, anu have all the members of it women, be- cause women do know how to Keep things clean.
 would demand that this board should lay neat stone pavements to the limits of the city to the suburbs eVen ana they should be secured every morning before shopping hours.
 These streets must be freed from dunn mics, replaced by electric cars that would be free and stop before each and every door.
 our streets would be bordered with fine trees, and when we felt so inclined we could walk into the city under the most delightful shade.
 No COW should ever shake her terrible horns at woman on the street. l agree with Miss Polly in this reform IL cer- tainly would not be very nice for the mayor to be forced to fly from COW or climb a fence to escape her.
 There is no need for people to be both cred about cows anyway. A mammoth dairy might be erected in the suburps' and from a tremendous reservoir hilN pipes could be layed to all parts of the
 Of course people would have to pay al most as much for this luxury as TOT water.
 a crack nor a corner could burglar find in which to hide, not even under the beds.
 | would have a park that looked like Paradise, and post 1t with the signs; You may walk on the grass, Pull all the flowers you want, etc, etc. Wouldn't the children love me then?
 All the saloons should be closed, and a grand central free soda fount should De maintained, and handsome young man employed at a fine salary to run it. Here the thirsty public would be served to lced lemonade in the summer, coffee tea ana chocolate in the winter and anything nice to drink that was not intoxicating;
 The city would be so well governed that the police might still serve, as at present, as mere ornaments. They should be increased in number, however, so that we might feel more metropolitan in that respect
 I would have the county jail moved out of the heart of the city; at least from under the shadow of a church.
 l would not have the market closed be- fore busy housekeepers could possibly reach it.
 The public schools are so well conduct ed that I should not offer any change from the present management except to pay higher, salaries to the teachers and to elect all of the training school girls every year.
 l should pass an ordinance requiring all husbands to stay at home three even ings in the week, and all young men to see to it that their sisters had escorts to entertainments.
 You may infer from my foregoing state ments what my policy might be were I mayor of this city You see also how em- inently practicable my suggestions are in spite of my being a woman. You will say at once: "Where will all of the mon- ey come from?" Well, we would get enough somehow or another-principally by fines, I suppose. I would fine the wo- men that take up, with sleeves, three seats on the street cars fine on Dutch bonnets would be a profitable source of revenue; I'd fine cigarette smokers heav- fly; also every newspaper that joked about the new woman"
 I'd fine school girls for going down to First avenue to take cars for the High lands; also all boys for hanging around the church doors on Sunday; men for talking politics before ladies; certainly, ladies for gossiping and chewinng gum.
 l would fine the young men for rush ing" visiting girls, to the neglect of the home girls who are just as sweet.
 In hundreds of ways l would work a wholesome reform by means of heavy fines.
 The revenue lost by closing saloons would be replaced by high license on the numerous ladies card clubs in the city. Oh, we could find enough for all i'm proyementsl
 Who, now, does not think we would have new and delightful Birmingham if I were mayor?
 For first-class groceries good. honest and heaIthu-at