Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-24
/. MISS LUCY A. YENDES Is Delighted With Dixie, and
 Writes Kindly Of Our Own Birmingham-Our Schools, Churches
 and Parks.
To the Age Herald:

TO the Age Herald:
 ABERDEEN. Miss, Feb. 23.-Although northern people are not demonstrative, If -what .'Lhey say'' is true, I should be doing the "Author of Preston Papers" an injustice if did not express the great de- light my first trip into "Dixie'' has given me, and the pleasure l have experienced in the "Sunny south,' more properly the solid south of late, though not for the old reason, but an equally cogent one.
 E Your readers, too, will perhaps be inter- ested in knowing that l appreciated to the
 fullest extent the many courtesies (uot the least of which l reckon the kindly newspa- per notices of my talk to teachers) and the generous Inequalities shown in Birming- ham, even if their public acknowledgment has seemed somewhat tardy, owing to the nature and press of my work, which necessarily absorbs most of my time and vitality
 was agreeably surprised at the size and
 "stiro of Birmingham. having pictured mentally much smaller and more inferior looking place. And why? Ah, me! We are prone to look at things in limited, finite sort of way-and somehow, as my work has led me out into educational lines more than elsewhere, l have grown uncon- sciously to judge of place or people from that standpoint, and to size up their pros- perity and growth tor want Of them) from iu6 luleTcsb tdkou lu tDc 6thOOtS duo oSdoOA matters; so when negotiations for lecture at Birmingham were in progress last fall, and one of the gentlemen wrote that the superintendent and principals would have to pledge themselves personally for any amount paid, cut my price across the middle and judged that Birmingham was yet in the chryealis; and this thought was intensified later when 1 was asked by the committee, just before leaving New York, to release them from even that small had Int lion ' or something in educational finances that made even that meager payment impossi- be-so that was not at all prepared for the really beautiful butterfly, full-winged and gorgeously colored, which found the real Birmingham 10 be.
 Candidly, with the wonderful pleasure I experienced in meeting your delightful people, seeing your 'spush' and progress in other lines, l was tlnctured with disap- pointment that the teaching force was not (tinancialIy) recognized as power in your midst, and their positions made so secure and their salaries so in proportion to the work demanded of them and the time given
 o it's preparation that they can afford to hrow themselves into the spirit of their high calling and sacrifice for it. They do it now, but they wouldn't if they were worldly-wise instead of submerged by the glorious enthusiasm of the ''average Amer ican teacher.o
 Well, I enjoyed your people, ohi so much and your fine churches, and parks, and public school buildings-all of which do your city great credit, and for no one of which, except the people, had I formed anything like far opinion. Having rends in New York who had lived in birmingham or had friends there, l had gotten accustomed to hearing certain ones spoken of in the highest terms and had learned of their worth; and now I am wilt ing to go on record as mistaken in other respects, and very agreeably so. Hoping that it may again be my good fortune to be in your delightful city, remain, very. cor cially, LUCY A. YENDEs.