Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-04
GALA DAY AT THE ATHENEUM The Inauguration of the Water Works System AND RAISING OF THE FLAG
 
 Appropriate Ceremonies Incident to the lmpor- :. - -tant Eyents-Able Addresses Beau = tifuI Verses, Etc.

z Yeshs.day afltETrcCn was gala olcca- sion cit the beal;l5iful Aluhenaun. The magrEcent system of water works had .been completed, lare young ladies of the Institution had prescribed the coslt ga with a very haEd-Vme flag, and in honor of the occasion qulte number of friends from the city and suburbs had gathered to See the wster LRlr;Jed cn and the flag raised. Tl1-ra were first appropriate ex- e,1c.sses in the college chapel, the young ,ladieS rendering several beautiful, soul Stirring ard paitrlotLc clhoruses. Then ex- Mayor vanIfcp5e delfveI'sli a ciaste and elegant address, in which he nest efo- qrs. Ny eulogize6 our oounCry's flag and paid a noble ard deserved tribute to the patriotism of our American womafJT~l-u u. He sab down amid hearty applause, and swals followed by Robe.lt Jenison, Esq, president of the board of trustees, who spoke encourrag agilns1y and enthusiastically Of the future of the school Pr-H. $. l.. Robertson, Jefferscn'9 gdf ed post. rSad -Bhe following beautiful poem in honor of srlss Ucoasion:
 Lift highland over all our walls,
 And ciIidelS and classic halls.
 The starry banner of our land.
 Its folds to fioat-its staff to stand
 7 For peace till times remotest day; And as VIC give it to the winds,
 Whose free wings only Heaven binds, Pray we, that only God shall stay sThe freedom which it typities:
 And as We Haunt 1t, toward the skies 1 He'll show the light, the truth, the way. That star bespangled banner nail-.-,
 Where spreads the ship of her sail Y Upon her highest, strongest mast, And give her to the sun and blast; :. Blown by free-born peoples breath (Which steals its power from on high, Our mighty ship of state shall fyh -z In peace and pride-her Shbbo,eth, Her countersign whereer she goes hall hGa ali Ixa fn = In all the word-"freedCm or death. Iifo high the banner, not in vain, We spread it to the sun and rain, The glamor of the ChriSt-worid shines Upon 1t. and for freedom's shrines s Doth concentrate 1t, and 1t hints With it's blue folds and starry eyes A message from the very skies ]. Peace and good will to men; The prince Of peace foretellng erst, and We As the sweet Shibboleth of the free-- 2 Pronounce that utterance of long since. Then hoist your banner where our eyes Must keep uplfted tow'rds the skies,
 To see 1t floating gloriously there;
 And while our hearts ,, leap t gladma Rs RfaSer "A nd teach us then. what should be taught To all where true dominion is;
 That all in vain we ffaunt its folds Unless His hand the staff upholds = His breath those folds propitious kiss.
 Amidst the huzzas of friends and pu- pias the water was tul2ed on and thrown completely ever the college, while the flag of our cour'try was seen climbing to I Is resting place high above the central tower of the building. In the front the I6vely new fountain played, and alto- getirer the scene was one of exquisite beauty.
 The water works are owned and oper- atdd entirely by the college furnishing an aburgdanlc supply of pure mountain water for drinking, bathing and irriga't- ing purposes. There is no lovelier drive around Birmingham than that to East Lake ard by the Athleneum, and its benu- ty is much enhanced by the playing of the fountains on The lovely coIlegie campus