The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-03
UNDERWOOD MAKES ADDRESS OCLASS s Greeted by a Large Audience
 at Bessemer
THE PROBLEM OF LIFE"
Representative From the Ninth Dis trict Is Cordially Received and Brilliant Programme Is Rem
 dered-Prizes Awarded.

| Bessemef, June 2.-tSpectal. )-Ihe grad uating exercises of the Bessemer High school were held tonight at Library hall, which was filled to overfowing Seven young ladies and three young men re- eeived their diplomas and an interesting programme was rendered. The feature of the evening was the annual address to the senior class by Congressman Oscar W. Underwood. The representative from the Ninth district is very popular with the Bessenerites and was accorded 8 hearty reception. His subject was the Problem of Life,' and he was continual ly interrupted by applause.
 The programme was as follows:
 lnyocation..........T The Rev. R. C. Gilmore Instrumental Solo................S Selected
 Miss Lula Allen
 Salutatory, y,................. Homer A. Hurd Prize Essay. Miss Rosalie c. Lopez Vocal Quartet. t........................S Selected Annual Address to Senior Class........
 ..........The Hon. oscar W. Underwood vocal t9uaftet-........+.. Selected Awarding Class Medals. ....... Dr. T. F.
 Robinson President Board of Education Presentation of Diplomas
 Jos. M Dill Superintendent of Schools Valedctory. ry...........,....M Miss Bucie Huey
 
 The members of the graduating class were: Misses Jimmie Albert Cocl1rell, Ieona Henderson, Lucie Huey, Gladys Huffman. Rosale Cecile Lopez Willie Mae Robb, Hattie Bessie Tillman. and Messrs. Albert Davis Brown, Henry Ava Hurd and Homer Amzi Hurd.
 The scholarship medal given by the board of education was awarded to Miss Lucie Huey and the essayist's medal. given by the Bessemer Trust and Bank ing company was presented to Miss Rosa lie Lopez.
 Mir. Underwood's address was as fol- lows:
 l wish first, to thank you for the invi- tation that gives me the opportunity to once more greet my friends and constitu- ents in Bessemer. For months 1 have been away from home, executing your commissions at the nations capital. and now that 1 am once more allowed to re- turn to my state and my people l rejoice to see the iron capped mountains the repositories of your wealth and great ness, the fires from your furnaces and | factories that marks the hives of your | industrial development and commercial success: the green fields and blosoming | orchards that are the harbingers of the | rich harvest your farms hold in store for you. l rejoice to be once more in the presence of that citizenship whifh has made this district to grow and develop and give forth natures riches and re- wards, until the story of your success and your greatness is told wherever your country's flag floats and the English lam guage is spoken. I am proud that l re- | turn home the recipient of your gracious | bounty and the possession of your gener- ons friendship.
 l appreciate the high compliment you do me by the presence here of this great gathering of people. l am glad to see the intelligent faces of the men who have made your wonderful city great and pros porous. for they are an army that bring success to any meeting or any movement they join in.
 rejoice in the presence here tonight of the mothers and daughters of your fair city, whose laughing eyes. smiling lips anu beautiful faces crown the glory of all your success and bring victory to any honorable cause, with the love and courage that dwelleth in the home and abideth by the fireside
 But, most of all, l welcome the pres ence here tonight of the boys and girls; in them the promise of the future lies The unknown possibilities of our industrial and commercial expansion in the genera ton to come rests in their minds and hearts they are the guardians of their countrys greatness and the keepers of the public consciences in the day when you and I shall have laid aside Hfe's armor and sheathed the sword of earth's battles. On their training intelligence, courage and character must depend the onward progress and greatness of our country; the moral character and purity of our people and the peace and happi- nf hA .,f men and women who will take our places when we are gone. II is to them that I come to speak tonight--to them I would say some words of cheer, give word of advice and perhaps of warning before they ride forth to take their places in the battlefield of life. and If I may have their kindly attention l will ask them to look with me on the problem of life.
 In the study of history you have wan dered up the streams of ancient lore. tracking the history of the human race; you started with the story of barbaric man, he who dwelt in caves, clothed himself in skins of wild animals. fought for existence-not glory, and followed his course down to the present era of the twentieth century civilization, with all the environments of modern times
 Let us look at the conditions that sur
 
 some of the causes that forced his ad- vancement. He lived in the midst of the beasts of the forest: he was endowed by nature with no weapons of defense such as the wild animals possessed; many of them had claws. teeth and great strength. He had only his cunning and intelligence with which to combat them and protect his life. Therefore he was required to exercise his brains and by ingenuity and cunning, give successful battle to the stronger and better armed animals that opposed him.
 Can you not see the cave dweller as he rolls away the stone that guarded the entrance to his home, In the early morn ing go forth to find the days food for his family? He has sharpened rock bound to a stick or heavy club for weapon; he stealthily approaches salt lick where the deer come to get water at the dawn of day, only to hear the roar of the lion, and knows that another has come first to the feast and except the victim selected by his rival, his quest has gone. Then he must fight or go home hungry. Can you not see him as he slips stealthly through the bushes and deals his opponent a death blow from behind and becomes the possessor him self of the lions prey.
 What attribute did he bring into play to gain that breakfast? Courage and intelligence. It was the first combina- tion of those powers that must be always exercised to enable a man to achieve success or greatness.
 The animal was armed with teeth and claws; he desired no other weano, and