The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-08
COMMENCEMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL CLOSES 0r. Duncan Spoke on Master
 Stories of Literature FIFTY-ONE ON CLASS ROLL w. M. Drennen Presented Diplomas to the raduates-Excellent Pro-
 eramme at class Day Exer-
 clses In the Morning.
.FlFTY-ONE ON CLASS ROLL

lHe hlibuiy sympathy or IrlenQS unlteu Tn making the occasion seem fitting com mencement of the life possibilities of the thirty-fiv young women and the sixteen young men who compose the class of 1906.
 Following Is the programme as carried out;
 Invocation-Rev. l. D. Steele. D. D.
 Musio-Solo, Miss Nannie Lee. Annual Address-Rev. J. A. Duncan, D. D.
 Music-Solo, MT. J. B. Luc1ie
 Presenting Dip1omas-Hon. ". NJ. Dren- nen. President Board of Education.
 Music-Solo. Miss Pauline Alber
 Music-Class Song, Graduating Class. Benediction-Rev. A. J. Dickinson, D. D.
 Dr. J. H. Phillips acted as master of ceremonies. When the preliminaries had been finished, he said that Dr. Duncan needed no introduction to such repre- sentative Birmingham audience, and yielded the floor to the speaker of the evening.
 After first mentioning the privilege that he enjoyed at being the person selected to deliver tho first address in the new High school to the first class to graduate from it Dr. Duncan told the graduates that he wanted to talk in a somewhat indi- rect manner about some of the things they had been studying
 He said that 1t used to be taught that there are seven primary colors from the combination of which all the varying shades in nature are formed, and he con- tinued by showing that while the re- searches of modern science may have added to this original number. the es- sential fact remains that 1t is from a comparatively few basic colors that we get all the other shades and tints. He declared that this is also true in music :: That from the combination of seven notes, all the harmony of the world is produced. And he averred that the same condition obtains in literature; that from half dozen or so stories in the world, all that is lasting in fiction has been evolved.
 So with this introduction he proceeded to relate in substance some of these primal tales that have amused the fancy of mankind during the ages. As one ex-
 
 the germ of which he outlined as it is found in the German in the Hindoostanee and in the negro dialect of the south. His recitation of the adventures of "Br'er Fox" and "Br'er Rabbit" as re- vealing the germ of the story in the negro dialect was we'll received by the audience.
 Another example ci ted was the Arabian story of the three brothers who loved the same princess and of the tests that the princess father required of them to proved which was the most worthy. The end of this legend was reached when in the supreme test of which could shoot an arrow farthest, the third brother shot his so far that in searching to find its light ing place, he discovered an opening in the mountain. and on entering he found the fairy princess herself. The parallel of this that he instanced was the German folk tale of Tannhauser. which fixes the abode of the goddess of love in the Ven usberg mountain.
 As final example pr. Duncan told the story of the "Niebeungenlied." The com panion story to this was the well known
 
 the ogre when he boastfully turned him self Into a mouse.
 The speaker accounted for the universal presence of these stories in literature by the fact that the mind of primitive man in its comparatively undeveloped state personiied the natural phenomena about him. Watching the fieecy clouds become detached from the mass and borne away by the air currents evolved the myth of the master thief Hermes. who was then supposed to be stealing the fiocks of love.
 Dr. Duncan declared that the world is full of beautiful things, and he assured the graduating class that observing the objective things about them, they held within themselves the possibilities of ere ative literature. in that everyone Is pos- sessed of the four great passions-Iove, hate. hope and fear. He said that true literature is 'born of a mans heart in contact with the heart of nature,'' and he urged the class to steep their hearts in this agency to the end that they may sometime produce literature that will live
 A feature of the address was the pleas ing wit that the speaker employed. This seemed to keep the audience keyed up in good humor. In the course of his talk. also Dr. Duncan took occasion to pay a graceful compliment to the girls of the graduating class.
 The Graduates.
 Former Mayor w. NJ. Drennen made A few appropriate remarks in presenting the diplomas. He said that as he observed the industrial leaders of the city at work. he always remembered that the credit for their success is due the teachers who prepared them for usefulness He also paid tribute to the work of Dr. Phil lips.
 Following is a list of those who re- ceived diplomas:
 Ralph sheldon Barrow, general: Leon Crumpton Bradley. classical; Lee Allen Brooks, commercia; Roscoe Chamblee, classical; Samuel Francis Clabaugh, cas- sical; William Oliver Cox, general; Thomas Bailey Dryer. general Charles Richard Estes, general; Clarence Johnston Going. general; Sterling Sidney Lanier, Jr., general James Nelson Montgomery, general; Tom Courtney Senn. classical; Henry Jones Weiss, Jr., general Paul West, classical; Thomas Angln White, cIa ssicaI. Clement Rirhardsor XT'ood clas-