The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-12

concrete and they deserve all the eneo-
miums that can be bestowed upon them
AS faithful servants they have wisely
planned and nobly executed the wishes OF
the people.
But the dedication of this building
TODAY is of interest not alone to the peo-
pie of Birmingham, but also to the peo-
pie of Alabama and of the entire south.
II is not merely an event of local sig
nificanee but an event of widespread in
terest to our state and section. can
truly saw, without mourning the charge
of egotism or of local PRIDE that in the
matter of a building for secondary edu-
cation. as in some other respects BIZ
mingham has become an exemplar for
Alabama and for the entire south.
..It is the fashion to give names to
certain epochs in history and to describe
certain periods of time by some speclnc
character or prominent popularity. The
present time has been called the age OF
railways. the age of electricity, the age
of steel and the age of women's clubs
Whatever name history may adopt for the
present in the calm reflection OF the
future I fell sure that 1t will describe
not the external progress OF the people,
but rather the development OF our ldeals
of individual and institutional me. IL
seems to me that the one dominant char-
acteristic of the present time Is lts syn
thetie tendency 1t is synthetlc age anu
it's mission, apparently, Is TO put 10
gether what previous ages have so erect
,a1ly senarated-to unite and consolidate
today what yesterday was torn asui,uei'
rhis tendency is manifest today IN bus
iness and transportation; in science and
nbiIosonhv: in religion and education me
now High school Is in accord with TINS
ideal II is a synthetic institution, lt
mites the entire community in one pur-
nose as no other institution POSSIBLY can.
Here all political faiths, and all religious
creeds are united in one faith and one
creed Here always will be found' en-
bodied in lecture and class ROOM the
highest and best thoughts of the COM
n,unity. the common faith ana the COIL
mon hope of all the people.
I'm addition to this, the building we
are dedicating today in its plan anu
construction, is an admirable synthesis
IF tbe best educational ideals OF the age.
tIere we find the modern ideal OF INDUS
trial and manual training IN teNtie "oih
ond metal co-ordinated with instruction
in English and natural science. Here VIII
no found instruction in the inooeIn ian-
suages and at the same time euiture -
impaired in the classic lore Oh 1ieeee
and Rome, whose languages contribute
GO largely to our mother tongue, ana
..,,,osa culture has become so essentially
mart of the fabric Of our CIVILIZATION
~. Won enter the basement OF phls
hui,d,ng YOU find confronting you Two
;n,nortant developments; these depart
mants are fittingly placed in the base
,nent because they are fuhdaiheii'ais ~
adrca tion, religion and life itself. These
denartments are represented by the GYM
nasium and the lunch room ese ue
nartnents are appropriately located
"Closely associated with the iu az
room and the gymnasium you VIII nnu
tte manual training department. All the
sn,,aining rooms of the basement VIII pc
de,,oted TO industrial training IN textiies'
FOOD and metal. These departments 10
oated in the basement of the building III
INV Judgment. ittngly represent the
foundation OF all education Young men
and women who cannot eat piay a''i
work are not ready 10 leave the base
ment They are usually unable to mount
The fight of steps leading to the hist
floor. .,,s,,..,.
.The next two floors Of the building
are used chiefly for class ana recltatioii
rooms adapted to the various supJects %
the curriculum. The third moor is ueVoied
exclusively TO the practical arts. mere
we have the departments OF free mana
and mechanical drawing. the comInercial
and typewriting rooms. the chemicai.
physical. photographed and biological
laboratories. with lecture rooms, store
rooms and work rooms adjoining. And
last, but by no means least. may. crown
ing all the arts and all the sciences
transcending IN aesthetic and vital in
teres, all the culture OF Greece and Rome,
and ., OF Boston. in the most attract
i've Of this floor stands the most
esse department Of the school-the
cooking laboratory
N4n addition To all these depar lQaenl3