The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-04

specimen of the worlds best skill with pencil and brush. It Is tod carly, yet, to speak of a great CotlservatbFy Bf Music presided oVef by the best instructors that ample means WIll afford, and the Mecca for the aspiring and mhsldally talented men and women of the south. It Is hot too early however, to speak of the f1eees- slty of preserving inYiBlate the present parks of Birmingham. No reasonable op4 portunity ts increase that area should be neglected
 Building In Capitol Park. A number of gentlemen. for whose Judgment i have the highest respect, and whose intentions are the best are ad- yocating the building Of court hoHse and jail in the Capitol park This propo- sition proceeds, doubtless, from zeal to remove the present unsightiy structure The remedy Is worse than the ailment When [ first heard thls suggestlehi pic- ture came to me, 1 saw the criminal | court and county jail with their attendant crew. I saw that awful train of cocaine 1 infamed, besotted, immoral. Yieieus vul- gar, profane, basphemous, despairlng Vioators of the law of man and God, impossible to separate from the criminal court and county jail, Then 1 saw an- other band of wan-faced Infants, kilted boys and plnafored girls pantlng In the stress and heat of summer for Gods alr i that blows over the yerdant grass, and slfts through the foliage of tho trees with the sweet incense of the flowers In It's mouth; and the demand that Capitol park be given over to the criminal and the dlssolute was drowned by the flooding plea from the lips of Blrmlngham's ohll- dren
 The jail is m eyesore where 1t now stands and should be removed or else flre-proof skyscraper erected upon the present site. Let Capitol park remain for ever and forever Il fair, green spot in the clty's heart
 I have endeavored in q general way to speak of some of the practical needs of this community. I have not dwelt upon the necessity of public spirit, for 1t is obvious that Birmingham cannot make the most of her opportunities unless her citizens have patriotism public spirit and high sense of civic duty, I have not spoken of government, for II is an axiom that no people can be happy and con- tent where honesty justice and wisdom do not prevail in the public councils. l have not spoken of the necessity of estao- fishing and obeySing the rules of hygiene and sanitation, for there Is hardly any man so ignorant as not to know that city cannot be prosperous and habitaple that is not clean and healthy.
 We need not fear the future of Bir- mingham, if we who are the trustees of posterity are true 10 our opllsHllohs'
 Birmingham is destined to be city of imperial grandeur, destined to be the souths greatest metropolis destined to reckon it's milllonaires by the hundreds, it's wealth by the billions Let us hope that in the day of It's power and opu- lence. of, it's magnificence and spiendor that it be not as too many are, char mel house of human hopes, but that oil it's people. happy, prosperous ana con tent can unite in swelling the chorus high of Birmingham the beautiful and Birmingham, the blest
 The programme of the evenings ex- ercises included:
 Overture, selected, Miss Alice Schaefer.
 "our Possibilities" lecture by Hon. Joseph B. Babb.
 Cello solo. (a) Evening Star (Wagner), (b) Largo (IIandD, MT. Cecil D. Grambs
 Gontralto solo, "Sieh, mein Herz ersch- llesset sich," (Saint-Sans), aria from Samson and Della. Mrs. Marie Kern Mullen.
 "Friedrich Rothbart," Op. "A (Podber- stky), United Singers under direction Of Prof Fred L. Grambs.