The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-08
Miss Campbell Suggests So-
 ciety of Sponsors
NEW NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Naval Officers Delighted With Plan to Organize Society of Young Women Who Have Stood Sponsors
 for American Battleships.

ing of the Birmingham, to organize society of young women who have been l sponsors at the launching of American warships has been received with enthusi- astic approval throughout the country. The naval officers are every where ex- pressing their interest in the movement, 1 which, if carried out on the plans sug- gested by Birmngham's lovely young sponsor, will be national, uniting each section of the country in an association that naval officers say will be the most
 interesting and patriotic in the world
 The Boston papers contain interesting accounts of how the suggestion came to be made and the following from the Bos- ton Herald tells the sequel of the corre- spondence between Miss Campbell and Miss Pinnock, the latter of Massachu- setts, and who will chrsten the Salem. | From the interchange of letters between girl of the northland and one of the southland has sprung the idea of forming an association of all the fair daughters of cities and states who have dashed a l bottle of sparkling wine over the prows of proud ship of the United States navy as she slipped down the ways Into her element. To this society will also be ad- mitted from time to time as they act as sponsors other fair daughters Thus will another link of sentiment be forged be- tween north and south, east and west.
 Miss Laura Pinnock, daughter of the mayor of Salem, who Is soon to chrlsten the scout ship Salem, wrote to Miss Mary Campbell, who recently was sponsor of the sister ship Birmingham, launched at Fore River, to congratulate her. Miss Campbell, In her reply, suggested the or- ganizing of the Society of the Sponsors of the United States Navy" The two girls will begin at once the formation of the society. Miss Pinnocks letter to Miss Campbell was as follows:
 My Dear Miss Campbell:
 As sponsor for the sister ship of the Birmingham, permit me to congratulate you on the successfupl launching of that vessel. May We not trust that these two ships-the Birmingham and the Salem will long carry the stars and stripes and be emblematical of the friendship and the love of the north and south? l have your picture from the papers, but l shall be much pleased to receive from you your photograph in remembrance of the occasion. Sincerely yours,
 LORNA PINNocK.
 Miss Campbell replied as follows: My Dear Miss Pinnock:
 l appreciate your letter and its cordial sentiments, and am pleased that you were kind enough to write 1t. In Birmingham and in Alabama we love the stars and stripes. and I reciprocate your thought that the sister ships-the Birmingham and the Salem-may be emblematica1 of the friendship and love of north and south.
 good friend in Boston has suggested that we might organize the Society of the Sponsors of the United States Navy. From the pleasant association and com radeship that should grow out of It, we would contribute our mite to the develop ment of our navy and to the furthering of the good feeling which should pervade all sections of our glorious country. If you will join In this suggestion, I will ask our congressman from the Birmingham distrct-Mr. Underwood-to get the names of the sponsors of the other ships, and, together, we can correspond with them and perfect our organization.
 Wouldn't it be nice for Salem and Bir- gham-Masachusetts and Alabama-to lead off in this matter? It will add interest, if anything can add an interest, to all future launchings. hope the Salem will be as good a boat and as suc- cessful scout as the Birmingham will be, and that you will enjoy the honor of christening her as much as I have that of her sister ship. I cannot wish you more happiness. I will be pleased to send you my photograph from Birmingham, and hope you will send me yours. With best wishes for your success, 1 am, sincerely yours, MAY CAMPbGLL,
 Miss Pinnock said to a Herald reporter today:
 T received a most beautiful letter from Miss Campbell. l shall keep and prize highly Miss Campbell's note and sincerely hope that the launching of the Salem will be as successful as that of her sister ship"
 Naval officers In Washington were ''tickled" today when they heard that movement had been inaugurated in Bos- ton to organize society of the beautiful young women of the country who stood sponsors for American fighting ships Such society say they would be more interesting than any womans club in the land, for it would weld together under peculiarly appropriate patriotic band the fair daughters of Uncle Sam from Mainel to California.
 If such a society were formed it would make the honor of christening warship, already coveted one, still more to be sought for. It would place the very few young ladies to whom such honors can fall in particularly interesting and ex- elusive class.
 Some very notable young American women have broken bottles of "extra dry" over the bows of United States ships of war, and the navy regards itself as for tunate in having secured the cooperation of such a bevy of attractive misses in starting the grim destroyers on their nautical careers.
 The sponsors are selected, not only be- cause of their attractive personalities, but also because of the social and politi- cal prominence of their families. so- cety composed of these young women would be Americas Burkes Peerage for the feminine sex.
 In their ranks would be numbered the fair daughters of governors, senators, congressman and other prominent folk
 The navy department records contain but partial list of these young women. The launching of warship is controlled by the builders and, while the navy de- partment approves the sponsors, the names of the young ladies in but few instances form part of the official rec ords.
 In some instances, however. the con tractors have left memoranda at the de- partment, and the following is the list found there:
 The Kentucky was launched March 24, 1898, and Miss Christine Bradley of the Blue Grass state was sponsor Miss Nancy Lieter was sponsor at the launch ing of the Illinois October 4, 1898. Miss Morgan, the daughter of Senator Nor gan, broke champagne bottle over the bow of the Alabama on May IS, 1898, and Miss Catherine V. White was sponsor at the launching of the West Virginia on