The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-02
STATUE UNVEILED
 IN CAPITOL PARK Great Crowd Pays Tribute to
 Mary A. CahaIan PHILLIPS CHIEF SPEAKER Hundreds of School Children, Massed Around the Statue, Took Part In . Sineing-Prominent Educators
 and Other Citizens Attend.
PHILLIPS CHIEF SPEAKER


 Mary A. Cahalan who, at the time of her death, April 8, 1906 was principal of Powell school and had been since it's organization, was unveiled in Capitol park yesterday afternoon with appro- priate exercises. The weather was per feet and vast throng was present .n token of the love and admiration in which Miss Cahalan was held ih this community Between two and three tn ousand school children were massed around the monument and in attend ance were many educators, city off, ficials and other prominent citizens. Notwithstanding the fact that the crowd was unusually large the best of order prevailed. Indeed the fine decorum of the children was very generally re- marked.
 A stand for those taking part in the exercises had been constructed near the monument and Memoli's band was stationed at one side of the stand.
 pr. J. H. Phillips, superintendent of the public sch ools of Birmingham, pre- sided and made the principal address. The Rev. James E. Colye, pastor of St. Paul's Catholic church, on being called upon to open the exercises with an in- vocation, prayed as fololws:
 O God, great and omnipotent Judge of the living and the dead Ruler of mankind, Searcher of the hearts nf men; Thou before whom one day all must assemble to render an account of thought and word and deed look down on this assembly here gathered to hon. or thy wellbeloved servant. Mary. Grant that, animated by the example of her life, in thought noble, in word gentle, in deed golden, our though may be noble, our words breathe gen tleness, and our deeds be upright, Just and true; Thou who livest and reignest world without end.
 Our Father, who art in, Heaven, hal lowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our tres posses as we forgive those who tres pass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
 Following the prayer a chorus of mixed voices, accompanied by Memoli's band, sang a beautiful anthem, Hear Ye, the Angels the words and music by Miss Daisy Rowey.
 After this musical number pr. Phil lips, in behalf of the executive com mittee of the Memorial association presented the monument to the city. He spoke as follows:
 Dr. Phillips Address.
 Ladies and Gentlemen-A little more than two years ago we stood with bowed heads and burdened hearts by the bier of Mary A. Cahalan, the beloved prin- cipal of the Powell school. Chilled by the awful silence of the tomb our tongues refused to speak our grief and words were powerless to express our sorrow. The casket and the tomb are thrilling eXhortations to silence.
 Today we have assembled to witness an impressive and a solemnly pleasant service. We have come to dedicate a loving tribute of the people to the name and memory of a woman whose noble inn, press upon this community will long out last this marble statue, so beautifully designed to perpetuate for the living the physical semblance of the dead,t and to commemorate her splendid life of noble service.
 Those who consecrate their lives as pioneers to the service of city or state and undertake the work of laying the foundations of civic and institutional life, are seldom rewarded or appreciated untn our human vision is cleared by the per spectiVe of the tomb. The flowers of praise and appreciation are too often re- served until the cold hand of death has chilled the heart of love and the un- waking silence of the grave has stlled forever the voice of gratitude. But all history attests the truth that post nor tenn appreciation has always been the lot and the distinctive mark of the worlds greatest benefactors.
 While Birmingham was still crude hamlet with only a few scattered inhab- itants battling with the limitations en- tailed by poverty. Mary A. Cahalan con secrated her life to the service of child hood. The struggles and privations of those early years are known only to few today, but the sacrifices of those pioneer days have purchased for us the glorious privileges of the present.
 An Open Book.
 Words of eulogy would seem superfiu- ous when spoken of one whose life work has been so interwoven with the growth and development of this city, and whose spirit has so conspicuously helped to mould and exalt the nobler ideals of our people. Her life has been the open book. in which thousands of men and women of this community have learned to read aright the mysterious lessons of life. With a rich native endowment. both physical and mental-wth a mind stored with the choicest treasures of knowledge and enriched with culture and wisdom she was eminently qualified for her chos- en vocation In no small degree did she possess the mental and spiritual traits deemed requisite for the ideal teacher. Poetic by temperament and artistic by taste and training, she was lover Of the good and the beautiful in nature ana in art. By her skill and sympathy she developed in her pupils a taste for the aesthetic and an appreciation of the beauty of the world, not alone in garden, field and forest, but in the wide range of human hearts as we'll While leading the children up the difficult steps or she did not forget to instill into their hearts the nobler virtues or goodness and gentleness, charity and truth. Kind tender and sympathetic. she was ever ready to listen to the cry of distress. and so keen were her munitions that she could hear even the lnaudiple cry of suffering soul. Her eyes were quick to perceive. and her hand as ready to relieve. the need of the> weaR and despairing, whatever their lot in life l might be. Were I to attempt to tell you her one distinguishing characteristic. l should say that it was her love and sym- nathy for children; not good childr4 or | and attractive children or i bright and talented children, but simply | children. So deep was the fountain of | her sympathy that it freely flowed for | all. SO wide the range of her affection | that within it's protecting folds all chill dren found shelter and repose.
 Filled with the joy and enthusiasm Of | her work she rekindled in the despair | inr soul the smouldering embers of hope, |
 ,frt1,n nl 1,n xtrnnt l.