The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-29
OR, MACLEAN TALKS TO THE GRADUATES Diplomas Presented to Class At
 High School CLASS DAY EXERCISES
pr. MscLesn Takes "The Yankee Peril" as Ills Subject and Makes Interesting Address on
 Needs Of Nation.

mingham High school were held yester- day evening in the High school audi torium with the following programme: Invocation, the Rev Preston Blake. Music. contralto solo. selected. Miss lla Nunnally
 Annual address, George E. MacLean, Ph. D., LL D.. president University of Iowa.
 Music. sopran no solo. selected Mrs. Leon Cole
 Presentation of diplomas, pr. J. H. Phillips.
 Class song.
 Benediction. the Rev. T. J. Beard. Reception to the graduating class in gymnasium
 Preliminary to the presentation of di- plomas to the graduates the address of Dr. George B. MacLean, president of the University of Iowa. was the most promi- nent part of the evenings programme Col. Sam Will John was chosen to intro duce Dr. MacLean. Colonel John con- gratulated the audience on the pleasure 1t had before it in listening to the ad- dress of the distinguished educator. He stated that pr. MacLean had come not as a theorist, but a who had spent~his life in devotion to the cause of education
 Upon being introduced Dr. MacLean eX- pressed the qualification he felt on this bis first trip to Alabama. He congratu- lated the audience especially on the mat ters of education, and said Tn short, I feel very much at home among you, and m of fo ol-a The address was one of marked interest dealing with subject which the speaker made very appropriate. The speaker ar- nounced that his subject would be "The Yankee Peril,' and proceeded.
 The past must be forgotten said pr. MacLean, "and so when I speak of the Yankee I include every American citi- zen. The word Yankee was originally one full of sarcasm; one applied by the Britishers to the crude New Englanders of the long ago. But the word formerly used in spite afterward came to be one in which we now take much pride"
 Dr. MacLean then dwelt at some length on the present relation between the northland and the southland and after leading to his subject in this manner, continued:
 When we speak of the Yankee peril we speak of the national peril. This peril is thought of by different people as diff ferent things There are a great many who believe just now that the sailing of the great Atlantic fleet around the world is an imminent peril. They think that the 16 big war vessels sailed around the horn not wholly on a mission of peace, and believe that sooner or later, and most probably sooner, war may be started with the Yankees of the Orient-the Japanese. They believe that perhaps these little Japs may incte the whole of Asia asranst England and America, and that by chance may be defeated But l do not agree with them think that Japan recognizes the United States as her friend and will start no war. Hence We will not consider this matter as the Yankee peril.
 Dr. MacLean then codsidered other opin- ions as to the peril, speaking of the great thrush of immigrants, who might some day control the country, and likewise gave consideration to the opinion of some that sectonalism or intemperance in  were the Yankee peril. He stated his .kdef, However, that all of these questions would finally be overcome and that there need be no fear of them as the great peril.
 Then" he sad ''the peril of these United States will not be from without, but from within. The American people have always been possessed of the great desire to get money, to get that almighty dollar. We have even come to the time when men are measured by their money and not their merit. And we come squarely to the peril. It is greed. The very essence of the peril is expressed in the peculiar of the peculiar phrase, Our internal smartness.
 We trust to our educational system to yard off the perils While we are strug- ging against this great peril of greed we need only to teach the simple lesson of honesty, and in this lies the guard against this awful Yankee peril"
 The speaker then turned to the 50 grad uates of the High school and urged them to exercise all strength in warding off the great peril.
 At the close of Dr. MacLean's address Dr. J. II. Phillips presented the diplomas to the graduates. He made short speech O. congratulation on their accomplish ment of the work outlined for them in the High school, and each graduate was presented, individually, with the certifi- cate of his or her graduation.
 Class Day Exercises.
 The class day exercises were held yes- , tcrday morning in the High school audi torium. The members of the graduating class were seated on theN stage and all delivered essays, brief and to the point which were highly enjoyed. Following is the programme carried out in the morn ing:
 Song. Morn Awakes, (AbD-School.
 Personal Experience.
 Nightfall on the Mississppi-Isaac Lowenburg Mayer.
 Visit to Mount Vernon-Edith Pear son Plant.
 Spring Showers-Lllian Puckett.
 Spirit of Spring-Annie Mosely Mays. Spring Fever-Mildred Manning Downey. Horrors of amination-Marion Judson White.
 View of Niagara-May Ida Chase.