The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-01
Personal FACTS IN
CAREER OF DIR. GRIGGS

Clubwomen and cultured people gener-
ally are looking forward to the coming
of Mr.. Edward Howard Griggs, who will
be in Birmingham May to deliver a
series or lectures at the Birmingham High
school auditorium. Mr.. Griggs is one of
the braiuest men that have ever lectured
here and he is fully appreciated by the
thinking public. This will be his third an
nual visit and indications point to the
fact that his audience will be larger and
more appreciative than even last year.
when he addressed crowded houses day
after day. His general subject, Faust"
has been the theme of study in all of the
literary clubs for at least a part Of The
year and he will find his hearers discrim-
mating and intelligent However, Dr.
Griggs discourse is so attractive and so
exquisite that even without especial prep
aration one always enjoys it. An unusu-
ally magnetic personality strengthens the
influence of his beautiful intellect and the
combination never fails TO capture his
audience. There have been many ques-
tons to Mr. Grlggs' personal history
hence the following extract from an ac-
count given in Unity, a magazine edited
by DR.. Jenkin Lloyd Jones, who has FREE
quently lectuVed in Birmingham, will be
of especial interest.
The personal facts in, Mr. Griggs ca
reer, writes DR.. Jones. are in themselves
significant and interesting, and prove the
oft-heard theory that stone wall proves
no barrier to the development of the de-
termined soul. lie was born IN Mlnneso-
Ia in 1868, but very early In life became
a resident of Indiana. His boyhood was
spent in Madison, Ind, on the Ohio river,
where he attended the public schools until
1Ss2-just 10. and ready for High school,
At this juncture 1t looked as though all
hopes for further education were futile,
nn CT 70 INN
tive. So he left Madison for a position
In wholesale house in Indianapolis. For
five years the boy worked here. studying
every minute possible out of business
hours and at the age of 10 he was able
to enter the Indiana State university,
where he was graduated in the class of
So having accomplished the four years
course in two years. While here he de-
voted his time mainly to the severe dis
ciplinary studies, mathematics and Ian
guages, and during his senior year taught
mathematics in the preparatory depart
ment of the university Immediately upon
graduation he was appointed instructor
in English by his alma mater. and later
professor of literature. In 1891 he was
called TO the Leland Stanford. Jr., uni
versity with the original faculty of that
institution where ne remained seven
years, studying two of those years in
England, Germany and Italy. When he
resigned from Leland Stanford Mr.. Griggs
was head of the department of ethics and
education. In addition to his regular
work both in Indiana and California he
delivered a steadily Increasing number
of public lectures. till in his last year in
the latter state he gave more than 15o
public lectures outside Of his regular
university work.
Since January. 1899, Mr.. Griggs has
given all his time to public teaching and
lecturing. being appointed in that year
staff lecturer to the American Society
for the Extension OF. University Teaching.
Some idea of the hearty way In which he
has thrown himself into the work of this
society and kindred movements may be
had from the fact that his lectures and
audiences have Increased at such rapid
gait that last year he gave 400 lectures
to a quarter OF a million people. travelling
about 5000 miles to cover his engage
ments.
In his busy life Mr.. Griggs has found
the time to produce three books. The