The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-04
Bronze Tablet Unveiled to Shockley's Escort Pre-
 ceding Exercises
ABLE ADDRESS MADE
 BY REV. H. M. EDMONDS
Following Commencement Address Dr. Denny Confers Degrees. Three Received Honorary De-
 gree of Doctor of Laws
By LEON c. BRADLEY

Tuscaloosa, June 3.-(Special.)-Th reg p hlar exercises of the University of Ala bama commencement came to a close to- t day with the delivery of the baccalaureate address by the Rev. H. M. Edmonds of 4 Birmingham and the presentation of the diplomas to the graduating class by President Denny Degrees were con- ferred upon 97 young men and young women. 10 of this number being from Birmingham. -
 Bronze Tablet Unveiled Preceding the graduating exercises, a bronze tablet in memory of Shockley's s cadet escort was unveiled and presented [ to the university. Shockley's escort was k one of the two distinctively cadet com panies which went from the university to serve in the Confederate ranks. The "Yallerhammers,' a society composed of descendants of the members of the Shockley company, presented the tablet to the university. Miss Steiner. presi- dent of the organization, told of how the tablet was provided. and the speech of presentation was made by Col. Sam Will John President Denny, in brief and appropriate talk, accepted the tablet on behalf of the university. The names of the members of the company as well as a suitable inscription are engraved on the memorial.
 Dr.. Edmonds Speaker The address of pr. Edmonds was pro- nounced one of the ablest and most in- terestng commencement speeches heard here in years. It was unusual for the simplicity of its style and for the manner in which it gripped the attention of the entire audience
 The subject of Dr. Edmonds address
 was; Some Educational. Idealss The
 first of the ideals which the speaker dis Ycussed was that the educated young man tor woman should be able to discern
 beauty. He should be able to look into a mud puddle and be able to see there
 something more than mud. To be able
 to discern beauty in the commonplace
 things of life is not merely source of
 pleasure. he said. but also mark of eff
 ficiency. You may not believe it." he
 said, but we are commonplace people
 
 work of life. We must therefore be able
 to find beauty in the commonplace" Dr.
 Edmonds, to illustrate his point told how
 he had gone from place to place expecting
 to find life. But everywhere he went he said, he found people who declared that there was nothing interesting in the par ticular place, nothing to do, nothing to Ssee He reached the climax when he told fof New York man who had said to him
 that New York was the dullest place in
 the world. If you don't do the job that
 Is before you, no matter where you may
 be, you will not do it anywhere"
 The second ideal which Dr. Edmonds
 held up was that of cherishing convic- tons. man must have some iron in his
 makeup. There is no cause for us to doubt of Alabama's material welfare and development. The question is, said the speaker, will Alabama's young men and young women have the spiritual back bone to support the flesh of material develop ment? We ought to have some convic- tions for which we are willing to die. It i Is Tar nobler for man to realize that man must die than that man must live. Dedication to service was the third ideal V which the speaker held up We are in the midst of serving universe. Every thing, every creature must serve or be cast out. Why do teachers come knock ing at the doors of school rooms?" asked the speaker. Service calls them. You cannot get away from the universal law of service"
 Same Laws and Service
 In conclusion, Dr. Edmonds pointed out some of the laws of service. The first of these was that we serve not by what we have, but by what we are. We must be what we are, free from the tyranny of convention, standing four square to the world and making our own precedents. Conventions and precedents are made for man. and not man for conventions A eecond essential Is that man must come clean for service. Vice disintegrates per- Bonality. There is no scorn, he said, like the scorn of the vicious for those who themselves are unclean, but who would preach to others of evil. Personality was the third requisite that he pointed out 
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