The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-06

tinguishlng feature that belongs partic-
ularly to that school.
At Crestline Heights school this char
acteristic is the exceptionally good spirit
of the community toward the school, and
the effectiveness of the school in the
| community.
| Too often patrons of a school have only
a vague idea of what the school is doing,
| of what it means to their children, and
of their duty toward it, 1t is just the
school," and it remains "the school," an
abstract nonentity that is by no means
a vital part of the community an invest
ment that brings no returns.
| This is not the case at Crestline
| Heights. There the school is really the
community, and is a practical ilustra-
ton of the ideal school plant that is an
! asset to the town.
| Crestlne Heights as you know, is four
miles from Birmingham, just over the
mountain in Shades valley, and Is con-
nected with the city by a macadamzed
road that enters Highland avenue at Iro-
| quois street. 1t Is a beautiful section
| with a location that is suggested in its
name. The air is clear and pure, as 1t Is
| only on the mountains. In summer the
/
green foliage of wild Cherokee rose bushes
Z, frightened by the lovely single white
| roses with delicate yellow centers A
| few weeks ago the view in every direc-
| ton showed a mass of autumn color just
| suggesting the brown that now predomi-
mates and makes a pretty winter scene.
1t has been chosen for the summer
homes of several Birmingham people who
are in town for the winter, and for the
permanent home of others who go Ill
and out daily In the community are
| farms, dairies and poultry yards. 1t Is
a well-to-do and self-reiant neighbor-
hood, and the school is justly its pride.
Embodying the spirit of cooperation be-
tween the school and the community is
| the annual fair and exhibit which is held
at the school building on the day fol-
| lowing Thanksgiving. AS the community
| is largely agricultural the school gives es-
pecial attention to encouraging domestic
and household arts and farm industries,
and features these things in the annual
fair. j. A. Harper, who has been prin-
cipal of the school for six years, has en-
phasized this work. particularly in the
upper grades; and in it he has the as
sistance of the other teachers, the Misses
Baker, and of the community at large.
Sheriff McAdory and w. r. Frye, whose
poultry farm is at Crestline Heights,
gave some 80 school children each a set
ting of fine Orpington eggs, and in this
way they were starting in raising thor
| oughbred chickens. The poultry club has
been the best in school, with tomato
| club following and now completing it's first
successful year, the drouth having killed
the tomatoes last year. A flower club
| has been a chief interest of some of the
| girls. Several ladies gave them cuttings
and roots of flowers and plants from their
| yards, and taught the girls how to root
and cultivate the flowers.
Sewing was taught in the same way
and cooking was taught 1T home as a
| home industry of the school, The school
and the homes are drawn together and
every home task or accomplishment of
| the children is recognized at The school,
While the school and it's activities IRE
| closely associated with the home life
| of the children and of their parents, too.
| For example, the school has an excel
| lent library of books for older people
as we'll as for children, and this is open
| to the entire community. Anyone who
wants to use these books may do so,
| his record being kept on a page of the
| library roll book. On the other hand
when the school needs something from
the community it is necessary only to
ask for it, When the school wanted to
have the girls taught needlework. Mrs.
Herring, the grandmother of several of
the school children and an expert needle
| woman, gave her services with q class
of girls.
| All of this work has been in progress
for year or more in anticipation of the
! fair, and on the Friday after Thanksgiv-
| ing Day it was held, in the schoolhouse.
| Beside containing the exhibits of tho
| fair. the schoolhouse bore evidence of
| the community's work, for 1t has re-
Gently been furnished with new patent
| desks for teachers and pupils, new
| stove has been bought for one of the
rooms, and the exterior has been painted
| The paint is in light neutral shade
with dark brown trimmings; the window
| shades are a dull olive, and the effect
is very pleasing. This is work of the
schoolimprovement association of which
Mrs Powell Baker is president Mrs.
Harry Chaplin vice president, Mrs. c. J.
Logan secretary, and Mrs. Walter Poole
treasurer. This association ranks as one
of the strongest supports of the school.
On the day of the fair the ladies sold
delicious lunches and also had a booth
of articles for sale, for the Improvement
| fund
| The booth was in the principals room,
where was also a large display Of needle
work and crochet done by several ladies.
| Two handsome lunch cloths were the
work of Mrs Herring, who taught the
schoolgirls class in needlework. and
| beautifully worked fillet piece was Mrs.
| Harpers. Mrs. Croker had a number of
pieces of crochet and there were several
collar and cuff sets. dressing table
| basket Of macrame cord, made by Mrs.
Tate was especially admired, was a
daintily embroidered baby dress made by
Mrs. W. W. Wells.
Another exhibit with the ladies work
was the water color scenes done by Mrs.
II. A. Fullword the prettiest of which
was winter woods scene.
Several quilts were exhibited, and there
was a hand woven counterpart with
handmade fringe, and an old. old COW
erlet. They were made nearly 100 years
ago by Mrs. Thomas T. Wilson, the great
grandmother of one of the schoolgirls,
from cotton raised on Mrs. Wilson's
| fathers plantation in Shelby county. 1t
was seeded by hand. combed on hand
cards. spun and reeled on hand mill,
woven Into cloth at home. and Mrs. Will
son not only worked but designed the pat
tern with which the coverlet is decorated.
The counterpart Is woven in what Ii
called cats paw" pattern and Is quaint
and pretty, the handmade fringe giving
it added value
Other exhibits were cakes, biscuits.
kitchen aprons and handkerchiefs, all
| made by the schoolgirls; and on the
porch was the poultry exhibit represent
| Ing some results Of the childrens work
after years experience. The children
who raised the chickens are Earl Bender,
John Limbaugh. John Baumgarten. Ern-
est Chandler, Lalla Chandler. Harry Her
| ring, Jewel Harper and Jessie Payne.
The chickens were Rhode Island Reds,
'Bantams, Black Coachins and others, and
| coop of guineas. one of beautiful pigeons
and two OF rabbits. The chickens were
I ~l~s.