The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-31

parts Of the city, under the auspices
 of the local school improvement asso-
 ciations. whose president in each case
 acted as chairman of the meetinc This
 series of lectures was very successful
 and the record of attendance shows an
 average of 5S mothers attending each
 Of the 40 lectures. In many instances
 young children and infants were car
 ried to the school buildings and were
 cared for by the girls of the higher
 grades, who were delighted to act as
 nurses while the mothers attended tho
 lectures. The physicians who, upon the
 request of the committed contributed
 their services and thus inaugurated one
 of Birmingham's notably praiseworthy
 services were Drs J. $. McLester, j, R. Snyder, Cabot Lull, E. M Mason T. D.
 Parke, H. S. Ward, F. A. Lupton and
 F. F. Hogan, each of whom gave five lectures.
 Illustrated Welface Lectures
 In F different centers evening welfare
 lectures were planned by the committed
 beginning in November and closing in
 May. These lectures were illustrated by
 stereoptcon views and were as rule well
 attended by school children and by older people. The one man who was indefati-
 gable in this service was the one to whom
 Birmingham is deeply indebted for work which could not be estimated nor repaid in figures-Dr. George Eaves. He was as sisted from time to time in different cen- ters by others who give much of their
 time and valuable professional experience.
 MT. McGrath. pr. Cabot Lull, pr. Ward Dr. Macon of Howard college, as well as by some of the local physicians of the school districts in which the lectures were given.
 Musical Entertainments Going farther, the committee of school principals and teachers added medical entertainments. The assistance of the mu- sical organizations of the city was se- cured, and F evening concerts were given in as many centers, outside of the cen- tral section of the city. These musicales proved to be highly appreciated and were splendidly attended. The several musical associations, such as the Music Study club, Euterpean club, Central High School Glee club and orchestra, as well as plano and music dealers and individuals contributed to these entertainments. Vitagraph Lectures
 Moving picture entertainments We're given in 12 centers and were attended by large audiences. The demand for these
 entertainments was great in all districts, and in many instances 1t was found nec- essary to give two entertainments in one evening, there being too many people to be accommodated at one time. The chief difficulty incurred in these entertainments was in securing films that were educatve and wholesome and entertaining.
 Weather Bureau Illustrated Lectures During the month of May the add.tion of 12 lectures illustrating the work of the weather bureau service was made. These were given in the evening by Mr. Edgar l c. Horton, chief of the local bureau. Mir. Horton provided slides to accompany 1 these lectures, and they proved to be one l of the most interesting and instructive | of the different series. In this case, as l in all others, no cost to the public was attached. MT. Horton contributed this feature which he alone was in position l to give, and thereby gave people in differ l ent parts of the city an opportunity to l learn something of the work of the
 weather bureau service.
 S8 Free Lectures
 These various extension courses em- braced SS lectures or entertainments given
 without charge, through the generosity of 1 Birmingham men who were specialists in | the work and instruction which they pre- scented. The courses were in charge of an extension course committee composed
 of school teachers and principals who l gave their time in planning them With l this committee, worked the local school | Improvement associaions of the various | schools. the parents who lent their sup | port toward thus increasing the useful ness oi their schools and toward mak- l Ing the school building real CIVIC center.
 | Beside these courses are the lyceum lectures given at the central high school, | the teachers study course, and the week | of lectures given each spring. All these are charge lectures, and through them are brought to Birmingham noted authorities
 or literature and on social subjects. | The same general plan was followed
 most successfully during the school year | 1913-14, and this year these extension courses are again part of the school
 work. The lectures given by the doc
 tors to mothers include talks on the three general topics, chi1drens food. health of the home, and common diseases. In the courses for the general public the addi- tion of talks on home and school gar dening is made, these talks to be given during the spring by Mr Wcathersbee, school garden supervisor. Home eco monies is the subject of a series. of after noon lectures, given at the several school centers.
 Medical Inspection In Schools l So much for the social activities of the schools. Service in another direction is
 the medical inspection that was inaugu- | rated in Birmingham six years ago. | Dr. James s. McLester and the trained nurses who are associated with him in this work have been of untold service to the city. Much of their work has
 been of such nature that it's formal | tabuation is impossible. By a word here and suggestion there, through prin- cipals, teachers, and children the work ! has reached out and has improved the health of the children and conditions in 1 homes. Ear, eye, nose and throat dis eases of the children are brought to the