The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-07


air. All the men, women and children
of the neighborhood are invited to
join in and in this way an entire COM
munity becomes to a certain degree
musical. 1t is not great music, but
it leads to something higher. At any
rate it is all part of we'll devised
plan to enlist the masses in broadly
humanizing movement.
The tentative programme for the
biennial convention of the Federation
of Music Clubs, which will be held in
Birmingham next April, embraces a
community concert on Sunday after
noon in Capitol park. In the mean
while every school should form the
nucleus of a community chorus for
frequent service of song in various
sections of the city. Birmingham
must keep up with the fashion i'll
community singing as we'll as in SYM
phony, grand opera and artist recitals.
m HE Providence Journal pays de-
i served tribute to the old-fash-
Toned fire engine, sadly Anticipated
now and merely preserved as a relic
of other days. The hand-power ma
chine and the hose reel have not vet
joined h e
When Volunteer Fireman dodo, h t
Was in His Prime extinct bird
specimens are still to be found, but
fire fighting has made such rapid
strides that they seem sadly ineffi-
cient and but poor makeshift affairs
The fireman has always been 10
mantle person and his work has stirred
the imagination of old and young
alike. The modern fire department is
still picturesque feature of urban
life. A town never gets too big or
too blase to become excited when
the huge motor-driven engines, hose
wagons, ladder trucks and other ap-
paratus thunder down the crowded
streets, paralyzing traffic and draw
ing the eyes of all observers.
But in the old days of the volunteer
fireman, who was often a citizen
prominent in other ways, there was
an additional interest, because we
knew him. He may have lived on the
same block with US. His personal
prowess was theme of conversation
when the boys of the neighborhood
met to discuss the latest fire.
The quaint hose reel of those times,
though bravely painted and rather
graceful, too, was like toy in COM
parison with the fire fighting appa-
ratus of the present. Yet, then as
now, no parade, except circus pa
rade, was complete and unqualified
success without the fire department.
The volunteers in their crimson shirts
and helmets, score or more of them
pulling the hose reel behind them,
was ever an inspiring sight. But the
march of progress swept all that
away. The modern fireman is an ex-
pert and devotes his life to the haz-
ardous calling.
- October-5th to the 14th, in
clusive-will be, to a larger extent
than ever, combination Of exhibits
of educational value and novelties of
the amusement world. Last years
fair was a, great
Will Have Great success from the
Fair in October viewpoint of all
that goes to make
these events attractive. The cattle
exhibits were the largest and finest
ever seen here up to that time, but
they will be even more extensive and
more interesting at the coming fair.
Live stock of every kind will be more
in evidence this year than usual and
the marked improvement in breeding
will have an excellent effect on Ala
bama's animal husbandry in general.
The farmers in the black belt have
sustained heavy losses from the boil
weevil and the excessive rainfall in
July, but many of them will be able
to make creditable exhibits at the
fair. The state taken as a whole will
assemble a splendid display of farm
products. The horse racing will be of
a very high class and the "free acts"
will be the most thrilling ever seen
here.
1t used to be that southern fairs
were never quite up to some of those
held in certain northern states. That
day has passed, at least so far as Biz
mingham goes. Not many of the
northern agricultural shows measure
up to our State Fair. In recent years
it has been we'll advertised through