The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-28

'The education that aims at mere scholarly requirements, rather than useful intelligence, will have to step down and out. The world needs compe tent men; then if their hearts are right culture will come as matter of course"
 We too often misconstrue the pro- vince of culture, and confine the true meaning to pleasing scenes or the beau tiful arts, and thus obstruct it's use fitness in practical service.
 In a conversational way we assume that culture is the simple system of storing. the brain with technique, the sciences and methods, molding such substances as educate us for mental exercise only. In a measure we are right, the mind is the designer of all action, but the real value of culture is in the dissemination of it's force-the giving forth it's best influences, thus refining the moral and training the world at large by example.
 Webster defines culture as physical improvement as well as enlightenment also as discipline, acquired by mental and moral training. Thus he gives a very broad meaning to the word, and makes it a factor in social service, whereby it becomes a civic asset. The greatest hindrance to civic growth is the narrow circle in which we live. Opportunity, education, even comforta- ble circumstances have kept us within the circumference of our own circle and we do not look beyond, out upon the masses to recognize the growth of the people, to know that the greater part of the world is reaching out to catch the inspiration of cultivation, to grasp the influence of higher ideals This can be attributed to varied sources to the growth in civic pride to the individual effort or the oppor- tunity offered through the free school. the night school and also the demands for preparedness in business.
 The civic world is the one we make by opportunities or spoil by the lack of making the best of them. Each in dividual has some influence. some privi- lege, some duty in their own sphere. The culture of good or evil leaves an impress on the community dependent upon it's citizenship for it's veal or woe
 Culture means a stirring up, to make grown in it's literal sense. Every organ of man or beast either develops or dwarfs, there is no standing still Ma ture must produce. We only remain an atom or become a magnate as we grasp opportunity and extend it; giving in re- turn service the best that is in us, then our culture is a civic asset
 Culture is the living spirit of the world today; it pervades the home the farm the village, the field and the shop. It is even in the air, for there is no phase of culture which has attracted more scien- tific respect and attention than the germ, whose progress has awakened the earth with new fangled pains.
 Every corner of the world grows weeds; not only weeds that spring up through the earth in our fields and parks and on our highways. but human weeds with out training and without purpose. The former can be eliminated with hoe. but the latter are wasting. Too advanced In growth to be trained in the schoolroom. too fatigued for labor, too hungry for hope. This is true word picture, were I an artist, I could paint the scene as see it every day. Place the situation side by side with culture; the one is a charge; the other an asset.
 The world is one great patch and look ing over the field, working or idling are human creatures. it is not hard to sepa- rate the worthless from the worthy. The man using his head. and the one. simply