The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-03
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Education is a byword, not only II the secular, but the religious world.
 Our common schools, our county higl schools, our district agricultural schools our normal schools. yes. our great schoo for women at Montevallo, the older ones like Auburn and the one at Tuscaloosa arc crying for better support if they are to serve the state.
 If the situation of the state supported of those supported by the various denom- nations. To come close home, take the cases of the Howard, or Baptist, college and Birmingham, Methodist institu- ton
 1 But this is not to be & general discus sion of schools and colleges, but to lead up to great and perplexing question | which the North Alabama conference had 1 to meet and did face on Friday morning. bringing out majority and minority re- port and some of the leading men in the 1 denomination to their feet in trying to solve 1t in a way to conserve the inter- ests of both Greensboro and Birming- l ham and Alabama Methodism. 1 Some of the older Baptists would have felt as if they were reviewing Baptist history If they had been present to hear the debate. They would have recalled the days in the convention when the question of moving Howard college from Marion i, to East Lake was the cause of much feel ing.
 It isn't, however, a Baptist fight, and 1 I have no right or wish to get into It, for I've got sense enough to know that get the worst of it. So I'm going to let the Methodists settle It without any Bap- tist advice.
 I know this, however, that when you talk about closing up or removing a col- lege you go up against financial difficult ties; you tackle not merely the interests of the community. In which the institu- ton has found home, but you frequent ly arouse the antagonisms of those who call the college their alma mater. It takes a spirit of self sacrifice to do it.
 It was brought out on the floor of the conference that neither the Southern uni- versity at Greensboro as well as Birrning- ham college in our midst were without any proper endowment and that each
 
 penses.
 This condition was the cause of talk of unification. Dr. Branscomb aptly put the case by the story of John and Mary. John was an old bachelor on an adjoining farm, with no one to look after him, while Mary had B good farm and no one to work 1t. John needed Mary and Mary needed John. It was so self evident that John got the license and Mary moved in to bless him and start real home.
 It seems in this case it's the Birming- ham college that has been doing tho counting, but the Southern university, while being shy, has been willing to keep up the filtration until her wooer can show that he is financially able to care for all her wants and give her proper status in the educational world.
 Now, this is just what the Birmingham college says 1t is ready to do in the mar riage settlement. Here is a part of the majority report:
 The North Alabama conference agrees to deed to the Alabama conference an undivided one-half interest in the campus of Birmingham college, at Birmingham. containing 70 acres, more or less, together with all buildings, furnishings and equip ment situated on said campus and used in said buildings.
 Tn addition. the North Alabama confer ence agrees to erect Gas the next unit In 8 landscape scheme of 23 buildings) an additional dormitory, modern In every respect, to cost when completed and fur nished not less than s4o,Oo0-all to be done without any financial liability on the part of the Alabama conference.
 Further the North Alabama confer ence will press its campaign for endow- ment until $1oO,000 has been secured, in dependent of any sum for endowment which may come from or be raised by the Alabama conference, and on or before June 1, 191S the board of trustes of the Birmingham college will give to the joint commission herein to be created, satis- factory assurance that this endowment will be available.
 Of course, Birmingham will welcome the union, as the contracting parties are ex- pected to make their home in its midst.
 The Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and the Birmingham Civic association join in the invitation to the Alabama con ference to unite and promise to cooper ate with the North Alabama conference in raising the sl0oooO necessary to con- summate the plan
 AaajhN<XIMa,u1M.
 LUKE M'LUKE SAYS
 Just because you didn't have to pay to pet in iS no sign that yOu won't have fo