The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-08
WOODLAND WOMEN
WIN SCHOOL SITE
Unusual Sight Presented at
City Hall Yesterday
MANY TALKS MADE
Commission Finally Votes Unani-
mously for Central Woodlawn
Location for Proposed
New High School

Women, If you want anything. go
after it, that's the way to get it." said
Mrs. R. Dupont Thompson yesterday at
the city hall, as the Woodlewn delegation
departed, following their triumphant two
hours with the commission, that body de-
Gliding in favor of the central Wood
lawn location for the eastern section
high school by a unanimous vote.
The vote having been taken, the COM
mission adjourned and then the process
sion started. Never before in the his
tory Of the city hall has the council
chamber so resembled the "sawdust'
trail at a camp meeting. The ladies
came forward and mounted the plat
form, some 200 in number, and one by
one shook hands with the commissions
ers. 1t was an experience meeting.
They were for every one of the COM
missioners-every one of the commits
sioners voted for their "bill'
OPENED BY CLAYTON
The meeting was opened by r. A
Clayton. in response to President Wards
invitation. and after having outlined
the fair and impartial points. as he
stated them, he called upon other
speakers to state their claims for
woodlawn. George Hays was the sec
ond speaker, followed by Mr.. Hammond
of East Birmingham. Mr.. Will Reynolds
came in at this time, and as he had
conducted all prior fight for sWoodlawn.
being chairman of the committee now.
he was asked to state the case. He
spoke briefly and asked Mr.. Clayton to
continue to preside. Mr. Rhoads r.
DUPONT Thompson, Mrs. r, Dupont
Thompson, Mrs. r. K. Sims, Mrs. T. r.
Evans Mrs. Mehan, all spoke for Wood
lawn, and the central location.
DR.. H. H. Hibbs of East Lake. pastor
of the Baptist church, addressed the
very eloquent manner He was fol-
lowed by DR.. J. M Hankins of East
Lake and DIR. G. c. Ellis of Ayondale,
and Blanton higgins of Gate City. all
of whom favored East Lake as site
for the school. Horace Wilkerson re-
torted for woodlawn, and Mrs. Basen-
berry made a statement favorable to
Woodlawn. Mrs. Thompson made a re-
joinder to DIR. Hibbs. Hugh G. Grant
made final appeal to the commission
to postpone action until East Lake could
make her side of the question clear and
get together crowd such as Woodlawn
had moved upon the city hall. and he
believed that Avondale, East Birming-
ham, Gate City and East Lake could
make even a better showing than had
been made by Woodiawn
WEATHERLY FAVORS ACTION
Commissioner Weatherly made mo-
ton that the commission settle the To-
cation of the school now, and spoke ia
voring the Woodlawn site. tumultuous
applause greeting his remarks. Mr..
weatherly concluded his speech with
these remarks. IT would to God that
you could get the men to take the inter-
est in civic matters that you women
have shown here today
Commissioner Hornady stated that he
had made close personal investigation
and tried to keep his ears closed to the
old folks and his eyes open for the
young folks. and that the conclusion
reached was that Woodlawn was the
logical place for the school.
Commissioner Truss agreed with the
other two commissioners and stated that
one difficulty with the present site was
the lack of adequate storm sewers.
which the commission stated they would
fix Mr.. Barber favored Woodlawn, but
no particular site. stating that he
thought the people of Woodlawn ought
to exercise care in selecting the site.
President Ward made speech in favor
of the Woodlawn site. but stated that
he was not sure that the commission was
acting wisely, but II the people wanted
| 1t he was for it, as it was his intention
to please the majority.
1t was decided by the commission to
take up the final site in conference at
once. and in few days they expect to
announce the site chosen.