The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-18
OVATION GREETS WAR HERO
ON HIS VISIT TO BIRMINGHAM
Sergeant York Has Busy
Day as G"nT+ -.otarians
ana His Eighty-Second
Division Comrades, Con-
Guiding With Address at
Jefferson - Accompanied
by Wife
BY ROY l.. SMART


Long and loud ovations greeted Alvin
c. York where he appeared in Birming-
ham yesterday. The peerless hero of
the world war with his reticent wife
always at his side responded modestly
and patiently endured the glare of the
limelight to which he was subjected.
Always patient, even if at times bored
the famous Tennesseean, former plow-
man, blacksmith, deacon of the Chris
tan church at Pail Mall. and at one
time conscientious objector to war. but
later the captor of a German machine
gun battalion and slayer of more than
score of Hun foremen, was always
well poised and brief in his remarks.
At the station yesterday NOR
was met by a joint committee from the
Rotary club under whose auspicies he
came to Birmingham, and the local or
ganization of send division men headed
by Col Champion Harris From then
on he was besefged by reporters, pho
tographers and citizens to see and
meet him, and except for a few brief
moments he was in his room he was
After breakfast he was taken for an
automobile ride over the city by the
entertainment committee from the Send
division and the Rotary club.
tumultuous ovation was given him
as he entered the ballroom of the Tut
wiler for the luncheon of the Rotary
club shortly after l o'clock yesterday
afternoon when every person in the
room stood to greet the greatest Ameri-
can hero of the war, and continued to
cheer long after he had reached his
place on the speakers stand.
He was introduced for short speech
by Prof. G. w. Dyer. of Vanderbilt
university, who accompanied him here.
The former sergeant was a striking
picture of health and strength when he
arose for his few remarks. He stood
with his hands interlocked behind him,
fingers plying betyeen each other as he
spoke and swayed his sturdy form from
side to side. His ruddy complexion,
red hair and mustache were less notice
able than the steady, unavoidable gaze
from large blue eyes that always
glistened with the glimn1er of freshly
polished steel and that set deep under
well shaped and prominent brow
Heavy eyebrows lent strength to his
appearance and he talked slowly and
simply about school and his fellow
mountaineers--not about killing Ger
mans or the glory due hero.
The simplicity of his remarks to-
gether with the unusualness of his
phrases and accent and the quaint way
in which the words or sentences were
arranged made his talk most interest
ing to the crowded audience that heard
him.
He expressed his gratitude to the
Rotarians and told of his mission I
am giving my time to the founding of
a school for the boys and girls of the
country where-I live" he said in steady
expressive tones. IT am only a poor
country boy and my time is all have
The people in my country have no
schools and have no opportunity to get
an education and they will have little
chance in life without one. I want
to sec school established there where
they can go whether they have money
or not
Sergeant York said that he had been
offered $1,000 a day by moving picture
interests and had been offered $4,000
to sign a contract.
This seemed to be pretty good
1t was explained that the York school
is to have about 200 acres of ground
and several school buildings where
the mountaineers can be taught from
the first grade through the twelfth
II did not accept any of the large
offers because I wanted to help the
people at my home to get an educa-
ton which 1 could not get" the hero
said, as he turned from side to side.
facing first one and then the other end
of the hall Il had rather see these
children go pattering to and from
school than to have a half million
dollars and see them without schools"
This was his closing remark and the
applause that followed was an ovation
Wives of the members of the Rotary
club had been invited to the luncheon
and they. with other visitors and mem
bers of the club filled the ballroom al
most to it's capacity.
| Mrs. York was introduced by Presi-
dent Morris w. Bush. to which she re-
sponded with slight bow.
Sergeant York was the guest OF
honor at a dinner given by members
of his. the S2nd division at the Tut
hwiler at. $50 o'clock last night. A
| great crowd heard his discourse at the
Jefferson theatre. where he told of his
victory over the Germans and of other
incidents in the fighting in the Ar
gonne.