The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-27
For the Good of
the Community


an auditorium of sufficient seating ca
pacity to accommodate the largest con-
ventlons if present plans are carried out.
In past years Birmingham has enter
tanned some very large conventions, but
not as many as her size, central location
and transportation facilities would indi-
cate. Other cities less favorably situated
and with less attractions have more con-
ventions
There is reason for this. The other
cities advertise, not only in newspapers !,
and magazines and by circulars but
through appropriate bureaus, Keep them
selves prominently and continuously be-
fore the public eye
The chambers of commerce. CONNER
cial clubs and similar civic bodies main
tain convention bureaus as part of their
organizations. The heads of these bu-
reaus keep tab on all conventions Of more
than local interest and have representa-
tives on hand with invitations for the next
year.
They go to these conventions armed
with data as to their respective cities re-
lating to every institution, enterprise or
activity that is likely to interest a
stranger. They are prepared to answer
any and all questions likely to be asked
and to add all other information that may
be of interest.
Birmingham has as good hotels as are
usually found in cities of similar SIZE
They are modern in construction, ar
rangement and equipment She has beau
tiful homes, beautiful residence districts,
big industrial plants to interest strangers,
and good streets and roads over which
they may ride for diversion and recrea-
ton.
Birmingham can offer as many attrac-
tons and inducements to conventions as
any other city.
The Chamber of Commerce and the
Civic association were organized to pro-
mote the interests of Birmingham They
have never so far as the writer knows,
attempted any convention work further
than to extend formal invitations, which
usually amount to nothing unless backed
up by personal effort
Outside of publishing few pamphlets
or circulars they have done little or no adj
vertising. So far as their activities go
Birmingham is little known to the average
reader or the great majority of persons
who attend conventions. Tourists en-
route from north, east or west to the south
do not include Birmingham among their
SCOpplIlS Oil pldCeS lOT Lllc Simple red
son they know little or nothing of Bir-
mingham; their knowledge of Birming-
ham is limited to the little they have read
or heard in a casual way of Birmingham
as the center of coal and iron district,
and they are not interested in these.
1t is time these two organizations, both
differed and managed by live, progress
sive men Of affairs should get into the
publicity game. Circulars and pamphlets,
telling what Birmingham is and has,
serve a good purpose. They should be
continued, but they ought to be supple
mented with personal effort exerted
through bureau maintained for the pur-
pose Of keeping in touch with the balance
of the country and to disseminate infor-
nation about Birmingham that cannot be
collected and put in type in any form.
Birmingham is expecting much Of her
Chamber of Commerce and Civic associa-
ton, and would not like to be disap-
pointed in either
Birmingham people are contributing
close to 100000 year to these two in
situations and they expect reasonable re-
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