The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-07
"AUDITORIUM" TALK
HHnT was with the greatest interest 1
 that 1 read the very timely and


 able editorial in Tuesdays (yesterday's) Age-Herald entitled, What Has Become of Auditorium PlansT for it struck the keynote Of many a discussion that is going on every day when-two or three are gath cred together on some big civic or edu- cational project"
 Mrs. Richard r. Johnston prefaced her conversation with me yesterday in re- gard to things musical and otherwise with the foregoing sentence, declaring that none knew better than she just what a tremendous fight had been wageds for an auditorium in Birming- ham ever since the days way back yons der when Birmingham was merely an infant in arms.
 Mrs. Johnson is identified with all the big interests of Birmingham and Ala bama in the highest and most cultured sense. Since her girlhood days, as love- ly Lillian Miles, she has been inter ested in music and educational matters. She always gave generously of her own talents then, as now, her beautiful voice being remembered as one of the leading adjuncts of the First Baptist church choir when ''Volunteers" gave their services in all the meaning that the word implies, without money and with out price.
 Mrs. Johnston, with 8 little group of three other prominent women, Mrs. Oli- yer Chalifoux. Mrs. Julia Neely Finch and Mrs. Laura Jackson Davids, organ ized the present great and influential Music Study club of Birmingham; Mrs. ChaIifoux was the first president; Mrs c. P. Lowell, following her, and Mrs Johnston then assuming the responsible position, now so ably filled by Mrs Victor H. Hanson.
 From the day of the organization of the Music Study club until the pres ent hour l have never ceased to work for an auditorium for Brming gham, realizing the great need of such building for this community. Indeed, the present 'all-star concerts which Mrs Shipman and l have elected to sponsor has been done largely with an eye to stimulating interest in the build ing of an auditorium and proving to the citizens of this great and thriving city just how much we need one. -Four years ago, as chairman of the auditorium committee of the Music Study club l went before the leading business men of this city and urged them to see how greatly we need an auditorium, so it is plainly seen that l have given my best efforts in every way to promote the plan ever since l have worked with music and educational measures. During my work as state dl- rector (Alabama) of the w. $. S., com ing in contast as l did with prominent men and women all over the sixth fed eral reserve district, l was more i'm pressed than ever with the lamentable D rI,. h. n ium, for in many instances where meet ings and large assemblage were need ed always the cry came: But Birming- ham has no auditorium.
 "For several years Mrs. Shipman and [ have had in our minds the eStapllsh- . ment of a series of musical affairs for Birmingham" Mrs. Johnston said, but each year we were deterred because nothing in the way of an auditorium which meant popular prices. maternal ized However we took heart of grace last autumn when (to quote The Age | Herald's editorial of Tuesday, the proposition was put up to the city com missioners and an election was held, at which the question of a bond issue l for the purpose of building an audi torium was put up to the voters The proposition carried by large majority. That was in August. so we dec1deu to start our 'all-star concerts this sea | son. feeling that within the year we
 would have the auditorium so that we could bring the greatest artists in the ! world to Birmingham. the greatest symphony orchestras and the greatest | bands al popular prices.
 1 "It would be an interesting volume II we were to relate the proposition that we have been up against" Mrs. John l ston said with the big concert man. agers. The minute we say we want 1 Galli- i-Curci, John Mccormack. Caruso and the rest, they exclaim: 'Birming-