The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-25
M E N, w o M E N
 A ND T HIN c s

after sthe inaugural exercises I am
 afraid will hold it always in memory
 as bustling scene of activity.
 I have a faint recollection of Gold
 smiths Sweet Auburn" but just for
 the moment can't recall enough of it to fill out this paragraph. and as l haven't the energy to look it up in selection of poems, or fish for it among his works, I'll just try to get along
 without on the theory that the Au-
 burnites are fed up on it, and the gen.
 eral public not craving poetry.
 l Auburn on Monday and Tuesday was >the political and educational mecca
 both for the state, the south, and, in of the country. Monday was most i unpleasant day. and the atmosphere being heavy, it was really hard to be cheerful even over such splendid ed-
 ucational spread as was laid out for those called to the feast
 1 Tuesday it was day to make one in
 love with the whole world, for the air
 was tonic, the sunshine an inspira-
 tion, and the blue of the heavens a
 call to worship. The God of nature
 had set the stage on a generous plan, and the men and women of Auburn had
 done their part in preparing for the pleasure and the comfort of those in- vited to the inaugural ceremonies. |
 From the coming of the fast train
 from Montgomery on Tuesday morning
 at 10 o'clock things began to happen lively and there wasn't dull moment until the special pulled out for the cap
 ital city at midnight The military pa-
 rade was the first thing on the pro- gramme after Auburn had turned out
 at the depot to give personal attention l to every one who had accepted the in- vitation to spend the day within its borders.
 l l know that the. city writer is often
 misled into speaking ironically of the 1 small town man" as one apart from the wide experience of the cosmo
 politan; and yet some of the most pro- vincial persons have ever known were l those who all their lives had lived in
 a great metropolis, while on the other hand some of the broadest-minded peo-
 pie I have ever met have lived in vil- l lages.
 1 Say what you please, there is a cer-
 tain repose of manner, an indescribable air of hospitality, appealing charm of culture which characterizes the men and women reared in small college
 town which is never found in great business center. This is why the su- percillious patronage of the cosm opoli-
 tan writers who seem to pity the in- habitants of small towns as sitting in
 the twilight zone" is both without knowledge and in bad taste.
 1 am convinced after having lived | both in small towns and great cities, that the so-called "small-town soul" as | far as souls can be described in the ma
 terial terms of dimension, is at least twice the size of the ''big town soul" | for soul culture is not hastened by l going the pace that kills. but is de- veloped under livable conditions where men and women have some leisure time in which they can cultivate the things which the soul feeds upon.
 I It's a good thing. however, ever now and then for the big outside world to come rudely in and shake up the quie- l tude of the routine life of the small
 town. Tuesday was Auburn's big day.
 it was being shocked by the jar of crowds gathered from the four points I of the compass. and was enjoying. the sensation. There was holiday spirit prevailing the entire community and | one was caught in it the moment he stepped off the train.
 l It takes little town to show a big town a thing or two in hospitality Au- 1 tomobiles were in waiting for every one. The doors of homes swung wide.
 it was an all- mbracing old-time exhibi- ttion of southern hospitality. The free dom of the city was not given to just one outstanding individual as is the custom in the great cities, but was ex-
 tended to one and all alike. The un-
 known was treated with the same un- varying custom as the man of reputa- tion. It was lesson in true democ- racy.
 l After the parade the governor, off cials of state. college authorities. and ! whosoever wanted to assembled on the 1 library steps while pictures were taken
 to preserve for future generations the faces of those present at the inaugural exercises. Governor Kilby, noticing some prominent candidates for state
 offices rather standing outside the fo-
 GUS of the camera, laughingly said:
 Better get a little closer, so you'll be used to it when you have to stand in
 the center of the stage"
 l I'll admit I had expected to spend a couple of trying hours during the in- l stallation exercises, for somehow, A always is bit wearying to me to sit
 under addresses prepared for great oc-
 casion, for as rule they are pitched
 above my plane of thinking. What was my surprise to find that there wasn't a dull minute during the ceremonies from the invocation until the benedic- l ton. I was keenly interested from
 was sitting in on such historic cc-
 casion,
 know it Is not customary to make comment on prayers like it is upon ser- mons. and yet prayer, the prelude of the sermon, is the moment in which preacher and congregation are getting in tune with the infinite. I have heard many public prayers on all kinds of oc- casion, but I unhesitatingly say that the invocation of Rev. w. c. Mcdowell IT,. was one of the most wonderful ones
 that evAr heard fall from the lips of any preacher. It was uplifting deeply
 spiritual and at the same time human. 1 The address by Dr. c. s. Capen, di- rector of the American Council on New Problems in Higher Education" was g facts and an Stimulating handling of them. while the paper on "The College Student" by pr. Edwin F. Sparks, | nrnSidont nmarjfus If PannSviva nfp