The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-10-24

! mingle except with the schools
"elect"--that these Paul Hayne chill
dren had not grown up all in the
same neighborhood" sas had those in
the college area, where my father
had then but recently gone to found
his school.
Oh, no, nothing Is poky as that
They had come from all parts of
the universel Some of them were
very wealthy and some of them the
scum of the EARTH" whatever that
was Many of them were dark-eyed
Greeks and Italians; and some were
the children of men who sold fish
sandwiches.
And Others!
Still others were from England
misty, cold rainy land across stormy
waters filled with treaeherous sharks
and things. And still others were
from Canada, where it showed till 1t
buried people in their houses and
they couldn't get out. And yet more
were from South America, where
huge snakes, like those in the jog
erfy," leaned lovingly out of tree
and Rugged you to death whether
you were of an affectionate DISPOSE
ton or not.
So emembering-just remember
ing-that's why 1 turned my back
yesterday upon every other school of
Birmingham and went to the Paul
Hayne to begin this series Of articles
on how things have changed since l
was a kid and the differences in the
schools.
l felt uplifted as 1 went in under
the Paul Hayne arch, which still
! reads Grammar school, in marble
xly,t4 frnr
| thinking of the old saying that II a
person wants to do thing badly
enough, he really finally does it,
Thus, 1 guess, all these years my
subconscious mind has been really
| Jerking me on to the day when |
actually would enroll as a pupil at
| Paul Hayne-this 14-year old day!
! l called myself IA because that is
about the age of all the other pupils.
L went inside. 1 rubbed my eyes.
Conc were "bitty" children
with whom l was to play stiff
starch; from whom l was to hear
such wondrous tales. Even the
school yard was gone because years
ago q big annex has been built upon
| 1t
Very Serious Youngsters
Here were sober minded high
school boys and girls. who had for
gotten all about the South American
snakes II they had ever heard of
them. One girl was powdering her
nose and looking in a small mirror.
That was so mild to what | ex-
pected I had expected to hear
stories even of discus throwersl
l fastened to be enrolled by Miss
Ruth Norton in the private office of
| the assistant principal of Central
High--Chester Bandman-and re-
ceiving my card, showing 1 was to Of
ficially take the ARTS" course, which
| included Latin, mathematics, English
and science. and things on the side
like drawing, vocal. gymnasium or
r. o. T. c.
Briefly, 1 could see at glance
how things had changed.
Instead of going in and standing
around the teachers desk-the
teacher that taught me everything
was going to be introduced to the
entire galaxy of instructors. My
first lesson was to be with Miss Vera
| Thomas. and 1t was science.
Shivers
Mercy" thought, what is
science? remember taking it
| somewhere along-but whether 1t
was in university or the Birmingham
| seminary. blest If / know now"
l squared myself within my desk
| and began to SILVER. We were to
| tell all about dynamos and the
| principle of the telephone. l thought
| to myself. when / was Ia years
old. were there any dynamos?" and
then looked around quickly for
| fear someone had heard that thought
Then the first big thing that my
J school consciousness registered was
that, no mater how things changed
the cold perspiration that used to
| start when you were fitting before
| teacher unprepared for your recita-
| ton hadn't changed a gnat's hang
nail.
The story will be continued In the
| next article.)