The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-01
DIR. C0RS0N SAYS
SCHOOLS ARE C|TY'S
GREATEST ASSE I
Tells Class Not To Go To COL
lege Unless They Mean
To Work Hard

Standing at the front of the stage
of the new John Herbert Phillips
High school, Thursday night with a
sea of human faces before him in
the audience which numbered APP
proximately $500 people, and which
packed the side isles and the back
of the auditorium to the doors, and
with mountain of human faces on
tiers of raised benches on the stage
/ behind him in the 439 members of
the graduating classes of Birming
ham high schools, DR.. O. T. Corson,
educator of national fame, at the
united commencement exercises OF
the three Birmingham high schools,
Central. Ensley and Woodlawn, con-
graduated the puzzle of Birmn CHAM
on the support given the educational
system of the city. We eXhorted the
graduating pupils to live pure lives
of usefulness, and to honor their
fathers and mothers, and the school
wherein they were educated, and as
a fitting summary pointed to the
differences between schooling and
education by saying that some peo-
pie obtain great educations without
ever attending schools at all while
others are subjected to schooling all
their lives without ever catching the
germ of education, and withal was
heartily applauded for his sentiment.
Great Crowd Present.
There were probably in the
reighborhood of 1000 people packed
into the auditorium, every seat be.
ing occupied. and throngs banked
in the isles and at the back of the
great hall to such an extent that
ushers were cautioned to keep the
isles open to comply with fire pro-
in addition more than 500 people
= seated on the stage. Outside of the
school building, automobiles were
parked along all streets in the near
vicinity of the nigh school and traf-
fic was greatly congested when the
great flood of humanity swept out
of the high school and into the
streets leading away from the mann
moth building.
At a late hour Thursday night
all lights were out, and there was
no sign of the multitude of people
which had crowded the halls of the
building only such short time
before.
The graduation exercises which
were held in the auditorium began
at Sis o'clock. Seated IN line
across the stage were we'll known
educators of Birmingham, and speak
ers for the occasion. In the orches-
trail pit Immediately in front of the
speakers rostrum were members OF
the combined orchGstras of the three
high schools, while at the mldole anu
lack of the stage were the members
of the graduating classes clad IN
their caps and gowns, and seated on
tiers of raised benches.
O O O
Most Important Event
DR.. o. T. Corson. principal speaker
of the evening, in opening his ad-
dress acknowledged his pleasure at
being present. and able to speak at
the united commencement exercises
of the Birmingham high schools, and
declared that high school com
mencement was the most important
event in the life of any community.
1T is the most important because
it draws the most interested and
diversified audience which ever gath
ers anywhere under one roof DR..
Corson explained. The people who
are here IN attendance at this meet
ng are here regardless of their po-