The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-12
CFTY-NDE BODY FOR CIVIC CENTER
 DRElVNEN'S PLAN
Would Afford Every Citi- zen Representation
 Author Declares

AuG&EWE OGNk0k GS
 Every citizen in Birmingham will mitte, which will work out details and carry to completion Birmingham's civic centre, according to a plain suggested Saturday by ". Melville Drennen, for mer mayor.
 Starting with the plan suggested two weeks ago by Erskine Ramsay, Mir Dremner in promuigatiny his idea, stat ed that published statements made dur ing the past week by Robert Jemison ST., had been instrumental in develop ing his idea, which provides for semi civic organization or committee, to rep resent every body of citizens in Bir. mingham, and to be charged with the duty of formulating a civic-cefiter plan every detail of which is approved by the citizens and that after this is done. the committee will be in position to carry the work to completion.
 "Can we compare the achievements of our city and Jefferson county with the progressive developments that has been made by Birminghan's various in. dustries, such as the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad company, the Sioss. Sheffield Coal and Iron company, the Republic Iron and Steel company, the Pratt Consolidated Coal company, the DeBardeleben Coal and Iron company the Alabama Power company, the Con. tinental Gin company, the Birmingham waterworks and scores of other con. ccrns?" Mir. Drennen asked.
 Look at the progress of our churches. New churches have been built at the phenominal cost, additional ad. journing grounds have been bought and Sunday school buildings erected at s cost. of which in several instances equals the cost of the original church.
 ..Is our county court houses, our city hall, our library in keeping with the progress shown by the companies men, toned?
 On Big Scale
 If we want to be q big city and county, we must do something for our selves. This city as municipality and this county has never done any thing out of the ordinary. Never has a greater opportunity been presented to a southern city to do something big something great-something out of the ordinary--something that we can do now and always be proud of.
 Build our court houses, our city hall, and our public library around Wilson park as outlined by Erskine Ramsay. To my mind, it would be feasible and expenditious to put the whole ma tier in the hands of a committee, composed of men and women, who are noted for their success in various lines of endeav- or, and who at the same time would serve on the cohfmittee as the direct rep resentative of some public, civic, edu. cationaR or business organization.
 1T could name countless men and women who could serve on such a com. nistee with every outlook of q success fuI completion, but d few names which suggest themselves to me as being emi- nently fitted for such work are former Governors Conner and Jefks, Robert Jemison, ST., Erskine Ramsay, c. B. Mccormack, John Raul, ". H. Has singer, w. R. Fairly, former Mayor James A. Vanho0se, George Ward, M, V. Joseph, Morris Adler, D. J. Snyder. Dr.. N. A. Barrett, another former may or, and women of the caliber of Mrs J. M. Hankins, Mrs. Lillie Davis, Mrs. Eolon Jacobs and Mrs. Richard John ston and scores of others.
 'The committee, in my opinion, should he composed of one representa- tive from such organizations as the city commission, the county board of rev. enue, the city board of education, the county board of education, the parR commission, the library board, the cham Der of commerce, the Rotary club, the Kiwanis club, the Community club, the Birmingham Real Estate board, the Central Trades union, the Birmingham Federation of Women's clubs and other business and educational clubs.
 All City Represented
 Let each one of these organizations select their representative. It doesn't matter whether the representative is a member of the organization or not as long as he or she will accept the re- sponsibility. I have no idea as to who should call the committee together and institute action, but let the represent atives be selected and the initiative for calling the first meeting win soon by undertaken by some one" Mir. Drennen continued,
 Then, after the committee is organ ized, it would represent the views and the ideas of practically the entire city. The committee, however, should not be so large as to be unwieldy, After it has finally formulated scheme to pro vide Birmingham with civic center, as suggested by Mfr Ramsay, the scheme will have the approval of the entire city. And when Birmingham unani- mously approves of suggestions, 1t will be carried out," Mir. ,Drennen con- cluded.