The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-04

Of Birmingham's famous, one is con-
fronted with the question of the inter-
/ probation Of the word fame" for not
always is 1t the person most worthy
who receives the popular verdict. i
The electors of those first names in
our great American Hall of Fame, men
chosen for their fine sense of values,
were faced with this same difficulty.
And the storm that ragged around the
definition of this perplexing little noun
reached its height when Walt Whit
mans name failed of election.
The agitation continued until the
last unwilling of tablets in that portico
on University Heights, when DIR. Henry
Yandyke, in a talk that is considered
a classic, gave an analysis of fame. The
gist Of DIR. yandyke's definition is Sery
well summed up in the following lines:
/ Fame is a noble word. 1t means q
/ durable. and good renown, won by
worth, approved by the wise, and APP
piauded by the common people.
Unlike our national; hall of fame,
4 whose members must hate been dead
ten years, most Of Birmingham's celeb
rites are still living.
I. Taking DIR. vandyke's Interpretation
of fame as our guide, it would seem
that the city's benefactors tthose who
have won renown by their services to
its citizens) should head the list. This
being the case, it is fit that Birming-
hams founder, John T. Miner, should
/ fill first place. Mr.. Miner organized
the company which established the first
furnace in the Birmingham district, the
old OxmoOr furnace. He also organized
the old Elyton Land company, which
| 81, - tl,s-
seer's vision of great city never
dimmed, and he finally had the sat
isfaction of laying off the streets and
avenues of our present beautiful city.
Among all who have lived in Bir-
mingham, there is none more conspic-
nous for their devotion of heart, soul
and energy to the public welfare than
was Mary Catalan, Birmingham's NOTED
educator. She is the only woman edu-N
Gator in the world to whom has been
erected monument.
Great Inventor
A Birmingham citizen whose name
will 60 down in history as great in
yentor was r. 8. Munger. As boy,
in his fathers little gin in Texas, he
was distressed at the enormous amount
of lint and dust which kept the work
ers sneezing and coughing, their threats
sore and their eyes burning. From this
annoyance the boy saw the necessity of
improvement. The result was the pneu-
matte cleaner, which is the most impor-
tant improvement siAce the invention Of
the gin by Eli Whitney. The great
good resulting to the cotton states from
this invention, his philanthropies and
his Christian character entitle him to
niche in our temple.
Birmingham is fast becoming known
as the home of writer's. Mrs. Engsfeldts
photography credits the city with over
260 persons who live to write or write
to i've"
The awarding of the o. Henry Memo
rial prize to Edgar Valentine Smith for
the best short story of the year 1928
is just now fresh in our minds. Roy
Cohen, known to fame as the inter-
prefer of the modern, negro, is Birming-
hams most widely known and most
successful author. Mr.. Cohen's pop
ularity among his homefolks is said
to be due to his sympathetic interest in
struggling writer's and his willingness
to assist them. And then there is
Artemus Galloway, who has made such
a ''hit'' with his feature acts in Neil
0'Brien's minstrel.
We rejoiced with Jack Bethea the
other day when we heard that Col
lier's had paid four thousand dollars for
first serial rights for his novel, Half
Gods" prior to its publication in book
form by Houghton, Miffin & Co.
Despite the fact that most of his
time is taken with his educational 'du-
ties, DR.. John G. Dawson has found
time to write articles attracting wide
attention in educational circles and
translation instructing and delighting
thousands. Among his best known
works are Rebound" a one-act com.
edy; Introduction to French Poetry"
richards La Petite Vile, from the
French" and Toulouse in the Renais-
Writers OF History
Two serious writer's, now dead. were
John Witherspoon Dubose and Joel q. |
Dubose The latter is notable for his |
torical and biographical work, while |
John w. Dubose's Life and Times of |
Yancy" is valued at TWENTY-FIVE dol
lars copy. Mrs. Engsfeldt, of the CITY |
library, is turning heaven and earth" |
m an attempt to locate a copy for the
Alabama Authors section Of the library. |
Or. Riley is popular historian still
in our midst.
One, of the first of Birmingham's
writers to attain the distinction of n
best seller was Mary Johnston of ITO
Have and to Hold" and Prisoners of
Hope" fame.
birmingham people are always inter-
ested to know what those who have gone
out from us are doing. pBozeman RnI-
ger, now on the editorial staff Of
great national daily, is Birmingham
writer known to fame; whilet SewelI
daggard is another who is editor of a
national magazine.
Another writer Birmingham claims is
Ethel Armes of Goal and Iron" tame,
which book is said to be used in Har-
ward as a text book. Among other
books she has written, is midsummer
in Whittier's Country" and 1.-THE
Washington Manor House, Miss
Armes was for two years secretary of
Sulgrave institute. For the last year.
she has been connected with the Roose-
welt Memorial association. Frances
NimmO Green is a writer whom we
are also proud to claim, her Right of
the Strongest" being her most success
full novel. Another writer in whom we
are all interested is Helen Smith Wood
ruff. whose dainty books, my Doctor
Man" THE Lady of the Lighthouse
and What David Did" we have all
read and enjoyed. Mrs. Woodruff's
writing is done for charity.
We should not forget Mr.. John r.
Hornady, who is meeting success with
his histories of southern cities. Re-
Gently, in his honor, tree was planted
by the Atlanta Writers club in Pied
mont park, where trees have been plant
ed for Inal ChanhIar He rrir Cn.,.