Birmingham Southern College - Southern Accent Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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S.R SENIOR CLASS HISTORY IN SEPTEMBER, 1917, there assembled on Sunshine Slopes a company of young men and women who have proved to be a part of what is now the Senior class of ' 21. We were ignorant, innocent Freshmen, just at the foot of the ladder of learning, although we felt that we were then standing on the top rung. Three of us were not exactly strangers on the hill at this time, since we had spent one, two and even three years in what is now the Simpson High School. While in this school we looked almost with envy upon the dis- tinguished college men, and our association with those noble fellows awakened within us high aspirations to go forward to these exalted heights. In 1918 came about the consolidation of Birmingham College and Southern University, which brought the Sophomore class from there to unite with the Sophomore class here. But in the struggles and trials of college life many worthy comrades have slipped from our grasp into various institutions of learning and vocations of life; until at the beginning of the first term in 1920 there were only ten in the class, and only two of these who started their college career at Southern. But at the mid-term three members of the Junior class were accredited with some work done on the outside of school which promoted them to the distinguished rank of Seniors. Now we stand thirteen strong — each a separate type of human being with his or her own individual characteristics, but all contem- plating the highest achievements in life. In our number there are three un- kn own quantities, one Student Volunteer, one Sunday School worker, five preachers and three co-eds. This is the last class which had its origin in the two schools under the presidency of Dr. Daniel at Southern and the acting presidency of Prof. Cole- beck at Birmingham. Our career has been continued under Dr. Daniel. Not only have we seen many changes in the faculty but the campus has been greatly beautified, the athletic field has been very much improved and a magnificent dormitory has been erected, also many other improvements have been made, which are great assets to the college. These four years have been long, so long, when we think of the time in years spent trudging along a rugged pathway filled with many hard problems and terrorizing examinations which took all the joy out of life; but they have been short, so short, when we think of them as filled, with pleasant memo - ries of our association, with the privilege of obtaining a college education which gives the future many possibilities to hold in reserve for us, thereby making our lives happier and more useful. Year by year as we have climbed upwards on the ladder of learning the horizon of our world has broadened, our view of life with its possibilities has expanded until now we can realize how infinitely small is our store of knowl- edge as compared to the many things yet unlearned. It is now that, our Freshman dreams, our Sophomore hopes, and our Junior prayers have been consummated and today we stand on the elevated pedestal of Seniority, ready to step forth and take our places in the world as college gi aduates. 1201

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} 3 1 7 -J SI SENIOR CLASS .X James Frederick Sparks, A.B . . . Birmingham, Ala. Freshman Declamation Medal. IS: Junior Oratorical Medal. ' 20: Delefrate to Student Volunteer Convention. Des Moines, Iowa. ' 20 ; Vice-President Student Body, ' 20- ' 21 ; Member DebatintJ: Team vs. Millsaps College. ' 21 ; President Belles Lettres Society. ' 20 : Senior Orator. Fred has been among us for a number of years. He is a student of good standing, an orator of no mean ranking and a man admired by his acquaintances, the facuhy included. May he acheive success! Stewart Melvin Baker, A.B Birmingham, Ala. Baker entered Southern University four years ago and moved to Birmingham when the institutions were consolidated. He has become famous as the keeper of the bookstore and college lunch-counter. acc|uiring tlie name of Invoice. Perhaps no one can ascertain who gave him this name, though many can guess the reason. S. M. is a business man from his lieart and is destined to become a good minister of the gospel. Joseph M. Neese, A.B Midilletown. Ind. Football Team, ' 15- ' 16- ' 19- ' 20. This gentleman, known to his fellow students as Slim, was elected this year uur most popular student and athlete, and well deserves both of these honors, for our college never boasted a cleaner, manlier felli w. He is a famed football player, having played consis- tently for four years on the gridiron. He will he sorely missed next season. The best wishes of the students will follow him ever and always! Stanley L. Morgan, A.B Hanceville, Ala. Ready Debater ' s Medal. ' 20; President Y.M.C.A.. ■20- ' 21 : President Belles Lettres Society. ' 19- ' 20; Deleuate to Y.M.C.A.. Conference at Blue RidKe. N. C, ' 20; Glee Club. ■19- ' 20. Stunt, as he insists upon declaring to the wurld, spent two ears of his life in Haiti, amid such hair-raising adventures and thrilling escapes that it is a wonder he is a member of this class. But Slunt is a whole-souled, capital fellow, and when not dreaming of Haiti is an interesting coiiversalicmalisl. I. nek with him in life! [19]

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SR PROPHECY OF CLASS OF 1921 LISTEN. O ve men and women, youths and maidens, and little childr eMl Listen, all ye people, to the words of wisdom from the lips of your prophet, who now speaketh unto you what hath been revealed unto him, even as it hath been decreed by the powers that be. For it has come to pass that the veil of the future hath been rent in twain, even as it was so rent in the days of the wise prophets of old, and the Spirit of Prophecy hath descended from the spheres to envelop my soul with her mystic power. Aye, I say unto you, men and women, youths and maidens, and little children of Birmingham, it hath been given unto me as the chosen one of this great and good people, the Class of 1921, to dream strange dreams, and to see strange visions of the glories of the years yet to be. Now it so happened when it was decreed that the future of the Class of 1921 was to be given into the hands of this, your prophet, to do with even as he listed, that he cried out in a loud voice of lamentation, saying: Whom am 1 that the future of this great and glorious class should depend upon me? What am I that the fate of these sterling young ladies and these gallant young men should rest upon the decision of one so humble of intellect, and so infirm (pf purpose? But behold! Even as the cry of weakness did ascend from the long- suffering soul of your prophet, a voice from the heavens spake unto him, even in the words of old, saying: Hear now my words. If there be a prophet among you, I will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream, and straightway, from the clouds of the centuries gone, and from the shadows already cast before by the coming events of the proverb, there appeared unto him the fair and lovely Spirit of Prophecy, the angel of Things to Come, and lo! she did with her mystic touch roll back the curtain of the dim Beyond from my prophetic vision, and did permit me to gaze at will down the long vista of things yet to be, that I might behold all things that now are, transformed into all things that they shall yet become even as it was so granted to the wise men of the past. And lo! as she drew back the curtain she pointed with a long, transparent finger down the avenues of a strange land, and opened her lips and spake unto me saying: Look! Listen! Prophesy unto the young men and young women of Birmingham-Southern College even these things which you herein behold. For as I looked into the land of the future I could see mighty changes that had taken place since our college days together. Great strides had been made along scientific lines, especially in the way of travel. I remembered what talent D. D. White showed along inventive lines, but had never dreamed that he would be able to perfect a torpedo that could carry several persons from Earth to Mars. Several of these torpedoes had been manufactured, but the news had not reached us that anyone had ever under- taken the trip. This country being overcrowded with inliahilaiils the ( overnmeni lliought :t best for some of the people to move to a planet that was le s inliaiiiled. Of course, it wanted to send some of the country ' s most noted people. And re- membering the Class of 1921 of Birmingham-Southern College a message was sent to White asking him to see if the Class would consider a move to this [21]