Ward Belmont High School - Milestones Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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NAMED NASHVILLE ' S FIRST CITIZEN Following- are excerpts from the arti- cle which appeared in the Nashville Ten- nessean, December 14, 1927 : Dr. John Diell Blanton. The name rang out through the Chamber of Commerce to-day at the meeting of that body ' s forum, and was met with a burst of applause from the crowd that had gathered to pay tribute to Nashville ' s ' leading citizen. ' Paid the highest honor which that body could bestow upon any one, the man who has played a leading part in the city ' s educational and civic life since coming here in 1892 as vice president of Ward Seminary was decorated with the laurel wreath of gratitude and his name emblazoned on the shield of service in a place second to none. In the selection of Dr. John Diell Blanton for this most unusual honor and recognizing the long and faithful service that he has rendered ta the city of Nash- ville, it might be said that his influence has extended far beyond the confines of the city and the immediate section in which he has rendered his work. Into every State in the Union and to foreign coun- tries his work has extended, for students who have come under his most excellent influence have gone into those far-flung spaces. Nor is his work ended yet. Years from now it will continue to make itself a factor in the lives of generation after generation, and its magnitude can- not be estimated. At the time he came to Ward Sem- inary the student body numbered 100. The growth has been steady. At the present time Ward-Belmont ' s student body numbers 980, including the board- ing pupils and day students, and the personnel of the student body represents thirty-six diff ' erent States. Following are excerpts from the arti- cle which appeared in the Nashville Ban- ner, Wednesday, December 14 : Dr. John Diell Blanton, president of Ward-Belmont for the past twelve years and for thirty-five years identified with the educational, civic, and religious life of Nashville, was honored by citizens at the monthly forum meeting of the Cham- ber of Commerce at noon to-day in recog- nition of the long and faithful service he has rendered this community. Although the forum committee mem- bers had withheld from the public the name of the citizen to be honored at the meeting until the program had advanced to a certain stage, the ovation accorded Dr. Blanton when he was conducted to the seat of honor at the speakers ' table gave undisputed evidence that those pres- ent approved the action of the forum leaders in arranging for the meeting and of their selection of a man whom the city would delight to honor. Charles C. Gilbert, chairman of the forum committee, presided. Taken completely by surprise and displaying characteristic modesty. Dr. Blanton was reluctant to assume the chair that had been reserved at the speakers ' table for him. When he could speak after mastering the emotion that had overpowered him following Judge Seay ' s announcement that he was the citizen the assemblage desired to hanor, Dr. Blanton said: ' It is altogether an honor unworthily bestowed, and it is too much. But I thank you from the bottom of my heart. ' In addition to the speeches and the spoken tributes for Dr. Blanton, resolu- tions drafted by the Chamber of Com- merce were presented him by Dr. James I. Vance, his pastor. They were en- graved and framed. The principal address was delivered by Dr. John L. Hill, book editor of the Baptist Sunday School Board, who spoke on ' What One Citizen May Mean to the Upbuilding of a Community. ' Six

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MISS EDNA IRWIN She is our friend. She is one of us. Our interests have become her interests, and to her we look for com- mendation. As the end of her first year at Ward- Belmont draws to a close, the Milestones Staff wishes to express the love and respect which the entire school holds for her by dedicating the 1928 volume of the Annual to our friend and Dean — Miss Edna Irwin. m- % Five

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