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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1900)
J\dd K bss of J. (v). )-f ICO, Ladies and Gentlemen, and Young Men of the College: Aside from the family joys and pleasures with which I've been so bountifully blessed and which, as a matter of fact, lie nearest to a man’s heart, I count this the hap piest occasion of my life. Young gen tlemen of the Austin and Caliopean Literary Societies, there is not an honor, or compliment, w.thin the gift of the people of Texas that I would have received more graciously, more pleasantly—that I would have appre ciated more than this call to the Agri cultural and Mechanical College of Texas to participate in her Commence ment Exercises and especially when the call comes from the joint body of the literary societies. I count this a most'happy occasion to me, as my mind spans a lapse of fifteen years and I stand -within those sacred, classic walls yonder in the midst of a score or more manly Texas youths whose words, gestures, steps but gave expres sion to the mighty throbbings of the ambitions of the heart to win the laurels of their respective societies. By the wonderful power of memory’s mighty hand new walls melt and fade away, pavements crumble into dust, trees become shrubs, flower beds and green-houses lose their tropical luxuri ance and spread themselves over the campus in Nature’s gaudy patterns, a melodious strain from your band be comes the rattle of one kettle drum. Great and magnificent realities of our present A. and M. are but our hopes, and I, a man of years and experience, am a boy again doing my first guard duty on the third stoop yonder. What a picture time can mar! What a pic ture she can paint instead! Then— now! In living out this life, as we meet and are met, as the incidents of the days come and go into the endless past—we would not have them pass again—the past we would not have for the present—neither would we have the living present cover forever from view the dead and solemn past. Sweet memories and sad recollections have their work to do in moulding and mel lowing the over-active present. I stand before you to-day a most happy man in the midst of all these, monu ments to architectural skill and me chanical labor. The stranger or the man of the old picture stands to-da/ wrapped in wonder and admiration for the beauties of hall and garden a 1 round us here. We, of the old days, stand in profoundest respect before the expanded libraries, extended laborato ries, and multiplied shops. In fact, our joy and gladness of heart are in expressible when we look and see the wonderful improvements that have been made in the possibilities of our Alma Mater. We are here with you to-day as elder brothers in a great family. While we feel almost strangers in the midst of all this progress and we begin to think of the A. and M. of the ’80’s as another place and institution. We are only called back from our wandering at the sight of the old mess hall and other familiar landmarks, together with a few familiar faces. Here’s a Whitlock, a Smith, and a Geiseke— and the alienation is gone and we are# at home with you again. But we of the old school are somewhat lost in the maze of the new surroundings—the multiplied shafts, benches and engines, and the increased flocks and herds—all inspire us with a gladness for your opportunities and the great good to
