HomeMy WebLinkAboutA&M article-3June, 1930
brilliant football players the South has ever
produced. Upon his graduation, A. and M.
took upon itself another tradition. Sweater
Number Eight, which Hunt had always worn
on the team, was dedicated to him. There
will never be another Number Eight on the
A. and M. squad. In the history of the school
there have been seasons when an opposing
team newer crossed their goal line-and there
have been other seasons when it seemed that
most anv team could cross their goal line.
Athlefics in this college, however, are
merely the lengthening shadow of an indi-
vidual. Of Dana X. Bible, for ten years
athletic director of the college, one of the
presidents under whom he served said, "If his
team had never won a game or had never
scored, this college could newer repay him for
what his influence as a sportsman and a
gentleman has done for the students."
Of more than thirty thousand graduates of
this institution, it is appalling to find that it
has given to the world no movie hero, nor
writer, nor even a brilliant politician. The
real spotlight has singled out few of its men.
Obscure now as he was then is C. T. Schwab
of Cuero, Texas, who, in his junior year in
1924, perfected a range finder for a certain
type of gun, which was promptly taken over
by the War Department.
It has been said, however, that back of
every constructive project during the past
half century there have been one or more A.
and M. men. In the records of highways
built, wastelands reclaimed, insect infestations
controlled, and on the cornerstones of great
buildings, you'll find the names of A. and M.
men. Under the supervision of one of them
in 1928, more than a half million acres of
farm lands in Texas were reclaimed by ter-
races. Many of the boys are working with
the United States Department of Agriculture
in their field of investigations, others are do-
ing cotton research work for the Texas Agri-
cultural Experiment Stations and many others
are with the various Extension Services over
the United States.
Ala ior General Dick Burleson of the U. S.
Army attended the A. and M. College four
years. During commencement, he indulged
in a prank for which he was expelled. He
entered West Point, graduated, and his first
assignment after he entered the army was to
visit the Agricultural and Mechanical College,
inspect it and report to the War Department
what he thought its military rating should be.
The welcoming committee from the faculty
which met Major Burleson at the train dirt
not wear the conventional sack-cloth and
ashes, but they conducted a simple little cere-
mony which ended in the presentation of his
diploma.
J. H. Kirby, millionaire lumberman of
Houston, whose name was mentioned many
times as a possible running mate to Al Smith
in the last election, is of the first graduating
class. In those days when the first students
were going out on missionary work for the
college, in a little town of Peach Tree, J. H.
Kirby and another young man become sold
on a college education. They were both very
poor and could not afford to go together, so
Seventeen
If I were seventeen, I would read Trollope,
Thackeray, Dickens, Dumas, Balzac, Cou-
perus, Jacob Wasserman, Mrs. Wharton, all
the poetry I could get, all the history I could
get and all the biography. I would read
Power, The Sun Also Rises, Cruel Fellowship,
Serena Blandish and Vanitv Fair.
I would make it a point to read the daily
papers and to learn a little about American
politics, even if I hated the subject. I would
find out the names of the best modern paint-
ers. writers, critics and sculptors. I would
read about the great love affairs of history:
Sand and Chopin, Louis and La Valliere,
thev entered into an agreement by which one
would go one year while the other worked to
pay his way through, and the following year
their positions would he reversed.
On the throw of the dice, it fell to Mr.
Kirby's lot to work for a year to send his
partner to school. Saddling his horse, he
rode over the country selling Bibles and maps.
His friend had a successful year at college, and
the following fall he planned to take over
Kirby's map business, but his sudden death
deprived J. H. Kirby of his education.
Recently the A. and hI. College received
a gift of six hundred acres of valuable timber
land, the yearty proceeds of which are to go
into a student loan fund which will enable
any needy boy who has the urge, but not the
funds, to go through college. It is the gift
of J. H. Kirby, who, although he did not
finish with the boys of '79, was made a mem-
ber of their class by vote.
The subject of loan funds reminds me that
several years ago Sears, Roebuck and Com-
pany gave to this school a loan fund of twen-
ty-five thousand dollars, to be used to aid
agricultural students through college. So far
as I know, Texas A. and Al. is the only in-
stitution that has benefited from the millions
of this great mail order house.
Heading the Ex-Students Association of the
college today is Bill Sterling, '08, captain of
the Texas Rangers. This picturesque law en-
forcement squad came into being during the
Indian raids, but today the mere mention of
them strikes terror to the criminal of Texas.
Where other states call out a militia, Texas
sends its Texas Rangers.
Of Captain Bill is told this story: A village
with a riot on its hands appealed to the
governor for some Rangets. The committee
from the rioting village were astounded when
only one alighted from the train.
"Did they send only one Ranger?" the
townspeople gasped.
"There's only one riot, isn't there?" came
the reply from the Ranger captain.
Final Dress Parade marked the end of four
years at A. and 17. There is Commencement,
of course, and Final Ball, but Final Dress
Parade is the last tradition of the school.
Once around the drill field before the gov-
ernor, the army officers, the president of the
college and the commencement guests, the
student officers-lieutenants, captains, majors
and the colonel-march their men for the last
time.
Then the junior officers, next year's seniors,
take charge. The departing senior officers
stand in a line before the reviewing stand.
As each man's company marches bv, he steps
forward with a farewell salute. The seniors
stand, hands to army caps, while their men
give "Eyes right!" The band plays Should
Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot. Down the
checks of the senior officers tears stream.
Goodbys to their classmates begin. Some of
the boys sob audibly. They are all unashamed
of their emotion.
It is the final expression of the Aggie Spirit.
The youngsters join the men who have gone
before: They have become part of the tra-
dition.
4 from page 7 ~
Wagner and Cosima, Elizabeth of Russia and
Elizabeth of England.
I would learn to recognize the music that
one is apt to hear most: Shubert's Serenade,
Beethoven's Fifth, the New World Svmphonv,
the Unfinished, Chopin's Funeral ifarch, The
Volga Boat Song, Santa Lucia, What Is This
Thing Called Love?
I would not smoke. I would take one cock-
tail if I were offered it at a dinner party, and
no more. I would not drink out of a bot-
tle. I would eat whatever food was served
to me, without saying I couldn't stand this or
that.
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