The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-09-20
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
THE INAUGURAL EXERCISES
Addresses by Col. Ashbel Smith,
Pref. Mallet. Gov. Ireland, Elk.
Gov. Roberts, Hon. Seth Shep-
herd and d. G.. W0Oten.

Du1luluR on university nll, III one o
| the large lecture rooms of the wing
which was prepared for the occasion
by Mr.. Roth, superintendent of con
Structi0n of the new edifice.
About two hundred persons, in
Guiding large representation O.
ladies, and number of distinguished
citizens of this and other sections Of
the state were present. besides about
one hundred OF the studefits Of thu
university.
The exercises were prefaced with
an invocation by prayer in the mos
appropriate terms by lev. Or. Smoot
Of the Episcopal church of this city.
Col. Ashbel Smith, as president Of
the board Of regents of the university
then made the following eloquent adj
| dress:
COL. ASHBEL SMITHS ADDRESS.
The regents of the University of Texas pre-
sent their congratulations to The people o.
IeXaS, on the organization of the university t.
tnat state OF completeness which makes il
! ready to open its halls to students, and to com
mence in fnll form and efficiency their iDstruc
ton.
The university building, in which we are now
assembled, IS not yet finished in its minor de
tails. The heavy work is already done, and OF
a character for Solidity and excellence that
Will tllc mana OF Time LOT ages
Inc finishing of the interior in its minor de
tails Will postpone its full use for month
longer. In the Meantipe bis eSGellereSi the
governor hts authorized tie Use Gf the halls OF
the legislature, in the temporary capitol of our
state, as lecture rooms for the instruction OF
the students of the university. There has
seemed to the regents singular fitness in this
incidental use of tie halls OflegSlatiOn, Wher1
the policy aud lays of the state are diacusSed
and perfected should also be the rooms in
which the first class OF students of the uniyer-
SHY should receive their first lessons in high
knowledge. To occupy like seats i'll the legis-
latlYe halls, to which they may aspire in future
years, is calculated to stimulate a noble ambi-
ton. As for the brief p0Stponement in the use
OF this university building, it is matter really
OF no moment, 3 university. as a temple of
knowledge, IS pte-e n.ineiitly eT.itled to Build
lngS OF solid structure graceful architecture,
with convenient rooms and all the minor APP
planes. such as we trust to have for the Uni
yersity OF Texas in time-but bricks and mortar
do not make Il university. A faculty of gentle
men distinguished by character, for their pro
found and comprehensive attannients and for
talent in insttCti0h, and an aSSemblage of
students of heightened characters, eager and
earnest in the persuit Of Observation-Disclosures
constitute university.
The regents have next to announce TO the
people OF Texas the arrival of the gentlemen
appointed as members of the faculty, and
to commence the great work before them. In
these appointments, Individually and aS a body
the regents have the highest confidence that
the gentleman will come up to the full meas
I'LL
Zens of Texas, but of the great scholars through
out America. They are not new Nell; they are
not men who have their names to make; they
have already achieved eminent distinction
throughout America, and several of them have
already acquired a European reputation. In
their selection by the regents the aim has been
to get the best hlen. 1t has been the determi-
nation of the regents to choose only men who
for knowledge, in their several departments,
and for capacity, shall ut once place the uni
versity of Texas, in its personnel, on a level
mia universities, and other institutions which
claim to be on the same high plane
1t seems proper TO state here that professors;
to fill OTHER chairs, and also assistant profess
SOrS, will be appointed as the needs of inStruc-
ton shall require, and the means of the univer-
ty shall admit.
The need of appliances for instruction has
not escaped the attention OF the regents. They
have accordingly placed at the disposal of DR..
Mailet several thousand; dollars with which he
has purchased apparatus, materials and
equipment fol uhe department of chemistry, of
which he is professor, and also instruments for
the department of physics, with the duties of
which department he has been temporarily
charged. Appropriations of moderate. sums
have also been made by the regents for the
other departments OF instruction, for the pur-
chase OF books of immediate need in those de-
partments. The several professors have, in
their private libraries, MANY Of the bG0kS Which
they will require FOR their several courses OF
instruction But Il university library will re-
quire to be provided at an early period, to be
ing shall be prepared. The library building
should be apart to diminish the risk of fires
While the university, with the temporary &C.
cOmmodations adverted to, can go into efficient
operation, other buildings will be needed. A
chemical laboratory, Seperate from the univer-
sity building; is of immediate urgency. The
imposing building in which we are now assem-
Dled, Is only one wing, OF the main university
edifice when the EwhOle shall be completed
Other buildings Still; such as i'm Otser-
yatoryi will, il time be required. AND
and OF T sdnd B be qesd Wise
the professors. 1t is not proposed at any time
to erect dormitories for the students. Large
sums OF money. can be saved more advan
bricks and mortar of dormitOrieS, and the eX
perience and usage of the best institutions
lodging and separate boarding. and the sur
rOundings of better influences than when the
students are collected in large dormitOries ant
general boarding commons:
In the whole work OF their administration o.
the affairs of the university. preparatory to its
inauguration for instruction, the regents have
been careful to avoid mourning obligations
which might lead TO pteEFaIiirry embarrassment
or arrest its going INTO full operation. A table
OF all their expenditures, under their Severa
heads, has beea kept and published in then
annual report to his excelency, the governor
Such is brief statement, which the regent:
beg to submit, of the condition of the univer
Sity at the present time. There are other mat
tiers of more or less solicitude, Which deseryt
contemplated on this occasion
An ili-boding crItlclsm is frequently prt
forth that the university Of Texas, partly from
the nature of such an enterprise, and partl!
based on the SurmiSe of some lack of capacity
in the people OF Texas to establish an univer
| Sity of the first class, will be of slow growth
and tardy development, that a precariOuS in
| fancy will be followed by a feeble childhood
and an uncertain adolescence thereafter, be
| fore it can attain to vigorous, fruitful man
hood, and that thus long years must be passed
| through before the university, within whose
walls we now stand, can fulfil the constitutional
| requirement OF Being OF the first class an(
aspire TO be admitted on the high plane ant
| into full fellowship with Harvard, Yale, JOIN
| Hopkins, Virginia University and o her grea
| institutions of knowledge and instruction il
| America: Is such discOuraging opinion wei
| grounded? In our expectation of establishing
an university of the first class in Texas, witt
reasonable prOmptness, are we hugging Z
| baSelesS delUsiOn2 Is this low estimate of The
| capacity OF the two millions OF people il
| Texas a correct one? Instead of ;
long array of general argument and o
| examples more or less remote. beg to appea
| to an instance SO recent and so near as tina
we may regard it as a home fact. @ ute re
Gently the following statement was published
| in the newspapers OF Texas: "Over 100 OF thOs
| instructed at John Hopkins university durin!
| the six years of its existence have become pro
| feSSors in colleges and academies" Yes, owe
100 of those instructed at John Hopkins uni
| versity during the six years mark the period O
| its existence six years, have become professor
/ Ill OIQeE VI 1ulS ldCb
a significance that cannot be gainsaid or eX
| planned away. Within six years from its open
| ing its halls of instructiOn, John Hopkins send
| forth scholars who make good its title to b.
| an university OF the tirSt-claSS, such univeI
| sity as our constitution requires this of Texa
| to be; such as the regents, by their selection
| of professors, so far as already made, ShOV
| their determination that this university shal
be. John Hopkins university enjoys no eXclu
| Sive prestige, has no advantage of location il
its favor. On its south il has as neighbor
| Washington and Lee and Virginia universities
| on its north is the venerable Princeton. l
| can appeal to no sectional prejudiceS or in
| terests; it is not northern, it is not southern
| What then is the keystone of its success? 1t
| endowment is ample, as is that of Texas, whel
utilized, and they selected for professors tn
best men, wherever they could be found as W
| have done. The analogy on which i'll bodin
| critics, as. stated above, predicted slow gr0wt
| to our university is false one. GaleleO, Kep
| ler LiebnitZ, Newton and the marvellous In
YentorS and discoveries of our own age did no
| start way back two or three thousand year
| pfod their weary way from those times, diScOV
| ering, developing for themselves the rudiment
| of knowledge. No. The scientist starts fol
ward fully abreast with all the knowledge an
wisdom of those who have enriched the Ion
lapse of ages with discoveries and science, an
| in the great campaign OF university instructor
| if may so speak, Texas university IN full al
| NOR marches into the arena with stately tread
| champiOned by its two millions OF people, pos
| SeSSing an over1owing treasury and publ
| domain whose value is the adequate dover OF
| nation. When L contemplate the charaete
| of our people, our ample means, our educ;
| tiOnal wants and and our surroundings, ca
scarcely refrain from Sinking the discouras
| ing prognoStic OF slow progress OF the unlVel
SIty OF Texas to succeed that the wish is pareI
| to the thought.
There is but little time IN winch to Occup
| your attention, and yet am not quite willin
to leave, in this preparatory manner, this Pc
| tion of our subject If the old Athena
| oh loft oil iT1h sAr OTafi dead