The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-06-18
THE DISTINGUISHED ORATOR
OF HOUSTON IN AN ANNUAL
LITERARY ADDRESS AT
THE UNIVERSITY.
GEORGE RUSSELL SMITH
Delivers the Alumni Grafton at Night
Tho Alumni Meeting-The Future
Programme.

|
of the commencement exercises at the
university, the large and cool Assem-
bly, hall was filled with SPLENDID audi
ence to hear the Hon. J. @. Hutche
son of Houston, in his address before
the Atheneum and Rusk Literary So
ceties, Col. Hutchinson is noted f r
being one of the easiest, most facetious
and graceful speakers in Texas, and
yesterday he wellsustained his reputa
ton. He declared at the opening of
his remarks that in the legislature he
had drafted the bill that created the
university, and he felt a peculiar pride
in now coming back to address its lit
erary societies. His subject was "The
Haven and the Way" and he
dealt in thoroughly sound advice
to the young men and ladies upon the
goal of their ambition and the means
of its attainment. He decried the
victories OF genius and lauded the
triumphs of the talent for hard work
His speech was pregnant with good
thoughts for the student and those
lust entering upon the stern duties of
life, and was highly enjoyable.
The Military Post band Of San An
tonic with their excellently rendere d
music, added no little to the pleasure
of the occasion.
THE ALUMNI MEETING.
Yesterday afternoon the Alumni
association of the University Assem-
bled in the assembly hall OF the Uni
versity to hold their usual annual
meeting, with President Bolts in the
chair. A large number of the Alumni
were in attendance and some time was
passed in meeting old friends and re-
peating tales oft told, but still en-
dowed with perennial youth
to those who told them. Some We're
missing from the ranks but still there
was large attendance at the
meeting which proved to be
most pleasant and social one. The
regular routine work being finished a
committee consisting of Mr.. L. W.
Gregory, Miss Jessie Andrews aud @.
H. Shaw was appointed to arrange
for the publication annually OF the
records of the meetings and the yearly
address. q.
A committee was also appointed
consisting of Miss Darlington and
Messrs. Bats and Sam Dabney
to co operate with the regents and
faculty with reference to running the
university so as to let the Alumni as
ISOLATION take more active part in
the institution.
Pending further business Mr.. Sam
Dabney was elected orator for 1909.
Mr.. j. H. Hamilton was elected presi-
dent. Miss Minnie Darlington vice
president; Miss Jennie Andrews secre--
tary, and Mr.. Alex Walker treasurer.
On motion the meeting adjourned.
ALUMNI EXERCISES.
Commencement exercises at the
State University are always full OF in
terest to citizens, students and visit
ors, but this year they appear to be
even more interesting than usual, and
of the entire series of events marking
closing hours Ct the University year
it is safe to say that none received or
deserved more attention or
more praise than did the Alumni adj
dress delivered at the University last
night.
Mr.. George Russell Smith, Esq, was
the orator of the evening, and bet
ter selection could not have been
made. He is q graduate OF the Uni
yersitv, q member of the class of '64
and is a brother to w. J. ]. Smith, the
talented young Office assistant to the
attorney general. He is at present q
resident Of Mckinney, and Is county
attorney of Collin county.
Tlo IN, hnpnr ~ fha IN
casion last niLh wasa large one. And
complimentary in the extreme was
the undivided attention the throng
gave the utterances OF the gifted
speaker. The arrivals had been slow
at first but soon they came in most
rapidly, the hall filling quickly while
the music from the band on the land
ing outside stirred the mellow evening
air with a rolling sea of melody. The
23d infantry band OF San Antonio Is
one of the finest in the Southwest and
they never did themselves greater
credit than on this occasion.
The fair danes and damsels OF
Austin were never more courtly, and
all in all, the old hall was never more
brilliant.
1t was 8 o'clock when Mr.. J. r.
Hamilton, president OF the alumni as
ISOLATION, advanced to the front of the
rostrum and with pleasing remarks in.
troduced
THE ORATOR
of the evening, who proceeded in elo.
ouent terms to weave his subject
through its many and various chan
nels.
"In selecting theme for this even
ing,n remarked the orator, II shall en-
deavor to impress upon you the re-
sponsibilities of the present by par
tial discussion OF time which marks
the birth Of the constitutional liberty
enjoyed by US today, and a.
brief historical review Of al
hero who consecrated his life
to the attainment of those liberties,
from which trust we may be able to
draw some useful lessons, and should
| inspire one of you, my comrades, to
simulate the virtue, wisdom and the
temperance of John Hampton, my
hero. / shall feel that | have not adj
dressed you in vain. He was a man
born in the lower circles of life, aud
fine history of his early life is meager.