Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-09-23
INAUGURATION OF ". /. WILSON

Good Crowd-Fine Speeches-Nice Bal
quet-Big Day, SC.
LEXINGTON, Sept. Icy sterday, in Il
presence Of large gatheringof alumni an
friends of Washington & Lee Universit'
President William Lyme Wilson, LII. D
author of the famous tariff bill and Pos
master General in the last Democratic al
ministration, was inauguTated here. Th
classic old burgh was in holiday attire an
while the crowd was not as large as hs
been expected, several hundred visitors frol
Rockbridge and the adjoining counties. a
we'll as from other States, thrOnged th
streets. rambled through the historic uni
versity buildings and grouped upon tn
beautiful campus and ample grounds. $
much changed and enlarged since the oil
boys Of ante-bellum days had left it a
Washington College, some of whom had no
seen it SINCE From such of the alumni. a
we'll as others, there were many expression
of pride and qualification as they saw hoy
dear old almer mater had prospered an,
enlarged her borders.
At II, the hour for the exercises to begin
a procession of the board of trustees, th
faculty and officers Of the university, tn
alumni and students, headed by Judge Mo
Laughlin, the Rector, and President Wilson
was formed under the direction of the chic
marshal, our talented young townsman II
M. McIlhany. Jr., and conducted from
Newcomb Hall by the Robinson monument
to the chapel, which was already filed, foo
and gallery, except the reserved seats, by 9
brilliant audience.
Rector Mclaughlin presided. and after
prayer by Rev. DR.. VIM. Strother Jones Of
Trenton. N. j., distinguished alumnus Of
the institution, and brother-in-law of Capt
H. NJ. McIlhany Of our city. Judge Nc.
Laughlin gave an interesting sketch of the
institution from its beginning as log cabin
academy 100 years ago, up to the present
time, naming the nine presidents In order
VIM. Graham, Geo. A. Baxter. Lewis Mar
shall, Henry Vithoke. Henry Ruffner, Geo.
Junkin, R. E. Lee, G. w. G. Lee and VIM.
L. Wilson, q galaxy of worth, learning,
ability, her0ism and el0quence. of which
any institution might we'll be proud. Rev.
Prof. d. A. White. D. D., being introduced
read number Of letters from gentlemen,
prominent as statesmen. educators, soldiers
and men of affairs, expressing their inabili-
ty to attend, with regrets, good wishes and
complimenting in high terms the incoming
president. The writers, whose expressions
were frequently and heartily applauded
were ex-President Grover Cleveland, Presi.
dent Patton Of Princeton, Prof. j. A. Har-
rison of the University of Va. Prof. E. S.
Joynes of South Carolina college, President
W. p. johnson of Tulane university, DR.. q.
M. McCracken of the University Of N. T.,
Hon. j. B. Henderson of Washington, Sena-
tor John w. Daniel. Congressman Joseph
Wheeler, Seth Low of Columbia university,
ex-Secretary E. R. Francis of st. Louis, w.
R. Abbeth of Bellevue school, ex-Congress-
man Chas. Tracy of Albany, Attorney Gen.
eral &. E. Chamberlain of Oregon: Chair
man Walker of Union Theological semina-
~, Cardinal Gibbons, Maj. Jed Hotchkiss,
and President Reed of Dickerson college.
Pa.
The speakers were DIR. H. g. Cameron of
Princeton. professor of Greek in that insti-
tuition; Chancellor James II. Kirkland, L.
L. D., Of Vanderbilt university. and Daniel
G. Gilman, LII. D., of Johns Hopkins uni
versity, and rarely have three as good and
appropriate addresses been heard by any
The Rector then with impressive
rose and administered the oath
Of Office to the new president. the whole au-
dience standing while Mr.. Wilson swore ito
perform the duties Of the Office to the best Of
his skill and judgment, and without fear or
favor" His emphatic $50 help me God,
was the signal for loud and prolonged
outburst of applause, the ladies waving
their handkerchiefs and fans and the stu
dents joining in with their characteristic
college yell. Mr.. Wilson then delivered
his inaugural address which was able and
at times eloquent. elicitiDg frequent ap-
plause. He closed with the following we'll
said utterances
And now. Mr.. Rector. I have taken the
oath which the statutes of this college re-
quire you to administer to its president
elect, have taken it with no. reservations
and with no illusions. but as stated in my
formal letter Of acceptance. with the lesson
in the hard school of life, that no
great duty can be met without great effort,
patience and singleness Of purpose. These
1 hope to bring to the Office to which the
trustees have called me. l know that by
this oath / take my place in line illustrat-
ed in the past century and half BY great
abilities and great virtues. To recall with
praise all who have presided
over this university is task for which / am
not competent. TO mention some would be
invidious. but there is one name which
stands out on the roll of the worlds great
est men as the symbol of the highest virtue
and most perfect manhood that human ma
ture has ever attained. The inspiration of
that name and the memory of his lofty
character will always linger as noble ed
ucati0nal influence around this college,
revived and perpetuated as they have been
in recent years by his worthy son. No man
deserving Of your choice could assume in
any vain or self-suficient spirit the head
ship of an institution endowed by George
and once administered by
Robert E. Lee.
Judge Mclaughlin then announced that
the retiring president had added 81, 900 to the
endowment fund of the university, and that
the board Of trustees had just established,
in recognition of the gift, $500 scholarship
to be known as the Custis Leo scholarship.
The exercises at the chapel then closed
with the pleasant announcement from As
sistant Professor d. NJ. Me1lhany to the
effect that further exercises of an interest
Ing nature would be held at the gymnasium
to which he conducted the alumni, faculty.
students and distinguished visitors, where
they found handsome and bountiful ban
quet spread with seats for 400 guests, which
was heartily enjoyed by all.
After the good things had been disposed
Of and cigars had been passed around
Cnothing stronger). President Wilson pre-
siding. called the toasts and announced the
speakers who responded as follows-Dr. D.
q. Gilman, DR.. Jas. II. Kirkland, DR.. Il.
q. Cameron, ex-Secretary Herbert, Governor