The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-29
EDUCATORS OF AMERICA PAY
 TRIBUTES TO THE UNIVERSITY

a
 spoke his proud word of the universi. tys history and his foreword of her great future. There too. Governor JeIks and Superintendent I. w. Hill. spoke of the States duty and obiiga- ton to her educational institutions. her dutiful support of both her Uni versity and her common schools. Nor was 1t forgotten that the states edu- cational advance had been a thing in which any man of Alabama might take
 q part.
 south and Nerth Together. Out of this gathering of educators in Clark Hall, assembled from far and wide. out of their addresses of frater- nifty there came the significant impress sion that through educational intor- ests the South and the North were clasping hands as they had never done before in more than forty years. Then came the Impression that the northern educator had realized In recent years that the South had grave educational problems, in addition to the problem of negro education and an impression that the northern educator had come to a realisation of the South's educational i, achievements in the face of great ob- stacles.
 And then came, too, the impression that the Southern educator more than welcomed the interest and the help of his Northern brother. Then came the impression that the Southern educator wanted hls Northern brother, with his experience and his accomplishments. Then came A conviction of the truth of President Faunce's words: 'srhe great est unifying force in the world is edu- cation"
 Today, hours were spent by the Com nencement visitors inspecting the H. brary and the splendid geological col lection of Dr. Eugene A. Smith, said to he the finest first hand collection of fossils and geological specimens In the United states.
 Academic Proeessien. The impressive Academic procession formed at 10 o'clock in the main ave nue through the college campus. There
 were representatives of perhaps twer- ty-five institutions of learning in it. men of such rank at Dean Penniman of the University of Pennsylvania;
 President Brown Ayres of the University of Tenessee; President
 Edmund J. James, of the uni-
 versity of Illinois: Thomas W. Page, Professor of History and Economies Tn the University of California and repre- sentatives from Princeton. Cornell. North Carolina. Tulane and various col Ieges and universities throughout the United States.
 striking figure in the Academic procession was Brigadier General Du- val in tho blue and gold of an ofhcer's f,a1i dress of the United States Army, who under instructions from the War Department. represented the Acaoemy of the Army at West Point
 Headed by Governor Jelks and Pres ident Abercrombie. the procession moy- ed across the wind swept campus and
 marched into Clark Hall. Here It's
 members were ranged in the wide ros- trum with the Crimson and white or Alabama intertwined aoova them.
 After A beautiful selection by Cole mans orchestra of Birmingham, the in- vacation was offered by Rev. E: A. Pervick. Rector of Christ Church, Tus-
 president Abercrombie then stepped to inc front of the platform ana de- iIyered his address reviewing the his- tory and the growth of the Univer- sity. President Abercrombie spoke as follows:
 Ladies and Gentlemen:
 It ia with no ordinary pleasure that enter upon q performance of the outy assigned me h the beshnHsiniES sniSs 9a fa ths ths
 r ss TOT ren s9qay to preside ovsr the riversary exercises of an institution so full of years. Like beacon 1t has
 This celebration marks the close of three quarters of century of glori- ous achievement. Here for seventy i've years. with brief interruption, the torch of learning has burned oriiliantly' In uplifted hands 1t has been held.
 The history of the University of Ala baTsna is coeval with the history of the State of Alabama. Indeed, the Uni versity's growth and the States devel- onnneflt are so closely related, so com nieteiy ifterwoven, that 1t is difficult fo consider them separately.
 The University was provided for Tn isls by the act of Congress which ad- rnitted Alabama into the Union Of States. By that enactment, a donation of seventy-two sections of land was made for the endowment of seminary of learning. Tn December, lsyO, the General Assembly passed an act estap- fishing a seminary of learning, 10 De denominated the University of Ala of Trustees was held in. April 1922. In December, 1927, Tuscaloosa, then the Capitai of the State. was selected for the seat of the University: The site upon which to erect the buildings, the present site which comprises 300 acres, was selected in March. 1928.
 ThA inauguration of the first Presi- dent. Rev. Ava Woods. D. D. took place in April, 1881. Fifty-two stu dents were fIfatricuiated on the first day of the first session. Progress was un- hindered to the mighty conflict of the sxities. Near the close of that momen- tous struggle. the material equipment fell victim to the ravages of war. In April, 1865, a body of Federal cavalry, who had been despatched for the pur-