Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-01-23
LEE CENTENNIAL
Memorable Exercises Saturday
at Washington & Lee

LES Wv" VI 00heioi hOoSTt II. Lee
his tomb in Lexington last Satur
NED day, the 10th, was fitting tribut
-" to the life and character of tn,
great Confederate chieftain, ant
hi. peculiarly fitting from the fac
that the closing years of mis- event
&C. full life were spent in this commun.
,Or ity, engaged in q work tho in.
ty, huence of which will be felt TO the
'ee remotest generation. The occasion
no was accentuated by the presence
of an eminent son of New Eng
an land, the Hon. Charles Frances
of Adams of Massachusetts,, whose
On ancestry for five generations have
~ adorned the pages Of American
~ history. The audience that taxed
n. the capacity of the chapel was cap
% tured by the utterance of Mr..
T. Adams when he declared that af-
4 tor "much patient study and most
"a mature reflection, chat under SIM
e. liar condition l would myself have
y done exactly what Lee did,"
:, The formal exercises tegan at
= ii O'Clock in the University
= chapel, with DR.. George H. Denny,
president of the University, pre-
t siding. The Confederate Veterans
: and Sons of Confederates marched
g first into the chapel, and the
. Daughters occupied seats in the
gallery. Following these came the
Board of Trustees of Washington
and Lee, the members Ct the fac.
ulty In cap ana gown, headed ty
President Denny who escorted the
distinguished orator of the day, I
Mr.. Adams, with the graduating
class and students all marching
from the Newcomb Hall, with the o
student body forming on either q
side of the walk lane through L
which the distinguished visitors Il
passed. "
Arrived in the chapel, the exer- L
cises were opened with prayer by h
DIR. G. B. Stricken, captain of the c.
Liberty Hall Volunteers, a com lie
p"ny formed of the College stu. e.
dents. General Lees favorite
hymn, Glow Firm a Foundation, pr
Ye Saints of the Lord" was sung vi
by choir of students. President 10
Denny followed with an ELOQUENT Il
address, closing with the an K
nouncement that the Board of W
Trustees had conferred on Mr.. b
Adams the honorary degree of co
Doctor of Laws. Mr.. Adams, when WI
presented by President Denny, ex- Oh
pressed his pleasure at the honor
conferred upon him, and also his lee
qualification at being in Licking mi
ton on this occasion, and entered HI
at once into the delivery of his ia
masterful address. Although he me
omitted some parts, the delivery of DR.
the address consumed consider A.
ably over an hour.
Mr.. Adams spoke with clear COZ
'nunciation, and his words were lea
heard in all parts of tn. /
hall. The play of his expressive be
features conveyed to his audience Let
many delicate shades OF thought 4
hat cold words were unable to do. Lee
shrug of the shoulder, a frown of
II smile, the twinkle of the eye, ton
we're all used with consummate gen
act and with telling force, all tie a
lore so because unconsciously sha
one. ing
At the conclusion of the ad- enr'
ress of Mr.. Adams, President this
Jenny announced that han dsome or
ust steel engraving of General ed
ee had been presented to the Uni A
srsity by the students The pic Lea
lie 10 work of art, and was got aen'
N out by the John A. Lowell Beer
ank Note Company of Boe ton. 1t A
as made from q photograph of Pres
eneral Lee taken three days after Flna
e surrender at his home in Rich. Way
oLd. The engraving is pro- EoIn
'unced by the Lee famil, to BIZ Exec
est thoroughly satisfactory like. the
ss OF General Lee. The picture mem
in q handsome oak frame. Tn conn
9 circle surrounding the picture mitt
Q the words, "Robert Edward dent
re, 1SO7-1907." Beneath is the bers
% coat of arms, with the motto, shall
'e lncautus Futuri." Crossed be dirsc
ath the coat of arms a. 3 United Leag
ates and Confederate flags. other
President Denny also announced any
1t Mr.. Gerald Smythe of Putney, Ar
gland, had sent a beautiful Ieag
'nze wreath of oak and olive untar
yes, to be placed on General Ar
30 tomb. M. Smythe has sew OF th'
times before sent wreaths to year
Iington for similar purpose, 10th
IN announcement of interest by other
sident Denny WIS that The tive {
'rd of Trustees had decided which
t in the future the Lee Memo. suing
chapel would be devoted more meeti
lusively as depository of Lee times
nentoes. Art
he decorations in the chanel may b
9 simple but in harmony with vote o
spirit of the occasion, Con- annua
crate flags predominated but vote o.
ted States and Virginia Aaos other
e also in evidence. Palms ever shall
ms and potted plants were ar week
red on the nlatform