The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-01-18
CELEBRATE LEE CENTENNIAL.
Program Betting the Occasion viii
Be Carried Out.
Ardmorelte Special.

Ardmorelte Special.
Lexington, Va. Jan. 1S.-The ccle.
bration Of the centennial anniversary
Of the birth OF General Robert r. Lee
began today at Washington and Lee
university, the institution of which
the famous warrior was president
during the five years prior 90 his
death. The main program will be
carried out tomorrow. Lop's birthday.
ana will consist Of patriotic exercises
and addresses by some OF the most
famous Ten of the north and south.
Iundrc Of visitors are arriving
here, and veterans of the blue and the
gray will clasp hands in the college
chapel, whore a noble rucumhcnt
statue In nawloss marble guards the
last resting place of one OF the great.
est military leaders the world has cy.
er known.
Il is not as war hero that the
participants in the present celebration
honor Lee, bat as an educator. To
the alumni OF Washington and lee
university, scores of whom ara here
to celebrate the anniversary Lee was
greater In peace than in war To doz.
ems of distinguished men. gathered
in Lexington from all parts of the
country Lee was guide, counsellor
and friend. The tributes To bc paid
to his memory during the celebration
tomorrow will come from the hearts
Of those who knew him and loved
him, not as an interepid leader upon
the fields Of battle, but as an iutnlIcc.
tual and moral teacher whose victor.
les are won in molding the characters
of men. The efforts made To secure
the attendance of all the living alum.
nj Of Lees time have been as success.
ful as could be expected, and an these
visitors are being entertained by the
citizens Of Lexington. An elaborate
banquet has been arranged for their
benefit Charles Francis Adams will
be the principal speaker tomorrow.
1t was five months after he had sur.
rendered at AppomattoX that Lee as.
sumed the presidency OF Washington
and Lee college, the position which
he held to the time of hi. death five
years later The Confederacy had
crumbled before the onslaughts of
Grant, and Lee. like so many other
southerners, was impoverished. lie
was offered many positions Of honor
and emolumcnt. including the presi
dency Of life insurance company at
a salary OF $4,000 year, but re
fused them all to become the head oI
the struggling little Virginia insutu
/ tion at a salary of $4,000. The school
while rich in historic associations
was poor in endowment and equip
ment. To it Lee gale all the strength
of his influence and genius, with III,
result that IL became he Mecca u
students from all over the South
/ During the five yetrs mat Lee was IL
charge of the dest,uia5 Of the uniyes
s.ty nearly a thDI-ald .rdcrts wcg,
enrolled and upon all he left the i'm
press of his character, free from al
viudictiveuess or hatred. All of hii
efforts were for the restoration O
peace and harmony between the peo
pie of the north and the south. 81
is particularly incumbent on thos,
charged with the instruction Of tn,
young to set the main example of sub
mission to autho 'ty," he wrote in hi
letter OF acceptance. The bloody sec
tional strife in which he had beel
engaged was forgotten, Nanquished
he became an example of chiyalrou
nobility greater than he had ever beef
as "a victor.
Matinee.