The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-27
Reese, Alumni President.

mencement, a most notable one, goes into history.
 Reese, Alumni President.
 State Senator H. F. Reese of Selma was elected to succeed Robert Jemison, Jr., as president of the Society of the Alumni.
 This action was taken after MT. Jemison
 Lad positively refused a unanimous re- election.
 E. F. Ellsbury of Geneva and Jelks
 Cabaniss of Birmingham were elected vice
 presidents. George H. Jones, present sec- retary of the university, was elected sec
 retary, with Samuel H. Sprott of this city
 his assistant. Robert Majors of Tusca- loosa was reelected registrar. T. w. Palmer for a long time profess sor of mathematics at the university, and l now president of the Montevallo Girls In- | dustrial school was not, by his own de- l sire, reelected secretary of the society. | Tor his past servlces President Palmer
 was extended a vote of thanks. | It was President Palmer, as is remem- bered, who compiled the excellent volume
 ot university students. Alumni Build Gymnasium. | At the suggestion of MT. Jemison the | Society of the Alumni started plan for the erection and equipment of new gym | nasium, which is sadly needed by the uni versity.
 MT. Jemison stated that one prominent 1 alumnus had agreed to subscribe 5000 and
 raise $7000 in addition.
 | The alumni present contributed liber- ally, and quite large sum was pledged | The society repeated the slogan-''1G00 | pupils in 1910'-and pledged itself to work
 to that end.
 The report of the secretery and treas-
 urer, and the reports concerning other ' bsuiness matters showed that the society
 was in excellent condition. The grad i uating class, that of 1908, was admitted 1 to membership.
 | The society, through a committee, Of l which Gen. w. w. Brandon is chairman l pledged itself to endeavor to acquire for 1 Dr. w. S. Wyman and Dr. w. A. Parker i former professors, respectively, of La tin end German, emeritus professorships | There is not an alumnus of the university l to whom these venerable old scholars are
 not endeared through hundred tles
 Bankhead Banquet Postmaster. | William H. Bankhead, son of Senator
 John H. Bankhead, served as toastmaster | at the alumni banquet. As reported, Congressman Henry D. 1 Clayton, who was graduated in 1887, was 1 originally selected for this duty He wired yesterday, however that duties at Wash | ington prevented his attendance. | MT. Bankhead, though having no time
 to prepare himself, was an excellent sub-
 stitute. There are few men in the state
 with better flow of language, and none
 with a more f1owery and pleasing style. | He presided, therefore, in splendid
 fashion.
 | The banquet was a typical one, with | hundreds of alumni gathered about the
 board, on which sumptuous feast was ! prepared There were eloquent toasts, [ there were witty speeches, there were ex- 1 p,essions of patriotic and sentimental sen- | timents, and altogether the dining hall was continually ringing with laughter l and applause.
 | First on the progremme was the greet 1 ing from the arbiter. Education in Ala | bama" was the subject assigned to Gov l ernor Conner, which proved to be one l with which he was intimately acquainted.
 "rhe American Emblem (the s1 bilD | was toasted by Charles Carmichael whose l speech was one of the wittiest of the l banquet.
 l John A. Rogers, formerly state senator.
 and an exceedingly popular man, toasted | "Americas Aristocracy,'' and made an | exceptionally clever effort 1 F. w. Faith of Mobile delighted the | banaueters with America as a Colonial 1 Stepmother."
 | Charles F. Mccall of Butler made a | patriotic address on Americans of Our ] Day and Generation" "The American Woman was assigned l to John McDuffy, law student. I Beginning with the quotation You 1 gaze at star for two motives-because l 1t is luminous and becaues it is in | penetrable. You have by your side a | sweeter radiance and greater mystery, D l MT McDuffy proceeded to acauit himself l proudly.
 Among the banqueters were several | ladies, former students and graduates in l the co-educational department of the uni | versity.
 The Evening Entertainment. The performance of the Alabama Gee club this evening was excellent. These | young men, as has been. proven from their performances all over the state, are exceptionally talented in the art of sing | ing, dancing and mimicry, and their care ful training is another feather in the cap of Tom Garner, one of the most faithful alumni of the university. and editor of the Tuscaloosa Times-Gazette. The club performed before packed and enthusiastic audience. and the result was l a pleased audience and Glee club. The dance of the l.. T. F. club, so- cial organization of prominence and long standing in Tuscaloosa, was perhaps the most brilliant of all commencement fes- tivities.
 There were more than 100 couples par ticipating and the hall, gorgeously deco rated, was a picture of beauty. The ger man was skilfully led by Hugo Fried man, generally admitted the cleverest leader In the state. During the e1,anino delicous refresh-