The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-03
DIR. TAMIL
 AT AUBURN Address Was Part of Intellectual Feast. COMPETITIVE DRILL HELD Spectacular Feature of an Interest
 ing Day. Commencement visitors In Gay Attire surround the Field in Which the Cadet Soldiers Disported Them
 seives--sone Features of
 Auburn's Work.
BY CHARLES L. HAROLD.

BY CHARLES L. HAHOLD.
 Auburn, June 2.-(Special)-Thing both intellectual and spectacular made up the interesting program of the third commencement day at this college. The 4hrours who are in attendance. with minds strengthened by the magnificent address this mornig of Dr. HoWard M. Hamill, scattered to the hotels, the res adences of the professors and the pri- vafe boarding houses, to regale them selves with lunch. Then they went out to the drill ground to witness the spec tacuiar event of all Auburn commence ments, the competitive company drill.
 Before the crowds went. however. to the military contest, most of them had the pleasure of visiting the various me- chanic art laboratories, the machine shops. the library, the experiment sta fion and the many other buildings ana places which represent the scientinc side of the education dealt out at tnis college.
 Tg1e address of pr. Hamill, which was delivered at the invitation of the alum nj of this institution, was pronounced a gem of oratory. Although Dr. Hamill 5abored under bodily difficulties. being somewhat i'll ever since he came here from Montgomery. his effort left no doubt in the minds of those who pack ed Langdon Hall that he was master of his subject This was The Sunrise Kingdom"
 After delivering this magnificent ad- dress Dr. Hamill left on the early af- 4ernoon train for Vincennes, Ind, where he has an appointment to speak tomor-| Fow.
 Not in recent years has competitive company drill gathered so splendid multitude as did the one of this after noon 1t has always been regarded as 1he gala event of commencement. This year the tradition was wound aoout with all the atmosphere of old. It was 4he acme, as 1t ever was, of military skill as taught In this institution both fu constant drill and studied theory.
 The Company Drill.
 All of society was out to witness the five military companies quietly march xpon the field, one by one, and execute the succession of movements and evo- lutions set down for them by the com mittee of judges. The sponsors, sit- ting in gaily decorated carriages, their maids facing them, was the inspiration of the captains who chose them and for the ardent following that each com pany had. Both at the appearance of the companies on the field and at the end of their executions, there was a demonstration from the partisans. The scene was perhaps more typical of the outdoor commencement of Auburn than any other feature
 For a solid hour the companies ai- ternateiy occupied the field while the partisans shouted their acclaim, the cheering being loudest when the com panies formed into line after the end of each evolution.
 The captains of the companies who participated in the drills with the names of their sponsors were:
 Company A-Capt. H. W. Allen, of Old Spring Hill; sponsor, Miss Louise Alexander, of Sedalia. Mo.
 Company B-Capt. c. E. Fort of Ma rion Junction; sponsor, Miss Della Hudmon. of Opelika.
 Company C--Capt. c. N. Howard, of Autaugaville; sponsor, Miss Margaret Hubble, of Montgomery.
 Company D--capt J. L. Skinner, of Auburn; sponsor, Miss Lucille Allen, of Mobile.
 of Montgomery; sponsor. Miss Sarah ]. Wilkinson, of Montgomery.
 The committee of judges appointed . for this occasion were Col. E. Ii. Graves. of Eufaula; Col. Hughes B. Kennedy, of Birmingham, and Logan Martin, of Montgomery: These gentle men, recognized authorities in military science. made a careful inspection of each company and entered this and other factors into the column of grades which will determine the winner of the contest. The victor gets a handsomely JeWelleu sWoros which Is awarded to the captain of the company
 There was also a prize individual drill, consisting of puzzllng commands of the judges from the manual Of arms. The winner of this medal and also of the company competitive sword will be announced later. What added to the brilliance of the whole event was the glistening of the new guns and accoutrements which have recent ly been furnished to the corps of ca dets by the War Department
 Military to Stay at Auburn.
 Picking up opinions here and there and judging fron4 the wonderful degree of rivalry between the compan nies, all in good nature, however, one cannot es- cape the conclusion that military is in the college to stick. There have been times when 1t looked as if 1t might vanish from this institution with the permission of Congress. But be- sides the compulsory condition of the Morrill, Act that military practice be maintained at all such colleges. the college, the alumni and the trustees seem to be reconciled to it as a per- manent feature.
 The display of the laboratories, the experiment station and the numerous appurtenances so often spoken of be- fore aroused the curious interest Of the visiting throngs Professors and WNtO tnelT dCCuSIOueQ places this afternoon from to 5 o'clock for the convenience of the public. Pa irons of the college, parents of the young men who are here to begin the moulding of their careers. constituted most. of the crowd who inspected the scenes of laboratory work
 The doors of the new engineering building were thrown wide open. This structure was dedicated last year, but since then great improvements have been made inside and new machinery has been installed. It is all in line with the progressive policy of the Pres ident of the college and the professors themselves. backed up by the trustees The same is true Of the power plant. the hall of civil engineering, the agri- cultural station. the chemical laborar tory, the pharmaceutical laboratory, alh exhibiting the most modern products of .la ....