The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-06-16
CLEMSON COMMENCEMENT ENDS.
Senator Tillman Tells of Movement TO
Establish Clemson College.

Clemson College. June 13.-The fin
al program of the fifteenth commence
men1 of Clemson college was rendere"
today.
Senator Johnst0ne to Graduates.
Senator Alan Johnstone, of New
berry, chairman of the board of trus-
tees. made a few remarks to the grad
uating class and congratulated them
upon having received the degree of
bachelor of science and concluded
with these words of advice: May 81
years be given to each member of this
class" There we're 81 graduates who
are about to be sent on long jour-
ney of life. He admonished them not
to become partisans, but when strug-
Cling for the good things Of this life
to remember the Scriptural exhorta-
ton to seek ye first the Kingdom OF
God and all these things shall be ad-
ded unto you"
The diplomas we're presented by
President Riggs, and as each student
stepped forward to receive this, his
evidence of faithfulness, he was greet
ed with prolonged applause.
Senator Tillman Speaks.
Ladies and Gentlemen: My physi-
clan has forbidden me to make a
\speech, but I can not on this occasion
refrain from expressing to you my
great pleasure at being here, and,
above all, to return to you thanks for
the heartiness of your welcome. !
shall not take long, but there are
some things I think ought to be said,
and if my strength holds out will at
tempt to say them. Our honorable
president Of the board of trustees has
spoken of Mr. Clemson's dream and OF
his vision years ago. I also had
dream and a vision, and will tell you
of it. In 1885, twen,y-slx years ago,
the 5th day of next August, attended
the joint meeting of the State Grange
and Safe Agricultural society, at Ben
nettsville, in Marlboro county, Of
fered a series of resolutions there
which were not adopted by the meet
ing, but the speech I made On this oc-
casion met with such a spontaneous
outburst of approval from the assem-
bled farmers of the State that I felt
sufficiently encouraged to march for
ward along the line I had marked out
Urged Separate College.
THAT fall I wrote a series of letters
for the News and Courier, which was
then the leading paper of the State
and reached almost every farm house
In these articles T advocated a differ
ent education from that which We had
ia the State. I urged the establish.
roent of a separate college, although
the Bennettsville resolutions had on
ly demanded that the legislature es'
tablish a department in the UniVer'
sity of South Carolina, which would
be devoted to agriculture and mechan-
ical arts and to which women would
be admitted. I have seen the time
when I would enjoy very much talk
ing to you. I have addressed thou
sands and hundreds of thousands o1
my felluw cirizens in this and in 9th
er States, and enjoyed the stimulus ot
a. large audieacA, but my mind vii
not respond to my will as it once did
Tells OF Vision.
II will go on and tell you abou
my vision I dreamed that there ough
to be a college for boys and girls tha
would equip them for the battle o.
life; a college where he studies would
be not only Latin and Greek and tnt
classics, but such as would prepare
a man to make his bread and butter
/ had vision, not Of this school, bu
of something like it; not of Winthrop
but something like it. did not dream
that this school would become wha
It is or that Winthrop would becom
what it is. I attended the commerce
ment at Winthrop last week and saV
700 young women, your sisters. you
sweethearts Well, Is there anythin!
more to say? They were there in ful
force and were the prettiest things
ever saw or ever expect to see again
It is not often that man is allowed
to live and to see his dreams com
true, and to my fellow members of tn
board of trustees and my co-Worker