The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-06-21
TlL.LMAN TALKS
HakesSpssch to the Graduates Of Glenn
son College and Creates
AN AFFECTING SCENE

AEV AEEEV21NU GCAisA
The Senator Talks Of the Movement
to Establish Clemson College,
Which Has Ever Been Near to His
Heart-Eighty-Seven Young Men
Receive Degrees.
The graduating exercises Of Glenn
son College which took place Tues
day, were Of unusual interest. The
events were the splendid address to
the graduating class by Dr.. James Z.
Patterson of the University of Ken
tucky, the powerful speech Of Alan
Johnstone to the graduates, the elo
ouent short speech Of ". D. Evans in
presenting the trustees medal for
oratory to NJ W. Call of Marion,
the remarkable ovation given Sena'
tor TilIman when he presented the
D. x. Norris medal given to the best
all-round man in the graduating class
to "A. M. Salley Of Orangeburg.
The exercises were most gracefully
presided over by President Riggs,
who seems to be the right man in
the right place at the head of Glenn
son. The graduating class this year
consists Of eighty-seven young men,
who go out into the world we'll
equipped for the battle of life. The
college has closed the best year in
many respects, in its history. Sen
ator Tillman was present and made
a speech to the graduating class. It
was a great day for Clemson, abound
ing in many pleasing and memorable
incidents.
One Of the most notable OF these
was the affecting scene when Sena-
tor Tiliman sto6 waiting for the ap-
plause to subside, covering his face
with his hands to hide the tears. and
in a voice choking with emotion be-
gan a characteristic speech. in which
he told of being forbidden by his
physician to make an address. He
reviewed his career briefly, telling OF
the vision he had in 1885 when he
offered resolutions at the grange
meeting in Bennettesville which were
defeated, calling for department OF
agriculture at the university, and OF
his subsequent letters educating the
establishment of a separate asricr--
tural college. He said few men live
to realize their dreams, but he had
lived to see more at Clemson and
Winthrop than he had ever dreamed.
There were occasional flashes OF
the old time fire and force IN the
senator's address and the audience
listened in rapt attention. Never has
such ovation been given a man at
Clemson as greeted the senator when
he, seemingly unwillingly sat down.
He stood the fatigue of speaking very
well, and seemed supremely happy.
Senator spoke. as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen: Ny ply
sician has forbidden me to make
speech, but I cannot on this occasion
refrain from expressing 20 you my
great pleasure at being here, and,
above all, to return to You thanks
for the heartiness Of your welcome.
I shall not take long, but there are
some things I think ought to be
said, and if my strength holds out
I win attempt to say them. Our
honorable president Of the board OF
trustees has spoken Of Mr.. Clemson S
dream and of his vision years ago.
also had dream and vision, and
viii tell you Of it. IN 1885, twenty
six years ago, the 5th day Of next
August, I attended the 5oint meeting
of the State Grange and State Agrl-
cultural Society at Bennettsvllle, ID
Marlboro county. I offered a series
of resolutions there, which were not
adopted by the meeting, but the
+ speech I made on this occasion met
with such spontaneous outhurst OF
approval from the assembled farmers
of the State, that I felt sufficiently
encouraged to march forward along
the line had marked out.
ttThat fall I wrote a series Of let
tiers for the News and Courier, which
was then the leading paper Of the
State and reached almost every farm
house. In these articles I advocated
a different education from that which
We had in the State. I urged the
establishment. .of a separate college,
although the Bennettsville resolu-
ton had only demanded that the
LEGISLATURE establish a department
in the University of South Carolina
which would be devoted to agricul-
ture and mechanical arts and to
which women would be admitted. l
have seen the time when would en-
10Y very much talking to you. l
have addressed thousands and hun
dreds Of thousands Of my fellow cit
liens in this and other States. and
enjoyed the stimulus OF a large au-
dience, but my mind will not respond
to my will as it once did.
e'I will go on and tell you about my
vision. I dreamed that there ought
to be a college for boys and girls
that would equip them for the battle
Of life; a college where the studies
would be not only Latin and Greek
and the classics, but snch as would
prepare q man to make his bread and
butter. I had a vision not of this
school, but of something like It; not
Of Winthrop, but something like 1t.
] did not dream that this school
would become what it is. I attended
the commencement at Winthrop last
week and saw TOO young women,
your sisters, your sweetheacts. Well.
is there anything more to say? They
were there in fullforce and were the