University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-04-24
GEORGE c. WILSON.

GEORGE G. WILSON.
, A freshman sat in his room at An
ArbOr, chewed his pencil and scow
ed at the mathematics book befOr
him. He had a hard lesson for tn
next morning. and from the hints hi
professor had dropped he felt it wa
imperative that he remain at hom
and work. even though he had a long
ing to hear the Oratorical contes
which was being held that night.
He chewed and he scowled but tn
problems appeared no better for il
He fell to thinking and planning, /;
thing he did naturally Now, he knew
his roOmmate's weakness and he hi
upon a plan.
Say" he said in an off-hand man
ner, "the prof sure gave us some hare
problems today. They stumped the
whole class. Some sOphOmOres in
your class tried to work them and
couldn't do it. They sure are hard
This roommate was a good mathe-
matician, and he believed i'm everyone
working his own problems. But he
did like to work problems that others
had failed to solve. And when he
looked up from his book the freshman
was sure of himself, for he asked to
see the problems. Then: why.
they are easy, George. l can work
the whole bunch in half an hour"
And he did. for in less than an hour
freshman George was listening to the
speakers at the oratorical contest.
while the next morning he surprised
the professor with his problems
The speech of the man who won the
contest that night impressed him ex-
ceedingly. 1t was merely simple state
ments of facts, clearly and forcibly de-
livered. And at the end everyone
knew exactly what had been said;
they were not lost in a maze of beau
tiful language or overwhelmed with
The freshman decided then
and there that should he ever speak
in contest his speech would be
simple and clear. That he had wisely
decided was evident when the judges
It the Stephens Oratorical contest an
that the man who had won !
md would thereby represent the Uni
Tersity of Missouri at st. Louis was
ieOrge Clark Wilson.
In 1909 Wilson, whose home is in
Nevada, Mo-. left Michigan University
md entered the University of Missouri,
rom which he was graduated two
ears later with an A. b. degree. The
all of 1911 he began his study of law.
md his work in this department has
rOught him many rewards. His class
ave him his membership in Phi Delta
hi; his oratorical ability, Delta Sigma
no: while his ability to preside at
leetings has made him president of ,
is department. |,
Last fall when there were new plans I
'r the mass meetings, George Wilson
Splained them to the students i'm his s
'rcible way. AS a result they were &
adopted. He formulated i
lie plans for the organization of the s
Id Guard, that worthy organization s
which this years Savitar is dedi- d
tied. And but few mass meetings
ere held last fall at which Wilson a
as not called on to speak. c
From school politics to dance COM {
ittees, from oratorical contests to @
iting joke books, he takes a promi- {
mt part, not to mention keeping up fl
S membership in the Sigma Nu fra
rnity and other social organizations. f.
What most impresses one about =,
illson is his off-hand way of doing 6
ings and his seemingly careless
eeches. But one nearly always
IDS his speeches to be we'll thought , :
I. He talks rapidly, but there is :,
active brain racing on ahead of . :
ch word. -
When George Wilson appeared on !,
platform at the oratorical con- :,
It. his movements, his air of ease :,
d grace. were those of a man who
longed before an audience. His =,
airing caused the audience to expect '.
n to make a good talk. He had Sc :,
ted his subject we'll; the very title :"
.ated an interest. And when he be-
he told a simple story of a slave, ae
a shower Of theories and figures.
dealt with facts as he saw them, Ill
he told them clearly and forcibly, vi
he would talk to you or me.