The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-04-15
OKLAHOMA ALUMNI
v|RC|N|AUkNERS|7y
JUDGE SAM HAYS ELECTED PRES
IDENT OF NEW ORGANIZATION
INSPIRATION OF GRADY.

The Oklahoma Alumni of the Uni
versity of Virginia is one of the
latest organizations in this state. J
b. Moore, former city attorney, was
present at the organization. The
association will meet each year il
April in celebration of the founding
of the famous old University and
in celebration of the birthday ami
versary of Thomas Jsfferson. The
officers chosen at the first meeting
were Judge Samuel Hays of the Ok
lahoma supreme court, president;
Preston West of Muskogee, vice pres
ident; Mr.. Gleason of Oklahoma City
secretary-treasurer. A banquet was
spread and the college boys told OF
many experiences in the University
and of their trials in going through
the school. Henry w. Grady was
from the same university and he
was frequently referred to in the
speeches. Judge Hays told a story
of his own life that he did not in
tend for publication but which is
very interesting. The story has a
peculiar interest to the editor of
this paper, for the reason that Judge
Hays lived just across the big road
from him in the old Texas county
and he knows of the circumstances.
The story told by the judge was that
he lived in a county where there
was not a ISilroad, his surroundings
were not such as to inspire boy
with a burning desire to climb high
er in the world, there was a dearth
of books in the pioneer settlement
and the biggest men in the country
were the teacher whose education
had taken him only as far as a sec
ond grade certificate and the min
lister who prided himself upon call
ing himself the cornfield preacher
Meaning that he had come from the
furrow to the church and was not
speaking from his learning of books
and schools but from his revelation
received from the Most High. Judge
Hays hired out to a threshing outfit
one day and an accident occurred
that resulted in lifting him out of
the mists that made up his early
surroundings. Becoming entangled
in the machinery an arm was brok-
en-. For better surgical treatment he
was taken to the county seat town.
1t had no railroad but it had finer
homes and better stores than young
Hays had ever seen before. For
three weeks he remained at the home
of an aunt and while there he OBJ
served a copy of the history and
speeches of the immortal Henry w.
Grady. Three times he read the
caught the fire of inspiration which
the words of Grady give to those who
love learning and good literature.
He resolved that he would learn
more, that he would go to school,
that he would go to college. In all
that broad eXpanse of sedge grass
and mesquite country there seemed
no way for him to find a way to
carry out his plans. Judge Hays
never told companion of his aspi-
rations. They would have laughed.
But genius consists of purpose and
striving. Hays had the definite pur-
pose fixed in his mind and he neY-
er ceased to strive.
Success crowned his efforts and he
afterwards took a degree at the
University of Virginia and has been
member of the Oklahoma supreme
court since statehood. In addition
to his learning, Judge Hays is one
of the best loved men in the state
Early struggles have kindled flames
of kindly feelings to all mankind in
his heart that burn increasingly with
good wishes and good thoughts for
all and his countenance portrays the
feelings of friendship and love that
go out to every man who is strug-
Cling for the right. Great will be
the judiciary of Oklahoma as long
as men of the Sam Hays type are
kept on the supreme court bench.
Revival in luna