The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-02-09
A Renaissance
dedicated to Johnny Bauer by hi
friend G. b. 81

dedicated to Johnny Bauer by his
friend G. B. s.
As l journey southwark to cross
Big Creek and once more survey the
historic old Fort Hays military reser-
walton, / find the roadway not where
it once was. In those halcyon DAYS
of more than a quarter OF q century
past we followed Fort Street, less
than a furlOng west of the present
thoroughfare, until we came to q
wooden bridge which SPAWNED the ro-
mantle stream. Now we travel over
Chestnut Street, with its splendid
concrete sidewalks and brick paved
driveway-to a splendid concrete and
steel rialto, and at once are on the
ancient reservation comprising nearly
5000 acres Of the most productive
soil in all Kansas.
In those days these acres constitut-
ed a military post and were dedicat-
ed and devoted wholly and solely to
military uses. Today this same soil
is productive, not only of grain and
rough feed, but also the finest trained
brains, capable of transmitting to
others their great store of well bal
anced mental understanding "a
wealth of useful lore beyond COM
pare.
On this old military reservation
find two institutions of vital import
ance to the entire republic. One is
the Agricultural Experiment Station,
the other the Fort Hays Normal
School. Here literally the sword has
been wrought into the pillow share
and the bayonet into the prooning
hook, while the dove peacefully builds
her nest in the mouth of the one
time noisy death dealing cannon, and
rears her little brood in undisturbed
quiet.
In lieu of the menacing, war-like
drill with drawn sword, fixed bayo-
net and blazing rifle once IN vogue
here, we now witness splendid
friendly contests for athletic suprem-
acy, in baseball, football, basketball,
boat racing and bakers dozen other
sports best fitted to make men and
women better physically for the more
humane and peaceful duties of life.
This certainly IS a much more
pleasing aspect, even to one who had
given four long years to the profes-
sion of army life attended by mortal
combat, and all the horrors of war
And now as / stand on this one
particular spot, fanked by It's splen-
| did surroundings of fine stone struc
lures, great broad concrete walks,
ample lawns and pleasing shrubbery,
the murmuring, laughing stream, the
romantic crooked bridge and all the
rest, 1 scarce can believe my own
vision when l look upon and mental
/ " survey in all its grand proportions
/ and grandeur possibilities, wonderful
! Sheridan Coliseum. AS memory re
verts to scenes of the past, and I
compare the roaring, brain splitting
nerve wrecking drunken orgies, and
/ 71aniacal revelrieS which at one time
held full and undisputed sway on this
very spot, say to myself Hof 2 truth
/ the world do move" But thanks to
the great giver of every good and
perfect gift, it is moving onward and
upward toward a higher plane where
none Of its transaction need screen
ing, or its moral teaching a hiding
nlace.
As I sit in my easy chair
and mediate, what q wonderful
panorama passes before my vi
sion. On this particular spot / gazed
nd realized that all the law, or right
that obtained, came through the
nower of might. There was not a
church within hundreds of miles,
there was not a school house any clos
er- The revolver. the gambling tables
and the rum bottle was the bible, and
ribald songs of drunken and desolute
men and women was the hymnal, and
black pail of murder and kindred
crimes covered all Today we live.
and see by the bright light of Chris
ton civilization and the moral inf1u-
ence of Cor fearing and loving peo-
pie. And have lived to behold with
mine eyes and hear with mine ears
all these glorious things
I die content. Contributed.