Henderson State University - Star Yearbook (Arkadelphia, AR)

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Swninr Ullman lirnphvrg ill COULD hardly realize that l had let ten years pass without visiting my clear old Alma Mater, and l decided to attend another Commencement, the first since my graduation. Living in California, l had had little opportunity to know either of the school which l had attended, or of my old classmates. So on lVlay twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred and twenty, l took an air ship for A'kadelphia. When we got to Salt Lake City, a very fat lady, dressed in black and fan- ning vigorously with a turkey wing, got aboard. The machine started and soon she unexpectedly began to sob with every breath, Air, Air, give me air l l saw she was sick and asked if there was any thing lcould do for her. She said, lf you don't get me off this thing I believe l shall die. l discovered that, not being used to traveling on air ships, she had become air sick. l thought her loud, shrill voice sounded familiar and after looking at her more closely, discovered that it was my old classmate, Fletcher Gunning, who was a very ardent advocate of woman's rights and was on her way to St. Louis where she was to deliver an address. As it was sometime before the ship would get to one of its regular stops, and Fletcher was becoming deathly sick, l asked the driver to put us off. The place where he landed us was a little villiage, consisting of three or four stores and two or three dozen cottages. We went into a drug store for some smelling salts. The clerk stepped up, and imagine our surprise when we recognized him now to be Dr. F. Whiteside. ln his senior year he had been disappointed in love and had gone as far as he could from all who knew him, to begin life again, and was now living the life of a jolly old bachelor. We learned from him that lVlr. Lawrence Rogers was one of the most pros- perous farmers in the little villiage. We went out and spent the night at his country home, and the next morning Fletcher was entirely recovered from her illness, so we proceeded on our way, Lawrence driving us to the nearest station. When l got to Little Rock a very distinguished looking, middle-aged gen- tleman, with long, curly, brown hair falling over his shoulders, got on the car, telling the conductor he was bound for Arkadelphia. All right, Governor, was the warm reply. lmagine our astonishment and joy, when on closer ap- proach we recognized a member of our old class, Ned Atkins. He told us that he had been asked to deliver the Baccalaureate address at Commencement, and ll8l

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X- LILLIE WHITESIDE, A. B. - Upsilm Phi A litlle work, a liflle play, A liltle fun to mulch ihe sorrow- Monitor, '08, '10,Chaplain, '07, Treas., '08, Sergeant at Arms, '07, '08, '09, Drew for Deportment Medal, '07, '08, '09, Cor- responding Secretarv, '08, '09, 'l0. .IQHN L. HUGHES, A. B. ---- Garland Where shall llze lover res! 9 Secretary, '08, Chaplain, '09, Critic, '10, Sgt. at Arms, '10, President, '10, President Junior Class, '09, Treasurer Senior Class, 'IU, Treasurer Atliletic Association, '10, Y. lVl. C. A. Cabinet, '08, '09, '10, lnter- Society Debate, '10, lVlgr. Base Ball Team, '09, Oracle Staff, '08, '09, '10, Star Staff, '08' '09, '10, Secretary Sunday School, '08, ,X f 1 'x WHITEFORD MAULDIN, A, B. Garland fl soldier slrong as any Pres., '09, '10, Vice-President, '07 '08, Treasurer, '06, '07, Marshal, '06, '07, '10, Foot Ball Team, '05, '06 '07, '08, '09, Captain, '06, '07, '09, Base Ball Team, '06, '07, Oracle Staff, '08, '09, '10, Bus. Mgr. Star, '10, Corporal. '06, '07, 3rd Sergt., '07, '08, Sergt. Major, '08, '09, Senior Captain, '09, Major, '10, Vice Pres. Senior Class, '10, Class Orator, '10.

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was on his way to Henderson for this purpose. He told us all about his strug- gle upward in politics, and of the difficulties he had had to overcome, to be the governor of his state. We were eager to know something of the former Hen- derson studenls, and Ned gave us all the information he possessed. Among other things, he mentioned Whiteford Mauldin, one of our old classmates, who is now, as we all know, the great steel magnate, Andrew Carnigie the second. When we got to Arkadelphia the First sound that reached our ears, was a familiar voice crying shrilly, 'Peanuts and popcorn, live cents a sack. Look- ing across the street from the beautiful new stone depot we recognized John l... Hughes behind the stand. When we got to the college we were delighted to see so many improve- ments. Instead of the brick building there was a magnificent stone one. The intra-Mural association had made the interim very beautiful. The Alumni Hall begun the year we finished, now stood an ornament to the campus.. There were several other buildings, together with a row of brick cottages for the pro- fessors. While talking to Mr. Hinemon l asked him who was to preach the commencement sermon. Why, Miss Lillie, he saidg 'Tm surprised that you have not heard. Excepting the baccalaureate address this is the most notable feature of the commencement. We have the most distinguished preacher in the United States for this, Bishop Taylor. l soon found out that this was Horace Taylor, who was now a Methodist bishop. This was not surprising, for while Horace was in school one could see in him the making of a great preacher, for there he was noted for his piety. One of his peculiar traits was his persistency in taking his Bible to the English class. l was walking about the campus enjoying its old beauties and revelling in memories of by-gone days, when who should walk up but Anna Scott Evans, now, as it turned out, Lady Principal of Henderson College. She told me how Mrs. Borden had grown old in the service and had retired, wealthy, to live her remaining years touring in Europe and enjoying life. Her position had been of- fered to Annie Scott and she was devoting her life to school teaching in Henderson, The commencement exercises were all fine, especially the soul-inspiring baccalaureate address-and I departed for my far-west home fully resolved not to let another ten years pass without visiting the dear old Henderson again. U91