Mississippi College - Tribesman Yearbook (Clinton, MS)

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H OW often is hardship the foster-mother of greatness! Born and reared on the farm, his mind yearning after know- ledge and obtaining only so much as could be had in a two-months term each summer, roaming his native hills and searching nature in his youthful quest for truth and knowledge, the life of O. M. Johnston reads like a veritable romance. Ilis career is deservingly wonderful; brilliant, but accurate in its scholarly acquire- ments ; meteoric but characterized by a pains- taking thoroughness and permanence hardly implied in the description. The two great experiences of his may be associated with two hills. The first of these hills was on the old farm in Louisiana, where his father and mother, unable to give him any material assistance, expressed theirwillingness to liberate him from all the cares of home and give him an opportunity to educate himself. The second of these hills was also in his native State, and to be remembered, because there he accepted the Savior of mankind into his life. This influence and support has ever been the guiding principle of his life. He entered Mississippi College in 1885, and was graduated five years later with the B. A. degree, being at that time twenty-four years of age. His college life was one continual struggle. Without any means of consequence, for five years he did manual labor sufficient to support himself and pay his tuition, economizing by supplying and cooking his own meals. Notwithstanding the hardships and reverses of his course, he received the first honors of his class, leaving a record as a man and a student unsurpassed in the annals of the institution. Three years after the completion of his college course, he entered Johns Hopkins University, choosing French and Italian as principal and first subordinate, and history as second subordinate. During his stay at this great center of learning, he obtained a scholarship and a fellowship, and received his Ph. 1). degree in 1896. While at the university, his summers were spent in France and Italy, and, since his graduation, he has several times returned to Europe, spending altogether two and a half years in travel on the continent and in study in the great libraries of the Old World. In August, 1897, he was married to Miss Florence Boggs, of Urbana, Illinois. He taught for one year in Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania, and went from there to Leland Stanford, Junior, University, where he has been ever since, being at present associate professor of Romanic languages. During the eleven years that he has been in California, in addition to his constant duties as a teacher, he has done considerable research work, having published about thirty original studies along the line of his special work. These studies have appeared in the different American journals for the Romanic languages. Doctor Johnston is preeminently a scholar, and whatever success he has achieved as teacher may be attributed to effort, a hunger for knowledge, and a love of his profession. 26 O. M. Johnston, ’90

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T O LEARN the meaning of success, and then to meet the full measure of its requirements, should be the prime motives to actuate the activities of one’s entire life. This thought has in it graceful charm, and he who yields himself to it will surely find in its demands a serious moral purpose, far outweighing any airy or irresponsible frivolities. Virtue founded on truth, and fortitude based upon virtue, form the only piers upon which a trustworthy ark of character can be constructed. These great principles were early in life im- bibed by the subject of this sketch, who was born in Brandon, Mississippi, May 28th, 1870. He was the only child of Joseph and Elizabeth Frances Hudnall. His father died when Henry was only six years old, but, under nurturing care of the fond and wise mother, he grew to man’s estate, possessed with a steadi- ness and fidelity with which he was ever able to successfully battle against the insidious temp- tations which so persistently assail youth, and the integrity which he has maintained throughout the years of his active life will forever stand as a testimony to the moral greatness of his mother’s influence, as well as to the innate worth of his own nature. He received his early education in the public schools. In September, 1886, he entered Mississippi College, from which institution he was graduated with second honors, with his B. A. degree. He was an ardent Philomatliean, and took a promi- nent part in all things looking to the welfare of his society, which was not neglectful nor ungrateful, for as a meed of his faithfulness he served as president and was chosen First Orator, whose privilege it was to hang on the Phi the picture of the Anniversarian, T. B. Dodson, his friend and fellow-townsman. After his graduation, he was assistant in the preparatory department in M. C. one year. He then entered the University of Virginia, where he was graduated with the M. A. degree in 1894. From this great university he went to Germany, and in 1898 at Leipsic he received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Immediately on his return to America, he was elected to the Chair of English in the Virginia Poly- technic Institute. He is now a member of the Modern Language Association of America. Doctor Hudnall was married to Miss Lillian Peters, of Lynchburg, on December 30th, 1903. He is a man of deep religious convictions, is a deacon in the Baptist Church, and a teacher in the Sunday school. The natural abilities of Doctor Hudnall are exceedingly vigorous, and to these he has added almost unparalleled educational advantages, so that he easily ranks among the most scholarly men who have graduated from Mississippi College. His gentle nature and scholarly attainments make him at once companionable with his associates and an inspiration to his students. R. H. Hudnall, ’90 25

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T HE field of activity over which Missis- sippi College sends her men to be felt and considered as mighty factors is no more extensive than the fame of the insti- tution. Throughout the breadth of the Union they are found as actors on that great stage where forcefulness of intellect and the power of thought turn the balance in favor of sturdier and a more intelligent citizenship. Especially is it true of the men who have devote ' d their talent to instruction in our greater colleges and universities. Doctor Charles Hillman Brough was born in Clinton, Mississippi, July 9th, 1876. His father was the Honorable Charles Milton Brough, a prominent mining man and banker of the West, and his mother’s maiden name was Flora M. Thompson, a sister of Mrs. Hillman, and for many years principal of Cen- tral Female Institute. He was graduated from Mississippi College at the early age of seventeen years, dividing the first honors of his class with Nelson G. Webb, and enjoying the distinction of being the youngest man who had ever received the bachelor’s degree from the institution. He was an enthusiastic advocate of all kinds of athletics, but his greatest excellence was reached in his literary attainments. He completed the difficult postgraduate course at Johns Hopkins University receiving the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in political economy, history, and jurisprudence in 1898, being at that time the youngest Ph. I), in America. While at this celebrated institution of learning he was awarded the fellowship in political economy, a prize of five hundred dollars, based upon scholarship and his doctor’s dissertation, entitled, “Irrigation in Utah.” This scholarly and handsomely bound volume was consulted by President Roosevelt in framing his recommenda- tion for the reclamation of arid lands in the West. Since his graduation from Johns Hopkins, whether as a law student in the University of Mississippi, or professor in our leading colleges and universities, from his facile pen have gone out productions which adorn the literature of the plat- form, and enrich history. His lectures on “ The Glory of the Old South and the Greatness of the New,” “America’s Conquest of the World,” “Mississippi of Yester- day, Today, and lomorrow, ‘ The Wit and Wisdom of Great Americans, ” and God in History have attracted favorable notice throughout the Union. He is the author of “Irrigation in Utah,” “The History of Banking in Mississippi,” “Taxa- tion in Mississippi,” “The Clinton Biot,” “Historic Clinton,” “The Industrial istory of Arkansas, ’ “ Historic Battlefields and Homes of Arkansas,-” and “ Poli- tical Problems of the Present. ” In 1903, he accepted the professorship of economics and sociology in the diversity of Arkansas. The great work that Doctor Brough has done foretells a still more brilliant future replete with its versatility and intrinsic value. 2 7 C. H. Brough, ’94