Sul Ross State University - Brand Yearbook (Alpine, TX)

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A line that never seems to There are many facets to an unending line of progress. One of these is Registration Day, that one tradition that always returns to campus and never seems to end. Confusion reigns supreme, and all are glad to see the Days of Registration come to a close.

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at first that she was an Indian squaw). The woman turned out to be the long lost Cynthia Ann Parker who had been captured by the Indians at the Fort Parker Massacre in Limestone County in Mcy, 1836, when she was about nine years of age. Ross sent her and her little daughter, Prairie Flower, to her uncle who lived near Weatherford. Two sons had escaped the battle. One of them became the most famous of the latter day Comanches—Quanah Parker. In 1861, war between the North and South was becoming so iminent that Ross tendered his resigna¬ tion to Governor Houston. Houston did not wish to accept the resignation and appointed Ross as his aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel. Ross refused the appointed and joined the infant army of the Confederacy as a private. It was not long before Ross held the rank of Major in Confederate army. Just previous to the three days battle at Pea Ridge, Missouri, General Ben McCulloch sent Major Ross with 557 men around the rear of the enemy to cut off their supply trains. After a bitterly contested fight at Keitsville, Missouri, Ross returned to the command with eleven prisoners, sixty cavalry horses and many mules after destroying a supply train and without losing a man in the engagement. In 1862, Sul Ross—now a colonel—was recom¬ mended for appointment as Brigadier General. He was only twenty-three years of age at the time, and he objected to his name ' s being sent to Richmond because he felt that he was too young and inex¬ perienced for so high and responsible a position. At any rate Ross continued to be recommended for the appointment until on February 5, 1864, the ap¬ pointment was formally made to rank from December 21, 1863. The value of Lawrence Sullivan Ross to the Confed¬ erate Cause cannot be estimated. He served the en¬ tire four years of the war taking part in one hundred thirty-five battles, and his fearlessness in fight is shown by the fact that five horses were shot from under him. He returned penniless to his home in 1865 at the age of twenty-seven, facing the problem of earning a livelihood on the Texas frontier. He turned to farm¬ ing, leaving agriculture only briefly for two years to serve as sheriff of McLennan County. He was elected to the office on December 2, 1873, and he earned the title of The Model Sheriff of Texas. He returned to farming, and in 1880—after two crop failures—Ross decided to leave the farm to his oldest son and enter politics. He was elected to the Seventeenth Legislature in 1880 as a senator. He served on many committees, including the Committees on Educational Affairs, Internal Improvements, Finance, State Affairs, Ag¬ riculture Affairs, and Stock and Stock Expenses. Senator Ross was elected for the term 1881 to 1884, but in a called session of the Seventeenth Legislature, on May 3, 1882, a reappointment bill was passed thus calling the election of a new Senate. This gave Ross only a two year term, and he declined to seek the office again. In 1886, Sul Ross was a unanimous nominee of the Democratic State Convention for governor. In the election that followed in November, Lawrence Sul¬ livan Ross was elected governor by an overwhelming majority: Ross—228,776; A. M. Cochran (Republican) —65,236; E. L. Dahoney (Prohibitionist)—19,186. T. B. Wheeler of Eastland was chosen for Lieutenant-Gov¬ ernor, and James S. Hogg for Attorney General. Sul Ross was inaugurated into the Governor ' s office on January 18, 1887. In his address on this occasion, he discussed the problems of the state in general, and asked that the members of this Twentieth Legislature feel a common obligation to do justice to all—the humblest as well as the highest. Ross was the first governor to occupy the present capitol building, and he gave much thought to the development of the capitol grounds. He caused legis¬ lation to develop concerning the Public Lands and the establishment of the Railroad Commission. He made a special plea for public schools and free text books. On July 1, 1890, the Board of Directors of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas unani¬ mously elected Governor Ross to the office of president of the College to take effect at the ex¬ piration of his term of office as Governor. In offering this responsible place to him they said: We believe that your election to office will meet with the hearty and unqualified approval of the people of the entire State, and that they will regard your acceptance of this call to their service as an additional evidence of your devotion to their highest and best interests. Sul Ross accepted this call, and on February 1, 1891, he assumed the duties of office in which he laboured earnestly for the advancement of this insti¬ tution, and became one of its most beloved presidents. During his stay at A M, Sul Ross brought about many improvements. He started a building program in which many new building were added. He also made improvements along other lines. The Battalion, the college newspaper, was established during the 1894-95 session, along with a college annual, The Olio. Ross ' death on January 3, 1898, followed a long siege of illness. A battalion of cadets escorted the remains to a special train which carried members of the family, faculty, directors, officers, and students of the college to Waco where Ross was buried in Oakwood Cemetary by the side of his father. 21

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Registration... Only one zillion more stops to make before they get your money.