Texas A and M University - Aggieland Yearbook (College Station, TX)

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dtHtm i A. M. College of Texas When the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas was formally opened in the year 1876, there were only two buildings to accommodate those who at that time real¬ ized the advantages and necessity of securing an industrial education. These were the Main Building and Gathright Hall. The rooms in the Main Building were used for recitation and dormitory rooms, and Gathright Hall served as the Mess Hall where Mr. Sbisa first administered unto the cadets. The second and third floors of this building were used as dormitory space. Under these conditions the difficulties that our first stu¬ dents had to contend with must indeed have been great, and the number of students was consequently rather limited. The progress of the institution was slow, indeed, for the first ten years, after which a period of prosperity spread over the College and the Mechanical Engineering Building, Pfeuffer Hall, Austin Hall, and Assembly Hall arose in quick succession in the late eighties. With this greatly increased dormitory space, the rapid growth of the institution was insured. These buildings were followed by Ross Hall in 1892, the Mess Hall in 1897, the Agricultural Building in 1898, Foster Hall in 1899, and the Textile Engineering Build¬ ing and the Chemistry Building within the last ten years. The institution in the past has indeed made rapid strides towards becoming one of the largest of its kind in the country. But all former development has been eclipsed within the last four years, the four years during which the Class of ’09 has had the good fortune to infest the halls of “Old A. M.” It has been our good fortune to witness the laying of the foundations of Goodwin Hall, the Veterinary Hospital, the new and splendid Natatorium, the Shirley House, Farm and Implement Building, Administration Building and the Engineering Building, and to watch them gradually rise to completion. The valuation of the buildings erected within the last two years far exceeds that of the buildings which went to make up oui College when first it was opened. However, besides this rapid increase in buildings, the College has grown materially along other lines. It has become a prominent factor in the minds of the Texas people, and the demands that are thrust by them upon the College are so great that it cannot meet them. As a consequence, thirty-six well-furnished tents are being used by seventy- two cadets who cannot find room in the dormitories. There are few other things conceiv¬ able which speak more for the worth of our institution than does the willingness of these seventy-two young men to room in tents in order to be able to secure an education here. 15 SL j

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I to TH yn czzEPzi C 13 The unfounded opinion of a large percentage of the people of Texas that this insti¬ tution is a reformatory school for unruly boys, is no longer prevalent, and the most exact¬ ing parent no longer hesitates about sending his son here. The moral standard of the student body has reached a higher type and there is so high a sense of honor among our students as very few other student bodies can lay claim to. In the military department there has been unmarveled progress, and the military appearance put up by the two battalion organizations started this year would thrill the heart of any military man. The institution ranks among the highest of the military schools of our country, and several of our graduates are now officers in our army. The new uniform and the dress uniform adopted this year add much to the appearance of the corps. The military band with its thirty-four pieces is also a valuable adjunct to the organization. The past has indeed been a period of progress, and the outlook points to still greater progress. At the present rate of increase of buildings it will require only a few years for the valuation of the buildings to double. This means that before long there will be one thousand students in attendance here, and the institution will be sending forth graduates in large numbers, and it is to be hoped that these will exert themselves in adding to the prosperity of dear old A. . M. k-JU mi— i PTT