Texas Military Institute - Crusader Blue Bonnet Yearbook (San Antonio, TX)

Page 14 text:

THE BLUE BONNET OF TEXAS X X X X It blooms upon our prairies wide And smiles within our valleys, A Texas flower and Texas’ pride, Around it honor rallies; And ever)’ heart beneath the blue Transparent sky above it In Texas wise forever true Shall fold and hold and love it. The winds that softly round it blow Breathe out in song and story The fame of bloody Alamo And San Jacinto’s glory; And everywhere beneath the sky That lovingly bends o’er it, With glowing heart and kindling eye All Texans true adore it. It blossoms free in homes and fields. Made by love’s labor royal; To Fleur dc-I.is or rose none yields Allegiance more loyal! And to the world its fame shall go And tell the Lone Star’s splendor Of hearths and homes that gleam and glow Of loving hearts and tender. 'Tis Texan in its beauty rare And honest hearts appealing; And can there be a fame more fair Or deeper depths of feeling? For Texas hearts in Texas-wise, Are true to the Blue Bonnet And love it as the bright blue skies That pour their blessings on it. . John P. Sjolandtr. Bluebonnets have inspired the poet’s pen, the artist’s brush, the cowboy’s dreams, and the orator’s eloquence throughout the prairie lands of Texas. The blooming of the bluebonnets is a spring festival here similar to the fete of the cherry blossoms in Japan, the festival of the daisies in England, or the celebration of the iris in France. It is a yearly miracle when the fields cast aside their drab winter garments and come forth decked in the beautiful blue of a Texas sky. The bluebonnet is a great home lover; it is said that it never crosses the border into other states. Even so it has a marvelous range considering the size of Texas. The bluebonnet is unrivalled in color and shade in all the world of massed blue flowers. Its royal beauty and enchanting fragrance have a particular message which speaks to the emotions with compelling directness. It is peculiarly fitting that the name of our annual should be The Blue Bonnet”, for nowhere does the state flower bloom in greater abundance or with more glorious beauty than about T. M. 1. College Avenue is bordered by a fringe of the deepest blue and the fields around are a veritable sea of azure. In the midst of all this wondrous glory rise the towers and battlements of The West Point of the South.” X s X

Page 13 text:

THE FOUNDING OF T. M. I. X X X X A new day dawned for education in the South with the consolidation of San Antonio Academy and West Texas Military Academy in 1926. Both schools were greatly strengthened and the result proved gratifying to all concerned. A mutual friend of the two schools conceived the idea of uniting them and the feasibility of his plan was at once recognized. That the consumation of this project was carried out so quickly and so smoothly is a striking testimonial to the friendliness of the rivalry that existed between these two historic institutions. West Texas Military Academy was founded by an Episcopal clergyman, Bishop J. S. Johnston, of sacred memory, loved and venerated by men of all creeds and all walks of life. San Antonio Academy was founded by a Presbyterian Elder, Dr. W. B. Seeley, a graduate of Princeton, and a pioneer in private school work in Texas. Bishop W. T. Capers of the Diocese of West Texas succeeded Bishop Johnston as President of the Board of Trustees of West Texas Military Academy and now serves in the same capacity for the consolidated schools. Dr. W. W. Bon-durant, an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, succeeded Dr. Seeley as head of San Antonio Academy, and now assumes the position of President of the united schools. A new name for the consolidated schools was imperative. After several conferences over this question, and after very generously taking the boys into confidence on the matter, the euphonious name of Texas Military Institute was selected. The name was accepted with enthusiasm from the first and is steadily supplanting the old names of “San Antonio Academy” and “West Texas” in the hearts and minds of all interested in the welfare of the school. After the consolidation, fifty thousand dollars were spent on improvements on the West Texas school plant. All buildings were completely renovated, refurnished, and thoroughly modernized. Since then other improvements have been steadily made with the sole purpose of providing the boys with adequate facilities for study and recreation. And so the future for T. M. I. looms bright and glorious, opening up new fields and greater possibilities in this God-given work at which it has so earnestly set itself. X 7 X

Page 15 text:

San Antonio the city ■ of' ■ Blue Bonnets x 9 x