Vanderbilt University - Commodore Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

Page 11 text:

DEDICATIO OF DUDL To Williafzz Loflarzd Dudley, Dean of Southern athletics, scholar, gentleman and friend, this ground is dedicated, and, as Dudley Field, is consecrated to the use of Vanderbilt and her sons fore-ver. --Prof. Charles S. Brown, President of the Vanderbilt Athletic flssociatiorz, October 14, 1922. V 'ibii these simple but impressive words the gigantic structure of steel and A 2 concrete-the stadium long-dreamed-of-was oflicially dedicated. It was altogether Htting and proper that it should be dedicated to Dr. Dudley and his name and works commemorated anew, for no man was more progressive in his ideas for the betterment and uplift of Southern athletics than was he. For weeks the plans for the dedication day had been assuming definite shape, and when October I4 dawned bright and clear not only were thc eyes of Nashville but the eyes of the whole South were directed toward the new stadiums christening. The plans we1'e well laid and Went off in splendid order, the monstrous parade in the morning being the first demonstration on the program for the day. The parade was indeed a noteworthy feature of the Stadium celebration and home' coming. For more than a week the university, the alumni ofhce and a committee of business men up town had been polling the Vanderbilt population to get out the largest number possible. The success of the parade outstripped all expectations. The parade formed on Broad near Sixteenth, and wound through great crowds through the maze of streets in the business district, finally passing the reviewing stand

Page 10 text:

HONOR GUESTS AT DEDICATION Sunday morning Cornelius Vanderbilt, lr., honored the university and its founder by placing a wreath at the foot of the statue of hishgreat grandfather, Commodore Vanderbilt. Then the advertising men and newspaper men of Nashville gave them a luncheon at Bellemeade. From then on, their time was taken with other social functions and visiting with kinspeople in Nashvillef' In the editorial columns appeared this expression of appreciation of the man for what he is himself: . Again, after many years, a Cornelius Vanderbilt has visited this great university-not the great Commodore who founded it, but one who bears his name, in whose veins flows the same blood, and who, being a young man, saw for the Hrst time on his visit here the vision his ancestor saw-that in the development of a great institution of learning lies his family's greatest contri- bution to mankind. He saw the university at one of its great moments, when the eyes of a nation were turned on the celebration of a great achievement, when a titanic athletic contest gave spirit to the occa- sion, when the ofiicials of the University, the alumni, the students and the friends of Vanderbilt gathered by tens of thousands to do him honor, and to express to his living representative their gratitude to the founder. All this he saw. And that the universal sentiment of gratitude and welcome found a responsive chord in his heart is evidenced by the words he addressed to the members of the Board of Trust which match in meaning the words of his illustrious ancestor which accompanied the original gift creating the university. His visit has meant much to Vanderbilt University. And because he is wholesome of heart and democratic in spirit, the contact must mean much to him. He has been invited to come again, and he vvillg no man of worth who ever has had contact with Vanderbilt University but yearns to renew that experience. .2 3' ,f A , a ' - -5 W 1' ' ' HONOR GUESTS IN PARADE

Page 12 text:

Y MEMORIAL STADIUM 1- at the Capitol, where Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., Mrs. Vanderbilt, and several dis- tinguished guests saluted the joyous marchers. The llfledical and Dental students as usual came through with the feature of the parade. In fantastic garb, beating tin pans, bearing patent medicine placards, and led by Di: Pill, the doctors delighted tens of thousands of spectators who packed the sidewalks along the line of march. The Engineers had prepared a splendid Hoat, the only thing of its kind in the parade, which attracted much attention. X The parade marched as follows: Platoon of policeg Industrial School Bandg the guests of Vanderbilt and the city in automobilesg the Michigan team in autosg lbiichigan alumni, marching, the Vanderbilt team in autosg the Varsity Club, wearing their V hat bands, a long line of alumni beginning with the earliest classes, bearing placards showing groups of five and ten years eachg the co-eds, in autosg the student body by departments, each headed by its Dean and facultyg delegations from Hume-Fogg High School of Nashville and several Prep Schools from Tennessee. The parade being over, the city was given a slight breathing spell until 1215 that sunshiny day, when the procession and rival teams entered the rapidly Filling stadium. The Evening Banner had the following to say about the details of the afternoon's dedication ceremonies: Amidst all the glory known to the lovers of college athletics and the unbounded enthusiasm of the rooters themselves, the new giant stadium constructed by the Vander- 'Q