Vanderbilt University - Commodore Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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

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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 13 text:

DR. C. S. BROWN DELIVERING DEDICATION ADDRESS bilt Athletic Association this summer at a cost of EE-190,000 was dedicated Saturday afternoon to the memory of Dr. Williarn Lofland Dudley. The ceremonies immediately preceded the Vanderbilt-lVIichigan game and were exceedhigly impressive. Gov. Alf Taylor made the opening talk in which he welcomed the visiting team, the response being made by Fielding H. Yost, director of athletics at Ann Arborf' Prof. Charles S. Brown, president of the Vanderbilt Athletic Association, dedicated the field, remarking on the part Dr. Dudley had taken in building athletics at Van- derbilt and in the South. Dr. Dudley founded the athletic association at Vander- bilt and also the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association and from the time of their organization until his death, he served as president of both associations. Following the dedication of the field the band played the national anthem and Vanderbilt and Michigan banners, the Stars and Stripes, and a Hag over the Walter Palmer field house were unfurled. The Vanderbilt banner was on the northwest end of the stadium and was unfurled by Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., that of Michigan on the northeast end of the structure by Miss Lucy Ann McGugin, daughter of Coach Dan E. lWcGugin of the Vanderbilt team, the American Hag by Miss Elizabeth Kirk- land, daughter of Chancellor and .Mrs. J. H. Kirkland of Vanderbilt, and the Hag over the Walter Palmer Held house by Miss Agatha Brown, daughter of Prof. and Mrs. C. S. Brown of Vanderbilt. All the banners and flags were unfurled simultaneously, and just as the band was sounding the final strains of the anthem, one of the planes of the 136th air squadron soared low over the field and dropped the ball for the conflict that was to follow. Streamers of maize and blue and gold and black were entwined around the oval. The ceremonies were attended by Cornelius Vanderbilt, Ir., the guest of honor: Gov. Alf Taylor, members of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust, members of the Vander- bilt Athletic Association and the rival football teams. Fully 18,000 persons witnessed the ceremonies, all sections of the stands being packed with the exception of those on the extreme southern end. Automobiles lined both sides of the streets for blocks around the stadium.