Range Rider, Volume 32, Number 2, June, 1981 Page: 1
24 p. : ill., ports. ; 38 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Five presidencies
As HSU looked back down 90 years of history, cur- 1966-77
rent president, Dr. Jesse Fletcher, left, questioned Mason, pi
Dr. Velma Reiff (widow of Dr. Evan Reiff, HSU presi- Graham.
dent. 1953-62). Dr. Elwin Skiles, HSU president views of
90th birthdayand presently the chancellor; Dr. Zane
resident of the HSU faculty, and Dr. George
interim HSU president, 1962-63. on their
The Fair Daughter of the West. (David Kent Photo)
in 'good taste'Undes the trees, the crowds spread their
lunches in many groups of friends, family
and reiqh'ors.
The people listened to an oratio by a
prominent ,cittzen, but somehow it w.as
jr~ia waswt e aThe young women were so beautiful.
ribbons flowing from their hair to the hems
of their long skirts.
Masons marched around the cor-
nerstone that marked the founding of
v44
":' ...1 .Y. .
S " : :. . .. .The 90th birthday got a dose of realism when Dr. biology, squints from under his cowboy hat to visit
Lawrence Clayton (right), Dean of the College of Arts with Dr. Lee Hemphill. vice president emeritus. Most
and Sciences, and Dr. B.W. Aston. head of the of the beards sprouted by faculty and staff are now
History Department, presided over campfires and long gone, but the cowboy clothes are still available
passed out coffee, chili and biscuit samples. In the for use.
background, Dr. George Newman, professor of (Bill Jackson photo)That's the way Tommie Clack recalled
the founding of what is now Hardin
Simmons University at the university's
9th anniversary April 9.
"We're ooing out to see the college
where you'll! go to school. she said her
mother: told her on that day of July 4.
1891
"The thing that interested me the mncst
were the giris that were so beautiful." Miss
Clack recalled seeing the older girls
The meal that day 'was not so different
from what was served on the 90th birth-
day: barbecue, beans, potato salad and
cole slaw--although each family brought
its own then, she said.
"There was no telling how many tables
there were," she said.
The dedication speech, she recalled.
was by Gen. John Sayles, but she confess-
ed that she remembered not a word.
Sharing the sunlight was Dr. Rupert
Richardson, the famed HSU historian who
was university president for 10 years.
Richardson, who first arrived at then-
Simmons College in 1907, told about Dr.
Owen C. Pope, who endured "the greatest
crisis that ever befell" a Simmons presi
dent.
Pope (HSU president 1898-1901) was a
dynamic individual who "was perfectly
willing to have his way," he said.
And Richardson related how Pope had
his way over the entire faculty, which had
"resigned unanimously" a month before
the school term began.
The faculty resignations were condition-
ed on Pope remaining--if Pope resigned,
they were willing to return to their
classrooms, he said.
"Instead, the board fired the faculty," he
said. And Simmons started on time what
turned out to be a successful academic
year, he said.
'Will you ask the faculty to note that for
future reference?" asked a grinning Dr.
Jesse Fletcher, HSU president.
Faculty president Dr. Zane Mason prov-
ed a; excellent mimic, recalling his inter-
view with Dr. Richardson for a faculty pos-
tion 22 years ago.
"You know we have a high-type people
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Hardin-Simmons University. Range Rider, Volume 32, Number 2, June, 1981, periodical, June 1981; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117039/m1/1/: accessed May 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hardin-Simmons University Library.