Then
John S. Wise spoke.
He received tremendous applause as he came forward, and his old comrades made him go on the platform.
In his own inimitable way he recalled the story of
New Market, and he kept his hearers in a roar of laughter recalling humorous incidents of the old days.
He closed with a peroration whose eloquence and pathos brought tears to many eyes.
“We are grandfathers on the ground where we were boys,” he
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said, ‘we are veterans in precincts where we thought a man of thirty old.’
A more eloquent tribute has seldom been paid the
Institute than that paid by
Mr. Wise.
There was no such applause in the entire day as that which followed the conclusion of
Mr. Wise's speech.
As he came down the aisle to his seat he had to pause many times to shake the hands of his old comrades who crowded around him, the tears coming down the cheeks of many of them.
Colonel E. W. Nichol, treasurer of the
New Market monument fund, made his report, which showed that the monument was paid for and that there was a small balance on hand.
Captain S. B. Walker, secretary and treasurer of the
Alumni Association, read his annual report, showing a balance of fifty-odd dollars on hand.
The report was adopted, and then
Captain Walker suggested that the alumni, exclusive of the
New Market Battalion, present the crosses, and also that the association be photographed in a body.
The Chair announced the following committee to arrange for the purchase of the crosses:
Joseph R. Anderson,
W. E. Cutshaw and
John B. Purcell.
After some discussion it was agreed that the cost of the crosses should be met by voluntary contributions.
On motion of
Colonel Purcell, the class of 1903 was elected to membership in the association.
Mr. Anderson read a letter received from
Dr. George W. Williams, of
Farmington, Mo., class of 43, regretting that he could not be present, and also one from his wife, asking that some loving message be sent him, as he is now eighty-four years old and too feeble to attend the reunion.
He is thought to be the oldest living cadet.
A committee was directed to write a suitable letter to
Dr. Williams and his wife.
In response to the motion of
Dr. Upshur, the
New Market survivors decided to send their autographs to
Ezekiel, the sculptor.
This action was taken at the request of
Mrs. Brauer, of
Richmond, sister of the sculptor.
The old officers of the association,
J. R. Anderson, president, and
S. B. Walker, secretary, were unanimously re-elected.
