Collegeport Chronicle

June 8, 1910
 

PROF. TRAVIS AS A CITIZEN

             No man is sought out for advice along all lines of field work in the Collegeport country more than is Prof. Travis. His extended residence in the coast country, coming as he did at the very inception of the settlement, has given him an experience equaled by very few. Adding to this his efforts in acquiring knowledge from all sources, such as books, pamphlets and bulletins, and these again being tested by actual experiments, the Professor has acquired a fund of facts that are invaluable to this section. The tourists look to him for information and many a man has shaped his investments to his own advantage upon the advice received.

            The farmers and gardeners continually look to him to tell them what varieties to plant on certain soil, when to plant and how to care for the growing crops and plants. He was the prime mover in securing the 30,000 grape cuttings for our farmers; he took steps toward organizing the Collegeport Watermelon Growers Association and is now its president, also Vice-President of the Industrial League.

            Prof. Travis has succeeded in securing several native grape cuttings, which he proposes to bud with different varieties, thus producing a variety that is immune against the pest which makes so much trouble with the imported stocks. He has also taken the buds from a native lemon tree and introduced it upon the trifoliata stock, producing a lemon better fitted to this climate than any other.

Closing Day at the University.

A Very Pleasant ___ _____ instructive Program Gave a Fitting Finish to the First Year’s Work

            The first year of the Gulf Coast University of Industrial Arts has passed into history. On May 24^th the faculty, students and friends of the school celebrated the event in a manner that combined instruction with pleasure.       

            At ten o’clock a fair sized audience assembled at the chapel for the closing exercises which were carried out entirely by the students of the various departments.

            The productions offered were naturally classed into a three fold division including the literary, horticultural and musical departments of the school.

            The literary department was represented by Mr. Esker Martin who gave a history of the school and of the year, gleaning very successfully the striking and important events and classifying them for future reference. Miss Sarah Aucutt read an original poem entitled “The College of Collegeport,” in which the young poetess displayed considerable ability, both in observation of the peculiar characteristics of each teacher and student and the setting of the same in rhyme. Mr. Okla Sicks read a well prepared and interesting paper upon the theme “Athletics in School, “ in which he argued for a wise use of college sports  as a means of benefit to the student and advertisement for the school. The prophecy was made by Vernon Hurd, who very cleverly portrayed the high place which the University will hold ten years from now, as well as the great success for each student. The various proclivities of the future leaders were very keenly observed and each one was pictured as doing honor to the school.

            The debate upon the question as to whether the Texan or Colonial struggle for independence had produced greater heroism was ably debated by Messrs. Donald Travis, William Moses, Fay Hurd and Joseph Walter. The merits of the debate compelled the judges to give their decision in favor of the Texas patriots as defended by Messrs. Travis and Moses.

            The horticultural class was represented by Herman Kielhorn, Frank Walters and Joseph Payne, who gave papers of their own preparation as a result of their work in the department upon horticulture, agriculture and arbiculture. In another column we give the papers on agriculture and horticulture which our readers will do well to peruse. It is our opinion that this class of product as a part of school exercise will appeal to our readers as a very practical and sensible departure from the ordinary in school programs. Great credit is due Prof. Travis for his work in this line.

            The music department was well represented by a number of Junior students including Anna Van Ness, Kenneth House, Frank Travis and Edith Soekland, while Evelyn Kone, Vernon Hurd and Paul Watanabe gave more difficult selections. The University is very fortunate to have Mrs. Amanda Van Ness at the head of music department and her work is much appreciated, not only by the members of the University, but by citizens of Collegeport in general.

            The exercises closed with a duet by Mrs. Van Ness and Mr. C. H. Harrington, after which the Collegeport military band played two selections.

            The class of work done by all was highly gratifying to those in charge of the work and many words of praise were heard from visitors present.   

            Instead of the banquet as announced in the catalogue for the evening, a boat ride and supper at Portsmouth Hotel was enjoyed and a large party took the trip. The day was fine and the ride, composed as it was of the town’s best citizens in addition to the University people, was a very pleasant one. Mr. and Mrs. O’Neil served a bountiful supper in their usual generous and hearty way and many expressions of regret were heard from the guests that they must go from the table leaving so much of good things undevoured. The party arrived home quite well please with the day’s doings.

            The Gulf Coast University has closed a good year as its first and the practical work done commends it to the citizens and strangers as worth of patronage and a credit to the country. The University will open again September 1^st.