1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLL 557Professor Lomax, of the University of Texas, who is doing a great servicefor all who are interested in folklore by collecting and preserving frontierballads and cowboy songs, has made some very interesting finds. One manhe ran across, he says could sing 149 stanzas of the old Chisholm trail song—under suitable circumstances. This beats the record made by Owen Wister'shero in "The Virginian," who sang sixty-nine verses of the "Lulu Girl" song,only one of which Mr. Wister found fit to print.DOCTOR SMITH, ONE OF THE SOUTH'S FOREMOST EDUCATORSHenry Louis Smith, Virginia, '87A sketch of Washington and Lee published in the New York Times forMay 4, contains the following paragraphs about Henry Louis Smith, Ph. D.,LL,D., who has been president of that university since last fall, and who, onMay 10, was formally inaugurated:Doctor Smith, the new president, and the fourth since Robert E, Lee, comesto Washington and Lee with the prestige of a great record in the educationallife of the South in the last quarter of a century. Prior to his election to thepresidency of Washington and Lee he was president of Davidson College, X. C,the leading Presbyterian college of the South, an Institution that under theleadership of Doctor Smith saw the number of its students trebled, its endowmentmore than doubled, and its place made secure among institutions oflearning south of Mason and Dixon's line,A year ago, when Dr, George H. Denny resigned as president of Washingtonand Lee University, Doctor Smith's name was practically the only oneconsidered by the board of trustees for the position. In the very prime of hislife, a member of one of the famous families of the South, A man of wonderfuladdress, a splendid speaker, a good mixer, of great attainments. Doctor Smithcomes as near as any man could in measuring up to the stature of the manworthy to succeed to the chair of Lee,He is a native of North Carolina, having been born in Greenboro fifty-fouryears ago. His father, the well-known Dr, Jacob Henry Smith, was, however, anative of Lexington and a graduate of Washington and Lee, and his motherwas a daughter of Judge E, R, Watson of Charlottesville, Va, His wife, whowas Miss Julia Dupuy, is also of Virginia. Doctor Smith is a graduate ofDavidson College and the University of Virginia. He is a member of the PhiDelta Theta Fraternity and of the ^'irgInia chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.SENATORFLETCHER'S BIG COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTSDuncan U. Fletcher, Tennessee Alpha, *80In the reorganization of the United States Senate in March, Senator DuncanU. Fletcher, the senior senator from Florida was assigned to some of the mostimportant committees. He was made chairman of the senate committee onprinting, which position makes him chairman of the joint printing committeeof the senate a'nd house, that is charged with the management of the governmentprinting office, which is the largest printing office in the world and hasover 4,ooo employees.Senator Fletcher is second in rank on the powerful committee on judiciary,to which is referred and where originates all legislation affecting the judiciaryof the United States and Its possessions. Laws relating to procedure In theFederal courts, laws having to do with practically every phase of Americanjurisprudence and all questions of a strictly legal nature are considered by thiscommittee. The Floridlan's experience in the law and his recognized judicialtemperament obviously explain his high rank upon this committee.The military affairs committee is still another important assignment held bythe senator from Florida. He accepted this in preference to a place on theprivileges and elections committee, where he served for several years withconspicuous fairness and ability. .\s its name implies, the military committee