Alice |
|||||
www.Alice.TexasExes.org |
|||||
|
|
The History of |
||||
| A
celebration of Texas Independence Day at the University of Texas began
in grand style in 1897. University Students asked for a holiday so
they could celebrate Texas' independence.
President G. T. Winston, who had just come form the University of North Carolina, refused the student's request. In fact, Winston reminded them that the only Independence Day he was going to celebrate was July 4th, and he reminded the persistent law students that Texas was part of the United States. Not to be brushed off, the students went to the Capital grounds and proceeded to "exercise their inalienable right to liberty and pursuit of happiness." They borrowed a cannon and returned to campus where they celebrated by firing shots down University Avenue. The firing was so intense that it shattered windows in the Main Building. The boys were ordered to remove the cannon. Later when everything was quiet, a roar was heard from Clark Field. The "Sons of Liberty" were at it again. This time the firing of the cannon had gathered a crowd of about 400 students and would-be lawyers seized the opportunity and engaged in oratory which later made some of them famous. President Winston finally decided to join
the group and made his famous speech that later became tradition. As early as 1900, March 2 became a day
for Texas Exes to observe a holiday. A great deal of tradition and
sentiment surrounds the celebration on the local level. In that
year, The Ex-Students Association adopted a resolution: Source: UT Austin Traditions,
Dr. Margaret Berry
Alice Texas Exes
website design by
Robert McIntyre
|
|||||
Texas Exes 
