**Now, we continue with the history of Austin College at the end of the nineteenth century, during a brief period when the Sherman institution was a military college for male cadets.
The Reveille, a monthly magazine on campus, was the principal publication of the literary societies at Austin College during this era. Publication began in 1889 and continued through 1907. The magazine was popular among students and faculty, and contained editorials, articles on history and political subjects, campus news, and other little anecdotes. Today, this magazine marks the most existing complete record of student and academic life at the college during a time when keeping records was unusual. The Reveille was sequentially replaced by The Chromascope, however this yearbook was dissolved in the early 2000s. Since then, no regular student publication has taken its place. (photograph is a cover of a Reveille issue)
Although the daily routine of class and parading ate into the cadets’ time, the evenings were fun-filled. In addition to sports and intramural clubs, cadets at Austin College held many social events with the neighboring female colleges, including the Sherman Female Institute, North Texas Female College, and Carr-Burdette College (since Sherman had so many quality institutions of higher learning, the town was often labeled as 'the Athens of Texas.') The ladies at these college hosted their own ‘tea-party’ gatherings and gala receptions, inviting dates from Austin College. AC was lenient on the rules of visitation, however, the female colleges were strict. The rules did not stop the sexes from finding opportunities during the weeks to mingle during non-visitation hours and away from the watchful eyes of the facilities from all schools. (photograph is of Austin College cadets and their female dates, c. 1890)
In addition to the parties with female students, Austin College cadets often visited the Dallas Fair each October. On October 1, 1891, the Dallas Fair Committee reported to the AC faculty that railroad cars could be secured at a rate of $1.90 per capital, round-trip (Sherman was a bustling railroad town during this era and many railroad trains departed Sherman for Dallas daily). (photograph is of cadets, c. 1892)
Military rank for cadets at the college was based on multiple factors, including academic standing, self-health, dependability, behavior in class and on the campus grounds, and the willingness to assume the duties and rigorous responsibilities of a cadet officer. Officers were sworn into the rank in front of the regiment and were required to wear a ceremonial sword with their officer’s uniform. Additionally, officers had to enforce discipline among the cadets, sometimes making them unpopular among the cadets. Violations of the Articles of Discipline were punishable by “doing time” in the guardhouse–cadets sentenced to the guardhouse would spend a few hours to a couple of days in the on-campus wooden shed, depending upon the severity of the offense. There, cadets would have no activity to engage with and only be fed bread and water (if confined more than one day, one meal per day was provided, however, the meal choices were limited). Spending your days in the guardhouse was a cadet’s worst fear at the college. (photograph is of a Austin College drill book, c. 1890)
Sherman, it’s citizens and community, played an integral role in the lives of the college cadets. Although cadets were required to live on campus, dormitory rooms were not plentiful, and many had to seek housing off campus. Several families near campus housed one or more college cadets each term. Other cadets stayed at the boarding houses that scattered throughout Sherman for reasonable prices. A couple cadets received permission from the faculty to live and work in the downtown Sherman hotels, including the Binkley and American Hotel. (photograph is of the Old Bailey house, which provided housing to several Austin College cadets during the 1890s)
On May 18, 1893, the faculty and administration informed all Austin College cadets that they would be provided and required to carry at all times a Bible and hymnbook–Gospel Hymns No.’s 5 & 6. They would use these books at chapel services, which was a mandatory event per week. Chapel was often held in the large auditorium in the main building. It would not be until the early 1900s, under a new president and academic curriculum, when the college used the newly-constructed Grand Avenue Presbyterian venue for their chapel services. (photograph is of the Gospel Hymns No.’s 5 & 6 book)
**Photographs are from the Austin College Special Collections and information on the college is from two books authored by historian Light Townsend Cummins.
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