A Faithful Horse
Dublin Core
Title
A Faithful Horse
Date
August 11, 1917
Creator
The Montgomery Advertiser
Description
This short newspaper clipping humanizes President Palmer and shows us a softer side of the gargantuan figure who oversaw Montevallo for nearly two decades. This document, commemorating the death of Dr. Palmer's horse of twenty five years, Old Proctor, also allows for a short insight into the funding decisions of the Alabama Girl's Technical Institute, or A.G.T.I. during the early years of his administration. The short article goes into the small details of Old Proctor's life, including details of trips he had been a part of in the past. It also allows us to see President Palmer as more than just a figure of repute, and as a simple southerner like the majority of the graduates of Montevallo. Though the man would likely not agree wholly with the way in which our University has progressed, he set the foundations for a four year liberal arts institute, and without this work we would not be where we are today.
Language
en-US
Coverage
1917
Rights
The Montgomery Advertiser
Subject
Presidential Papers
Source
The Montgomery Advertiser
Contributor
Jess Gould
Publisher
The Montgomery Advertiser/University of Montevallo Archives
Format
.pdf
Type
Text
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
A FAITHFUL HORSE
Old Proctor Passes Away at a Ripe Age
On Saturday, August 11th, 1917, this noted old horse, belonging to Dr. T. W. Palmer, passed away.
Every Citizen of Montevallo knew old Proctor, and there were many expressions of regret when it was learned that he was dead
"How long have you owned Proctor," asked the Advertiser man of Dr. Palmer.
"I Bought him September 1st, 1892, from a drove in Tuscaloosa. Has he lived three weeks longer he would have been in my possession just twenty-five years. He was supposed to be seven years old when I bought him ; so he was probably thirty-two years of age."
"Your family will probably miss him."
"Yes, he was truly a member of the family. When young he was one of the best saddle and buggy horses in the State. We often drove him twenty-five or thirty miles in one day, hitched to a surrey with four grown people in it, -sometimes with two adults and six or seven children. He has pulled the surrey, with four or five adults, to Calera in forty-five or fifty minutes, when the roads were worse than they are now. he was well known to thousands of young men and women over this country. During the past twelve months I have had inquiries concerning him from eight different states and from nearly every county in this State.
"A good and true story is told about him concerning the last appropriation to the A.G.T.I. Six years ago, when the appropriation bill was before the legislature, all such bills were postponed in the House until the last day when such matters could be taken up. Each member was allowed to call only one bill. The representative in charge of the A.G.T.I. measure has called up another bill and, therefore, could not bring up ours. Every other member, it seems, had a bill to bring up and would not give way for us. There was no opposition to our bill; we simply had to get a man who would agree to call it up. Eleven o'clock had come and midnight was fast approaching. The legislature would then adjoun, and our chance would be forever lost. You can imagine my desperation. Finally, a friend said to me, 'I think I know a man whom I can get to call your bill.' 'Get him at once,' said I. When that legislator's ear was gotten he could not recall me, at first, and did not want to call a bill unless he knew something of the people back of it. Explanations were quickly made by my friend that it was for the A.G.T.I., and that I had one lived in Tuscaloosa, etc, etc. Finally, the honorable representative said: 'O yes I recall him; I visited Tuscaloosa once to see my sick boy, and this fellow took me to ride behind old Proctor. I will call the bill up-not for Paler's sake- but for the sake of old Proctor.' Bloch hall and the new Music Building are the results of that act. Old Proctor was thus a genuine benefactor to the A.G.T.I., for the good impression that he made upon a stranger enabled us to procure, at the critical moment, the money used in the construction of two of our best buildings. Peace to the faithful old animal !"
It is creditable to Dr.Palmer that Proctor made such a good impression and lived to a good old age. It takes a kindly master to properly develop a valuable horse,
Old Proctor Passes Away at a Ripe Age
On Saturday, August 11th, 1917, this noted old horse, belonging to Dr. T. W. Palmer, passed away.
Every Citizen of Montevallo knew old Proctor, and there were many expressions of regret when it was learned that he was dead
"How long have you owned Proctor," asked the Advertiser man of Dr. Palmer.
"I Bought him September 1st, 1892, from a drove in Tuscaloosa. Has he lived three weeks longer he would have been in my possession just twenty-five years. He was supposed to be seven years old when I bought him ; so he was probably thirty-two years of age."
"Your family will probably miss him."
"Yes, he was truly a member of the family. When young he was one of the best saddle and buggy horses in the State. We often drove him twenty-five or thirty miles in one day, hitched to a surrey with four grown people in it, -sometimes with two adults and six or seven children. He has pulled the surrey, with four or five adults, to Calera in forty-five or fifty minutes, when the roads were worse than they are now. he was well known to thousands of young men and women over this country. During the past twelve months I have had inquiries concerning him from eight different states and from nearly every county in this State.
"A good and true story is told about him concerning the last appropriation to the A.G.T.I. Six years ago, when the appropriation bill was before the legislature, all such bills were postponed in the House until the last day when such matters could be taken up. Each member was allowed to call only one bill. The representative in charge of the A.G.T.I. measure has called up another bill and, therefore, could not bring up ours. Every other member, it seems, had a bill to bring up and would not give way for us. There was no opposition to our bill; we simply had to get a man who would agree to call it up. Eleven o'clock had come and midnight was fast approaching. The legislature would then adjoun, and our chance would be forever lost. You can imagine my desperation. Finally, a friend said to me, 'I think I know a man whom I can get to call your bill.' 'Get him at once,' said I. When that legislator's ear was gotten he could not recall me, at first, and did not want to call a bill unless he knew something of the people back of it. Explanations were quickly made by my friend that it was for the A.G.T.I., and that I had one lived in Tuscaloosa, etc, etc. Finally, the honorable representative said: 'O yes I recall him; I visited Tuscaloosa once to see my sick boy, and this fellow took me to ride behind old Proctor. I will call the bill up-not for Paler's sake- but for the sake of old Proctor.' Bloch hall and the new Music Building are the results of that act. Old Proctor was thus a genuine benefactor to the A.G.T.I., for the good impression that he made upon a stranger enabled us to procure, at the critical moment, the money used in the construction of two of our best buildings. Peace to the faithful old animal !"
It is creditable to Dr.Palmer that Proctor made such a good impression and lived to a good old age. It takes a kindly master to properly develop a valuable horse,
Original Format
Newspaper article
Files
Collection
Citation
The Montgomery Advertiser, “A Faithful Horse,” Archiving Montevallo, accessed May 4, 2024, https://carmichaeldigitalprojects.org/archivingmontevallo/items/show/150.