Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-10-08
From the Oberlin Evangelist.
0berlin Institute.

To many Of our friends and readers abroad
who have been Of the prejUdces cherished
against Oberlin, it may be interesting to what i'm
pressions are made upon strangers mind by visit
here and an attendance upon the scenes of Com
mFncement We therefore make few extracts from
the Cleveland Heald-omitting much of commenda-'
ton which has respect to individual characters
The writer IS understood to be an associate editor
Of that JOURNAL gentleman who stands deseryedly
high citizen and an able advocate of the great So
cia and moral reforms of the day
OBERLIN COMMENCEMENT, &c.
"Frend Harrs;-For the first time have visited
Obern, and attended upon the various Collegiate ex
ercises during the two Commencement davsn and
must confess that have seen nothing to shock the
tender and delicate sensibes of the most astdious
but on the contrary have seen much to approve, ud-
rnire and commend.
! Oberhn is not an obscure and unknown institution
1t has been renowned and its reputation as school of
ultra smS has gone abroad to the world. That Ober-
ln IN its earliest Infancy, was ultra, have no doubt
and that 1t now stands, as school, upon the broad
platform of Right Principles have as little doubt, if
| may Judge from what have seen and heard
have had deep, strong, bitter prejudices against
this school, and OF course against all those who were
in any manner associated wihit. Common fame had
borne to my ears thousand reports, and they had
gained "ocal habItation" in my mind until belize
we'd that Oberin should be "Anathema Maranatha"-
founded and UNJUST and how will personal knowl-
edge and social intercourse remove them, and cause
us to look more truthtully upon men and things
On Tuesday T. NJ listened with much interest and
satisfaction to the exercises of the young Ladies who
had finished their course of studies.
The essays ofthe young Ladies were all rood and
gave evidence of high degree of mental cultivation
and proper appreciation Of woman's duties and re-
sponslbllltles.
How important Is 1t that woman should be educated
in proper manner that all her intellectual. and NOR
al, and physical powers should be cultivated: that she
should be made familiar with the laws of her own be-
ing; that she should be taught to knoO herself 1t
seems TO me that we need schools, as well for The
physical as the intellectual education of our race Re-
forms needed in the Fashionable as well as in the
Moral world n
The exercises as a whole were truly "a feast of Rea-
son and flow of Soul" and we're wound up by an ex-
ceIen concert in the evening. The audience was
large, the music good and all were pleased and graft
fed.
; Those who have built up this Collegiate Institute
are justly deserving of the gratitude Of the People
for truly aud emphaticay may be said that this is
the PEOPLES College. This Institution is we'll and ad-
mlrabIy adapted to the wants Of the people of the
West.
As far my own observation could extend,-as far
as | could learn and from all could ar could
not discover any strait jacket for the Mind at Obel
lin. Thought is free Hele students are taught to
think-to think Independently boldly, and mani y-to
examine, investigate search out and explore for them
selves
There are many who have prejudices against Ober-
lin. Let them go there, and hear and see for them
selves and if their prejudces are not removed, and
they do not leave with the full belief that the school is
an excellent one-that it is place where the mind
and heart properly educated, where all the socia
feelings, sympathies and affections are properly cult
vated,-then am prophet This is my first, but l
trust i, is not my last visit to Oberin.
Yours tIUly, HuoN.