The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1847-09-25
Eton. he Nfi,sis,irpian.
OakI0nd Institute.

Oakland Institute.
MEssRs EDrToRs; | did myself the pleasure
Of attending the commencement Of this excel
lent institution on Thursday and Friday Of last
week. Some account Of the exercises cannot
fail to be agreeable to you.
have attended nearly all the examinations
fthe Oakland Institute, and each time with in-
creased pleasure; the first cls'ses now might
be expected, manifest their proficiency in the
more advanced studies. The school appears to
have increased, and l am happy to learn that
it IS in every respect in a prosperous state
There were about forty fair students present.
as notable for their ladylike carriage as for
their progress in eruditiOn.
The morning Of The first day was devoted to-
the spelling reading and geography Of the jul
nior classes, and to philosophy; the whole
conducted in the m0st thorough and searching
manner. All the answers appeared to be Civ
en- understandingly, for after each main ques-
ton, came many why's and "what's the reason
Of that" and '~'explaln further and in not one
instance was there q taiIur, the Juveniles ex-
planned how the attraction Of gravitation made
the clock 60, and how the pressure Of the at
mosphere enabled you to draw up cider thro'
a straw, then the senior class explained the
philosophy Of e%clipses and rainbOws, winds
and tides, the phenomena Of earthquakes and
volcanoes, and told irlthe most lucid manner,
the laws and motions of the planets, with the
modern theories Of PHILOSOPHY.
The exercises in spelling, embracing many Of
the most difficult wordain the language, were
invariably correct; the reading Of the younger
classes admirably done, with clearness and
emphasis, and an entire absence Of everything
approaching ton or mannerism; while the adj
vanced classes read with animation, and with
all the graces Of rhetoric. Some sublime chaps
ters from the sacred scripture never heard
read better.
The afternoon was devoted to Arithmetic,
mental and practical. l fatter myself l am
rather accomplished in this, but they proved too
expert for me to more than assure myself that
their correctness equalled their Fapidity; in
their mental calculations they managed humid
reds and thousands with surprising facility,
and the exercises on the black board vera az
remarkable for practical skill as for knowledge
Of the science.
Among the most interesting exercises Of the
second day was sn examination in classical
geography, in which the class displayed a pro.
found knowledge Of the relative positions Of
AssyTia, Greece, Rome, and other renowned
nations Of antiquity, giving the modern names
Of those countries, and many historical Incl
dents connected with the scenes they describ.
ed, continuing the recital down TO those bar.
barous nations which Overrun the Roman En-
pire,
Nor were those two principal histories less
interesting, mean the history Of England and
the history Of the U. States. The examination
was thorough. In the former every incident of
importance was touched upon, including many
reconcile matters, such as the institution Of
juries, magma charta and the reformation,
which we hardly expect to learn from lips go
young and pretty. The younger class told of
the discovery Of this continent, spoke Of the
humanity of Penn, the trials and enthusiasms
ofthe Pilgrims, the ehivalry Of Virginia, the OPP
Pressions of the mother country, and the manly
resistance Of this, showed themselves familiar
with the cause and every incident Of the rovO-
l%utiOnary and late war, and in fac. brought the
history down to to-day.
Then followed compositions, all grammatical
and well written, and tome Of them quite Of.
iginal and sprightly.
In the evening the young ladies rave a
'0'ree musieaie. Mrs. oakley's pupils are 60
renowned for their musical skill that praise
from me would be gliding fine gold.