New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-09
COMMITTEES

o. ne Compositions Of ne F5s Dspayfmsnt-Horsce
Webster IL D. Rev. Edward Bouns and Rev Francis
l.. Hawks d.
On he Compositions Of he Second Department
liza Willis, Carol ne May and Anne c. Lynch
On the Compositions Of The Third Dsparmest-Rev. I'd
win Hatfield Rev VIM I. Eigenbrodt and Rev. A.
y Croker
On Mafaasates-Proi Edward c Ross and John NJ
krebs, D D.
On FrsucG--Dexmier Lasroix Esq.
On Dvap.sgs and Paiafju9s-John II Williams Esq
aud James IL shegogue Esq
On Penmaushtp-Richard Berry. Esq George Con.
over, Esq end Oliver T Hewlett Esq
On Mnsic-HerrmAn : saroni Eco and sigsmond
Lssar, Esq.
DR.. WEBSTER, IN behalf Of the Committee on
the compositions of the First Department read
the following report
The undersign,d the Committee appointed 10y
the Board Of Trustees OF the Rutgers Female In
sttute for awarding gold medal for the best com
position the First Department IN tins Institution.
respectfully report
That they have read with care aud attention az
the compositions thirty.two in number submitted
for their examination, and although they have de-
voted much time to the subject. yet the labor has
been hghtened by the interesting nature Of the
pieces themselves The subjects Of them have
been selected with great proprIety, their arrange
ment Is udicious, and they are written with pu-
rity Of dicti0n much beyond what is usually seen
on such occasions and are of a lar higher charsc
ter than could reasonably be expected from VII
tiers so young and inexperienced.
Your Committee are fully sensible Of the diih-
a.. 1T Cd hon
Where there are many worthy competitors, there
10 always something unersoious in deciding that
one is the best. Your Committee, however, feel
bound 10 say that. in their Judgment, the compost
ton entitled Reflections 0a Superstition is fair
" entitled to the gold medal. and they award il
accordingly
In this composition the author exhibits COM
prehensive knowledge Of the subject OF which she
treats and il is also writ,en in clear and ohaste
style that has justly earned this distinction.
The unsuccessful candidates will no doub, regret
that they have not obtSined the high reward for
which they have Lahore ed 50 well, but they have no
cause for modification. since they are pronounced
only second 10 SO worthy rival
The Committee cordially commend the co nPosi'
ton entitled The Popularity Of an Opinion not
always Proof Of its Correctness, as possessing
superior merit The author, in this essay, shows
great good sense and sobriety Of thought enliven-
ed by sprishtly and gracious manner
In these days when the value Of an opinion IS
apt TO be estimated more by the number Of rs adj
vocstes than by their wisdom or their worth, Il is
cheering TO see such sentiments coming from such
q source. II second medal had been at the DIS
possl OF the Committee, they would have adjudged
II 10 the writer OF tins composition
The two pieces on" Jaruss Daughter and "Hs
gar in the Wilderness, resemble each other some
what in character. They cannot be called strictly
original they arc bat the filing up OF two OF the
most touching incidents in scripture. Bat these in
the original are told with such Characteristic brew
ty that they well admit Of enlargement. These two
writers have fully symPsthized with their hero
ines they have used their materials with great