Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-08-09
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
GLMPsEs OF MEN, THINGS. AID PLAcEs-No. Is.

4 ftf
GLMPsEs OF MEN, THINGS, AsD PLAcEs-No. 'S
NV Yonx, JuIr 80. 1851.
COMMENCEMENT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE.
The annual festival of this time-honored inshtu-
ton has been celebrated today with the usual
commencement exercises. This is the Oldest col
lepe in the State, and one of the Oldest In the
country. have not the date OF her age before
me, but think it reaches back more than a GEN.
tus Her ancient name Of Kings college was changed
after the American Revolution to her present republican te
And now, without change Of name she has sssin become
Kings College, the Hon. CaAnIss KIss, distinguished
SON Of the late distinguished RuTus Kxs, having been
called to preside the institution i very questionable
whether the hesrtof large buslng commercial city, al
wsys full Of objects of attraction and excitement avora
BILE location for college or high literary institution is
better perhaps for the institution ITSELF that the college
should be the principal object Of attraction in the place where
it is located In the midst Of the large city. with the
varying change Of objects to attract and distract the public
attention. the sober college becomes old everyday story
and loses somewhat of that commanding interest with the
public which it would be likely to retain in more quiet y
cation. This perhaps may be the chief reason why Co
umbia College does not hold rank with Harvard and Yale
sl however, she holds honorable rank among the col
eges Of the land and has given to the country many able
men and ripe scholars. And il said the present popular
President Mr. KIse, nfusing new life into the instu-
ton and bids fair increase its popularity and useulness
Having been at the commencement Of old Harvard two
weeks ago. felt the more interest to witness the annual
ceremonies to-day, that might how Columbia would
compare with her elder sister, In thing at least she had
the advsntsgehe locus in quo Of her exhibition The sx-
ercses Harvard held in moderateszed chapel Or
church. which would accommodate perhaps thousand peo
pie. The ceremonies Of Coumbia College to-day were ex-
hbed In the magnificent and capacious Tple Hail. which
will accommodate about four thousand persons Probably
thousand present the exercises to-day Three
fourhs Of the audience were females and considerable
portion youth and children But while the audience
than twice large the at Cambridge the alumni
and tera seemed to be very few compared with those at
Cambridge In the busy world Of New York they too
much engossed with other business and other objects 60
Ito commencement 50 they send their wives and children
There were however, forty fifty the platform, including
professors, trustees and Others, TO keep the President in
before such display Of ladies' and the exercises
were all carried through in very appropriate and interesting
manner Mr.. KING makes capital presiding officer suf-
enty dgnfed, and yet preserving easy familiarity Of
manner with much readiness, energy and happy exempo
aneous ability. t n
The ceremonies at Cambridge stiff and stately
they easy and democratic President SrARKs
ould word but in Latin President KIsG could
ak Engs especially in those parts Of the ceremonies in
ended be heard by the audience With the former, in
announcing an exercise, would be- Erpectatur orato,
liza Ingua Latina, Johannes Smith !" with the latter it
tould be, can Grafton in Latin, BY John Smith" Pres
ent Sparks sat, Napoeonike, immovabe in his chair Of
ate during the long exercises. President King, sitting
fa upon level with those around him, moved about
s and often, when be had remark announces
49, r-sx. e -.
ard the audience It would not have been allowable
lppose for President Sparks any consideration what
YER address side remark to the audience, should
ley undertake to kick up riot or break windows But
resident King observing some ladies' in the gallery opposite
stage standing and looking long time in quite wrong d
con, did hesitate rise and call to those ladies and
orm them 1that it was desirable their faces
an their backs +"
At Cambridge there nearly thirty exercises by the
aduatins class, and music from the band generally at
b close Of each third performance. Here there were
ten exercises and music from the band at the close Of
Cd. The music at both commencements was very fine
admirably performed. The young gentlemen who were
duated to-day acquitted themselves well, and their per-
mances would compare well with these Of Cambridge.
lie part Of the ceremonies not the caalogue) differed
m any thing have any other commencement At
close Of each performance beautiful bouquets Of fresh flow
thrown upon the stage to the speaker by ladies of
audience. These were gathered up by the young gen.
men and borne of gratifying tumphs Some obtained
ee four, and half dozen, armfu, accord
as the ladies pleased with their performances. An
ton upon the education and influence Of woman"
ught down quite shower these tokens Of spplause.
diploma is awarded aUthe annual examination to the
den. Of the best general standing each Of the ur classes
then diplomas the students who excel in the different
Of study in each class. Each student to whom
stimona Of this kind had been awarded called upon
stage by name and received it from the hand Of the Pre-
nt, who made appropriate addresses to the members Of
class. After the ceremony Of conferng the degrees on
graduating class the exercises Of the day cosed
had been opened, with prayer. BIRD's-EYE.
lev HAVEN, (Coxs.) THuRsDAr EVE, JuIr 81, 1851.
After three years absence, am once more in
beautiful "City Of Elms," and have spent
pie Of hours in walking through its shady
ets. The trees seem larger, and more of them,
when last saw them. There is evidently
Oh care taken to preserve them and keep them in
order. They have become, and have long
n, the great pride Of the place. No town in the
ntry probably, in proportion to its population,
larger amount Of fine shade trees than New Haven,
most Of them are the graceful wde-sprsading elm. In
instances naples and other have been introduced
be public sentiment and The public press cry against
I'D say, cherish the elms. Il is very pleasing sight to
from the cupola Of the New Haven hotel upon the
-