Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-07-13
correspondence Of the Spectator.

Hot Observation-Disclosures Washington College
Commencement Legislature iJustice--1he In
shtute-ana The Celebration Of the Fourth s
The 29th and Both days ofJune 1858 will sure
ly live In history as ''the hot days." The dry,
parched and dusty EARTH the fierce rays OF the
sun-the stubborn fit of Eolus, who seemed to
have cmnked his prison, so that the smallest breeze
could not find egress, all consplred to create an at
moSphere which forced on the mind the ideas OF
hot, In all degrees of comparison. One thought OF
ovens, stoves, furnaces, crucbes and reflectors.-
1t might have seemed rational to bake bread and
brol meat on tin roofs. Ice water and Ice cream
and all kinds OF freezing mixtures were at pre-
MUM and fans rose to rank among the necessa-
ries of life. One could understand the justice of
the grounds taken in the celebrated suit for the
right to the shade of an Ass. Green trees and
grass and clear running water ceased to be poet
icai IDEAS and assumed the shape of utitarlan-
ism. We used TO wonder what men meant by
''strokes ofthe sun" and actually to doubt wheh-
er man was ever killed by heat, but some expe-
rience on these days, assured our senses OF the ex
IRENE probability Of truth in all such statements.
Ofall places ever visited in our Valley. LeXing-
ton might seem to be the last IN which suffering
by heat could be reasonably expected Though
surrounded by mountains, they lie at sufficient
distance to permit free circulation OF the breezes,
which, with intervening hills and valles, they
generate. Bot all sources ofsuch breezes seemed
tor the time cut off. .....,i
Yet, notwithstanding the heat, these were
pleasant days to the Lexingtonans and their visl-
tors. Quite number ofstrangers were already in
town on Wednesday. The streets, despite the
broing sun, were quite lively with parties OF Col
lere students or their friends. Fathers and mo-
| H. md to
nv the young Collegans home, and some to wit
ness the honorable graduation Of their friends on
the following day, together with the young gen
tlemen, released from the drilling of the class
room and the terrors of examinations seemed TO
prevent the stagnation of all locomotion, threaten
ed by the terrible heat
The morning Of the 30th opened with all the
brlliancy of June sun. BY l0o'clock the won't
ed procession formed on the College Campus and
through dust and heat moved to the large and e.
egant PRESBYTERIAN church on main street. Here
very orderly and intelligent, though not large
audience awaited their arrival. The President,
attended by Prof .Mahan of West Point, at the
post of honour to his right, and the graduating
class of seven took their places stand in front
of the Pulpit could but regard the'stand as an
/ ncumbrance. L. was too small for comfort, or e.
ven for proper and digniied mode Of conducting
such services. After the usual prayer, by Dr.
| White, the services were opened by an address III
Latin by young gentleman of Rockbrdge. 10
some, it seems useless remnant OF old customs
TO retain this Latin speech. | think differently
The study of the Gead languages, because they.
are dead, is highly important both for the knowl-
edre obtained and the mental training secured
The speaker proceeded to salute, in turns, the aI-
dience the trustees, The students and the lacul-
| ty. could never see the exact prdpreiy OF ad-
dressing the two latter as the speaker has no oc-
casion to saiute those who are his daily compan-
IONS Much of his address. was Of course lost on
the bulk of his audience, and even those who could
understand the drift of his sentences lost some OF
his words in an enuncalon often a little too rap
id. He was understood to read the trustees de-
served lecture on their negligence in attending The
examination. as usual, however, those who most
deserve such rebukes get the least, being among
the absent. There were five other speeches, a
mong which ! was pleased TO notice one OF the
best, anl decidedly the best delivered, was by one
of old AugGs;a's sons, while another in delivering
the Cincinnati GRAFTON, indicated his having taken
the highest honour of the College. The vale
dictory was quite uniGue-the speaker very can
didy assuring the Iexingtonians, that he left them
with great pleasure and for the usual amount OF
i
which "tclio,o Students" are generally addressed,
substituting one brief exhortation expressed in the
familiar terms of the College green.
The President read an elaborate, and in many
respects able argument. to show the injustice with
which the Legislature treats the Colleges, refu-
sing to them all the pecunary aid which many 50
much need. At less prices for tuitiou. than either
of the State Institutions (lhe University or lnsi-
tu!e the Colleges are furnishing the most sub
siantal education to the sons, not Of the wealthy,
but of the middling classes Some twenty years
since, 1.-THE President might have added had lie
been aware ofthe iact,) the Legislature actually
pledged the surplus Revenue Of the Literary
| Fund, after it should have reached certain a.
mount. to the Coleges of the State. ii has long
since exceeded that amount and yet the Colleges
are unsuccessful pleadors.
i You will be pleased to learn that Washington
! College is rising in public favour. II is not the
language of mere compliment, when it is asserted
that her Faculty will compare well with any 9th
er in our State. To the extent Of the College
course, she does not rank one whit behind the u
University. Her graduates uniformly take stand
among the highest at that Institution. 1T very
pleasing to Virguans, to know that, the Presi-
dent excepted, (who is indeed Northern man,
with Southern principles on the subject Of Slave
ry.) all the Faculty are Southern men. Three
are native Yirginians, of whom two are natives OF
the Valley and graduates of the College. The
Examining Committee is committee of gentle
men, selected from various parts of the State and
generally holding no official relation to the Col
Hege. This committee handed in report of the
examination lust concluded, which was Of a most
satisfactory character to the rendsof the College
No yeuno man can enter the Institution who is
not thoroughly prepared for the class he proposes
to oin nor can he remain member of it unless
he is diliqent student. BY wise policy, the
Collere has so managed its funds, that in few
wears. its debts will all be paid and an annual in
come of between five and six thousand dollars re-
ceived At present, with its available income, the
nresent Faculty could be sustained, on meagre
support. it is true, independently of all fees, Sc
that the officers are not obliged to make conces-
sions in discipline or lower the standard of ac1uis
tim in order to retain students. The threat Il
will co TO some other College, amounts TO moth.
inr. either when spoken or acted. True, the Col
lege could not keep up It's present organization.
necially as the expence of living is increasing, in.
, dependent of tuition fees: and the contemplated
alternative is not likely TO be presented, for the
nolcy of resting the fame of the College on thu
aualty and net numbers of IFS students is dailS
raisnG it in tho public estimate In order still
farther to set aside all temptations to aim at mum
bers-the tuition fees have been increased to $40
This will hardly be felt by the public, and vii
greatly enure to the benefit of the College. VIII
five Professors and Tutor, this Institution nov
offers as great advantages for the undergraduate
or non professional student as can be found in gu
State.
Monday. the fourth, was the annual commence
ment day of the Institute great crowd assem-
5led. more than the church could hold wa
sorry. however, to believe. evidently more to Sc
and to be seen, than to be entertained with til