New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-08
COMMENCEMENTS.
AMHERST COLLEGE.
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AMHERST, Mass, Aug. ,, $50.
After q pleasant ramble over the hills Of Berk-
shire and Franklin, found myself once more in
SIGHT of the square. unclassical old tower within
whose shadow in years long past studied " small
Latin and less Greek skirmished little on the
frontiers of mathematics, stole chickens and tell
in love with village beauties. | saw one OF those
dauisels at church today stald, couely matroh
with various sizes of children about her think
she has grown old faster than have for she Is get
ting gray, whereas | am only bald. Another
saw who has survived many desperate Irritation
and still rejoices in a state Of unbessed slnsleness.
For the benefit OF staticians / here record the
fact that college towns always abound in old maids
irreyerently so yclept. The causes of this social
phenomenon are too many and deep 70 be entered
into now and the curious in such matters are re-
ferred 70 a good and solid essay which intend TO
furnish for the pages of the North American at
some future time
Amherst College is now in a most prosperous
condition Not yet thirty-fve years Old II ma
reached a position where il may fairly compete
with the oldest Institutions in the country There
are go undergraduates and about dozen proies-
sors and tutors. An ample cabinet stored with
tine collections in natural history, commodious
and elegant library building, with fair prospect
of there being in il library some time an observ-
atory and telescope have all been erected within
the last seven or eight years. Under the wise and
shrevd administration OF Pres Hitchcock the
funds Of the College have been largely increased,
and the embarrassments under which II so long
lappuished have been removed. Still our Alma
Mater has not done taking money when she can get
il and if any rich and generous person should feel
disposed 10 give her matter OF ten thousand dol
lars for the increase of her library, ! make no
doubt that the arrangement could be satisfactorily
made If the name of the aforesaid donor should
hammer 10 be cuphonious one, II might possibly
be attached 10 the library and SO banded down 70
posterity in neat and portable form
President Stearns, who was naGguratcd last
Autumn. preached his first haccalaureate sermon
today. What man soweth that shall be also
reap" was his text, and his subject was "Suc-
" cess in Life" Il was good but not great
discourse, rather gracefully aud pleasantly deliy-
cred.
The pressure of recent domestic affection is
probably reason why the doctor did not to-day
come up 70 his reputation
On Tuesday evening we shall have prize speak
ing by the freshmen and sOphomores. On Nednes-
day. oratOns from II. ". Beecher, T. W Emer-
son. T. D. Huntington and J. +. Thompson OF your
city Rather a good programme, we think
Beecher and Huntington, by the way, are gradu-
ates OF this college, some twenty years since. On
Thursday come the regular exercises of the gradu-
atng class which numbers about go, and is said 20
be uncOmmonly smart"
The exercises of Commencement Day have been
regularly characterized during the last fifteen years
as more than usually Interesting" 1t is hoped
that they will not fail to deserve the same praise
this wear and that the world viii sustain with
equanmty the inundation or college talent so soon
10 be let loose