The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-07-10
FOR TIE INDEPENDENT rREsst
The Commencement of the Cokesburv
Conference School

Monday and closed with the Literary A.idress.
es' OH Wednesday last. Tuesday evening was
devoted to the delivery of original speeches BY
ten of the students. The Examination and
speeches were in character with the reputation
OF the School for diligence and scholarship.
some OF the students of the same class and ape,
eVinccd greater efficiency In their studies than
otiiersi 80 also, were the speeches of some in.
dicntive Of greater research, closer thought
and more lucid analysis of the elements en-.
tering into their composition, than others but
TO individualize, would be invidious We were
particularly struck with one feature in some
OF the spccches-tlic naturaness of delivery
without this no speech, however otherw;so
eAee'.eht' can produce any effect And it is
astonishing the little attention paid to this
indispensable element in the training Of the
young Atcctaiion In voice. gesture, or bro
n"nclatIon, is disgusting. There is another
matter, too, that both teachers and taught
should pay more attention to: Some bows
think that if anything sound WELL it will do,
| without regard to the sense This is a fatal
error. Good sense should be the basis of every
speech, whether delivered by student or
any one else, and the consequence of n failure
IN this, is equally severe whether delivered by
one or the other
The preparation manifested, ut an early hour
Wednesday morning, pointed that out Us the
main day of the occasion; and so it was at
m early hour, Wednesday morning, therefore,
the capacions Hall Of the Masonic Female Insti
tutc (whcl, had been kindly rendered by the
Brotherhood for the purpose,) was filled by mn
nrprcciatirc auditory. The exercises were opcn-
cd with prayer hy the Rev. Mr. IIoyt Thereup.
on Edward Noble, Esq, was introduced and pro-
ccedcd, MS Anniversary Orator Of the Literary
Societies, to the delivery Of an address of an
hours length. We were so charmed with this
performance, that We are almost afraid to trust
ourself to say anything about it. 1t was
repletc with rich thought and sound learning,
and exhibited grcnt taste and appropriateness
| i'll the materials with which it was adorned
The rich orc of useful learning and practical
suggestion go happily developed in this address,
would do good beyond the occasion, if permit
ted to 30 abroad, and we trust TINT Mr. Noble
will consent to its publication. Not to lepre-
| ciatc former efforts on similar occasions, we
concur with an educated and intelligent gen
tleman ms to this performance On being ask.
ed what he thought Of it, lie snid: II have
heard most, if not oil, of the literary addresses
delivered at Cokesbury for the last ten years; !;
and consider this the best l have heard" The
| privileges and dangers Of you:h, constituted the
theme.
Then followed the Rev. Geo. IT. Round,
with nm address eminently suited to the cir
cumstance which called it FORTH Mr. Round,
from feeble health to the regret of all who
know him and feel an interest in the prosper
ity of the school, has been compelled to give
up the Rectorship; and, in retiring from a
position which he had filled, so many years, so
uscfuly, he deemed it not inappropriate to
embody, for the students, Trustees and pat.
rons, Of the School, some useful hints and suc.
gestions, in parting address. This he did
most admirably. Ills speech was the gospel in
a nutshell. lie pointed out the path of virtue
and religious morality, with clearness that lie
who runs. may see; and enforced the necessity
of pursuing it with an eloqucnce enriched with
the dictates of pious experience and the re-
suits of matured and sound learning. The
particular theme, was the Formation of Char.
acter.
The exercises were closed by the presenta.
tion of Bible to Mr. Round by Nlr. Gary. one
of the students. who performed his part, very
sensibly and feelngly, in neat and appropri-
| ate address, to which the Reverend gentleman
feelingly responded.
We have no doubt that this will be a bright
day in the memory of Cokesbury. 1t will be
| long before such an audience forget such
speeches. We might say a good deal, Mr.. Ed.
| itor, about the many faces we saw in that
spacious Hall, lit up with smiles, intelligence
| and beauty. But that is theme we will not
trust ourself upon. We only wish you your
self had been there to have luxuriuted. Cokes
bury is distinguished for the beauty and intel
| llgence OF her women, she is for her hospi-
| tality. On occasions like this, all doors are
opened. The universal remark made to US,
was, by almost every one. that he had had more
than half n dozen invitations to dine, byras
many citizens
In place of Mr. Round, the Trustees have
put the Rev. Samuel b. Jones, native OF
Charleston, and graduate of the State Mill.
tary School there, who has had some experience
in teaching, and has the reputation of being
an excellent dscplinarian. We have some
personal acquaintance with Mr.. Jones, and
have no hesitation in saying, that he is an
amiable gentleman, and we'll qualified for the
important post to which lie has been promoted.
The Trustees did we'll in securing his services.
and the patrons Of Che School may rest satisfied
that their sons will be we'll provided with both
moral and intellectual food. The Trustees did
another good thing. They raised condition.
ally, the salaries of the Rev, J. w. Wigtman
from $500 to $1,000. and of Mr. Turpin from
$3.50 to $500, that is, provided the increase
of the School would wsssantit it.
And finally: the section of country in which
this beautiful inland town is located, is one Of
the healthicst in the State. The Masons have
recently put up very fine building there for
the Masonic Female Institute, in which q
flourishing School is now in operation, under
able teachers The Cokesbury Conference
School has been in operation for a number Of