Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1857-07-07
~ rorETr o. a nEIuANr.


TME FOURTH OFT AT BETHANY.
BETnAST, Va, July +
MEssRs. RDIToRs This evening closed up
the commencement exercises at the college here,
which had been in progress for several days
past, and knowing that quite number oil the
readers Of the InteiIjgeacer are interested IN
whatever transpires in this vicinity, am Promp-
ted to sit down and write you some little account
Of what has been going on for day or two
past The 4th of July is no ordinary visitor 70
the good people out here, not only IN account
of its political merits but also for the literary,
social, and pecuniary scenes incident TO its ar
rival By the 4th Of July mean what Is gene
rally understood by IT out here, ylz;-coul-
mencement week. These commencement days
are days Of note out here, and are looked for
ward to as the big days of the year-the Christ
mas HOLIDAYS interesting as they are, not eXcep-
ted. This wear, from ali could hear and see,
they were unusually lively, there having been
more than the ordinary influx OF lively visitors
from all parts of the country especially IN the
| article of ladies' who might as well note are
| held in great request out here Literary per-
| fornances interspersed with parties, pic-nics
and a crest amount OF private pleasure eXcur-
| sioning were the order of the day during the
Week-s0 much so that noticed that any Kind
| of conveyance which bore anything like a dis
tant resemblance to conveyance, commanded
Z. premium, and was hard to be had at that OF
course s1ch week, coming but once year, is
looked forward 10 with more or less interest
by all the men, women and childrenin the yici-
nifty 1t is welcomed BY the students as sort
Of general jail delivery from their class rooms,
and the rounds of arduous studies to winch
they have been confined for long months and
many Of them long years To the people OF the
vicinity it is interesting, especially to the stay
at home and domestic portion, because 1t affords
them an opportunity to throw aside the shovel
and the hoe for day or two, and come together,
meet their old friends, and see and hear some
! thing in their own midst novel and interesting.
| To the immediate indwellers Of the beautiful
little village of Bethany, especially the trades
men, merchants and boarding house Keepers,
| it has pecuniary charm, superadded to all It's
other interesting features-beiHg looked upon
by them something after the idea which the
lmonomanical jew had of the day of Judgement,
VIA great day for redeeming outstanding
notes of hand
/ cannot, in the brief space which intend to
occupy, pretend to give YOU any thing like an
account Of the various performances OF the days
I pfeceding, and Of the commencement day itself;
land it would be matter. OF nttle general
interest for me to tell you that delivered
a good speech. B better one, and c the crack
performance of the day. All this would be
more or less iuvidious and, as l said, of little
public interest, Like all College performances,
and indeed like all other kinds which comprise
an extensive variety, they varied according to
the capacity and attainmentsof the performers;
and, when taken together, formed very inter
esting and instructive display. The exercises
of commencement day were of . very interest
ling kind, consisting of speeches from members
of the graduating class, and the impressive GER
emony Of comforting degrees. good number
of these speeches were in the different ancient
and modern languages, and your correspondent
in his palmiest days not having been any thing
beyond linguist of the first water, had but a
dim idea Of what was being said, but took for
granted that they were all right cannot re-
frain from making mention of the valedictOry-
a very excellent one-delivered by young gem
tlemcn named l. d. Stone, of KY, who carried
off the laurels of his class, having been award
ed the first honor in the whole College course.
4 very able and impressive address to the grad
Mating class was delivered by the venerable
President to the following named members
ltwentY-Six in number-upon whom the degree
of Bachelor Of Artswas conferred:
f. b. Challeuer, Of Va; j. w. Crockett, Of
Ky; L. A. Cutler, of Va; Wm. Dew, of Val
r. S. Dulin, of KY; j. NJ. Dunning of No; II.
C. Durrct, of KY; a. Elliot, of Mo; ]: B. Grubbs,
of KY; W. T. Haley, of o. T.; B. F Harvey, Of
No; T. W. Hedden, Of KY; E. II. Irvine, Of
Mo-: d. L. Irvine, Of Mo-; Geo. \. James, o
Ohio; n. n. Laws, of Ill; p. Lucas, OF Mo-; u
wv. Miller, of No.; j. W. Mosby, Of Mo; F. II
Pendlcton, of Va; G; W Se'Eell, Of Tenn; r.
r. Sims, of Va; \. N. Summers, OF Mo-; l. d.
Stone, of KY; G. w. Turner Of No; P. H. Tay'
might say much more Of the interesting
scenes of the commencement days, did time and
space permit. But we have only room to men
ton that the prospects of the College in the flu
ture exceeds even the ample patronage which il
has enjoyed during the past year, and promises
to render it still more deserving of the signal
marks Of public appreciation which its ample
and accomplished standard of scholarship have
won for it. Z.