The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-06-17
commencement at Hiram.

E The Annual Commencement of the Eclec
lie Institute took place at Hiram last Thu rsday
II As has been customary, an entertainmen. of one
Of the Literary Societies connected with the Insitu-
ton took place upon the evening preceding Com
mencement Day. This evening was chosen by the
Deiphic Society, SIS. Eggleston President. The So
cfet7 presented programme composed of four
lions, discussion, farce and coloquy, varied with
music, vocal and Instrumental The entertaium ent
at which the writer not PRESENTS said to have
been pleasing one, and was attended, under the
tent, by al audience appro ximating five hundred.
The morning of Thursday-ss if in remembrance
of the customs of Aud Lang Syne-wi,nessed the
assembling of an eager, well dressed, smiling ul
tude, their conversation
6 Lively and gossipping,
stor'd with the treasures of the tattng world.
And with spice of mirth, too,
At the hour of ten the generous boundaries of the
" big tent" were occupied by hundreds who listened
with visible pleasure to the enhancing music dis
coursed by the. Burton Excelsior Band who in their
gay trappings and with their fine instruments formed
prominent and pleasing feature in the cheerful
OF the Commencement Day.
The exercises were opened with prayer by the Rev.
MIR. Lamphare, of Warren, after hich the following
programme was submitted: Crossing The Rubicon,
Hattie King, chardon; Natures Carpet, Mary Ray
mond, Hiram; The Best Foot Forward, Matte Gard
burg. These essays were very creditable to the
young ladies, and were of appropriate length, and
read with easy confidence quite charming. Music
by the Band, concluded the first division the morn
ing programme This was followed by a Conyersa-
tion in Ancient Rome,'' by Misses Flora Hazen Hi
ram, Matte Sheldon, Aurora, Julia Capron, Auburn.
This would have been more agreeable had the con
versationists been free from the embarrassing reali.
zatioh that large audience viewing their pres
Lon vif h
was followed by an essay, IS The Reliable Gentle
man. Susie Hnmeston, Hiram, happy appreciation
of the 's institution popularity known among men
and newspapers by the title aforesaid. A song from
the Glee Club concluded the second division of The
parttaken by the lady pupils. Then followed three
essays, which decidedly the best of the good
things of the day-Pro Patria, Eliza Judson Aurora
News from olymp s, Mary Root, Hiram, /" 1t Might
have been," Slice Underwood, Brimheld.@ The first
was unmistak ably the production of mind capable
and strong and tempered with those heart-graces so
happily to be found in irne woman. IS News from
Olympus" was most ingenious creation, vivacious
and poetic. The authoress of 8 It Might Have Been
Is to be congratulated upon the superior manner in
which she read the equally superior and graceful pro
ducton of her mind and pen. With the spirited song
All Together" by the Gee Club, the part taken by
the ladies in the programme of the day was conclu.
ded The exercises of the forenoon were closed with
debate !" Are the signs of the times favorable TO
popular Governments" Geo. L. Forbes, solon, af
hrming, a. L. Clark, Twinsburg, denying.
AT one and half P. M. the people were again
summoned to their places under the tent, by the
sweety gentle refrain of the Excelsior Band. Those
who took part in the afternoon exercises were greet
ed by an audience noicaby larger than that of the
morning. The addresses of the young that formed
the afternoon programme. we propose to present
TO the reader in mass, with the remark that al
of the speakers exhibited powers of elocution de.
cidedly worthy of cultivation, and several peculiar
talent in that direction. The topics chosen having
led the minds of the speakers into channel of simi
larity quite marked, criticism praise might seen
inyidious. Many noble words were spoken, ani
generous sentiments developed, crediable to those
who uttered them, and gratifying and cheering tc
those who heard them.
Music by the Band was followed by the following
addresses: Love of Country, F. H. Hamilton, Free
dom The Resources Of Country, B. w. Bowen
Burton Popular Delusions, E. L. Beech, Sharon =
Music. The Nation Freed %. e. Cook Newton Fa lis
The Northwest, E. Patcbin, Newberry National
Character. w. S. Smith, BraceviIle. Music. The
North and the South, S. S. Eggieston, Aurora. t. c.
Beser, Mantua. Masic Gen. Mcclellan, H. c
buckingham, Hiram; English Neutrality, B. .Higby
soloR.
just after the conclusion of the afternoon exercise.
g heavy rain came up and prostrated the tent ant
destroyed the prospect of the entertainment of the
1evening. The Hesperians, however, rallied anil ar
ranged the Church for the reception of audience
and went through with part of the programme tina
evening, and upon Friday evening, under the tent
presented their entire programme to fine audience
| The annual election for Trustees was held upon
Thursday, resulting in the reelection Aaron Davis
Bazetta, zsb Rudolph, Alya UdalI, Hiram, and the
| choice of two new memhars picbaxds eatn,,