The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-03-06
LETTER FROM HAMPDEN SYDNEY
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.

HAMPDEN SYDNEY COLLEGE, }
PRINCE EDWARD, Va, March 2, 1867.
The ordinary routine of life at this
ancient and renowned but quiet seat OF
learning affords only now and then an
incident of sufficient interest to justify a
communication to the Dispatch, which
ever seeks to present to its readers things
fresh and new. The calmness Of our every
day proceedings, which are marked, / am
happy to say, by good order and a very
gratifying state of morals and hard study
among the students, was very pleasantly
disturbed by the exercises of the I'D oi
February, which is still observed here as q
j sort of literary and patriotic festival.
The morning Of that day witnessed the
assemblage Of considerable number Of
the good people of Prince Edward in the
college chapel to hear orations from mem.
bers Of the Junior class and senior repre-.
sentative from each literary society, al
set forth in the following programme:
MORNING. 1911 O'CLOCK.
Senior Orator Mr.. r. A. Gibson, Gan Aim
In Life
Junior Orators Mr.. S. L. Flournoy, "The
Aristocracy of Genius" Mr.. J. Il. sampson,
Order is heavens First Law" MIR. John
Thomas stamps, THE Power Of the Pen.
Mr.. J. G. Hagner, Ambition" Mr.. Johr
Davis, Hope, the Angel of Life"
EVENING, O'CLOCK.
Senior orator.--Mr. T. r. Edmonds, "Crom
well, a Patriot"
, Junior Orators.-Mr. L. B. Johnston, 9TH,
yicissitudes of Life" Mr.. William M. Thorn
ton, knowledge Is Power" Mr.. L. b. Turn
bull, !" The Vanity of Human Wishes" MIR
g. w. Walker, The Social Condition Of I'm
I'll SANS Farm -
The speeches were all good, and some O.
them took particularly well. Mr.. Walk
er's Grafton on "The Social Condition o.
Uncle Sans Farm" being humorous ad.
dress, elected much applause. The speaker
drew a graphic picture Of our unhappy
condition now and at the close Of the war,
and at the same time criticised very Sc
verely the tendency of the southern people
towards the extremes Of fashion and extra
yagance prevalent at the north, and was
particularly severe on those large prOtube-
RANGES with which our ladies, in this spiri,
of servile imitation, are wont to burden
and .disfgure their beautiful heads, and
eclipse the natural glory Of . woman. Wher
the exercises were over, the audience de.
parted, thinking themselves well repaid
though they had travelled through the
deep mud of our roads. These are, as
usual at this season of the year, very bad
= and place our social intercourse under
disabilities unknown In the city.
Inc prospects Of this old institution are
Frightening. Yet to some who are deeply
interested there has lately arisen clond.
which, indeed, ought not to be eons;d erad
Q cloud. aiiude to the fact that the nrc
fessors are making the already hard cor my,
still harder one. OF course Won w;i, ~
that every student who has the trus Ar J,
honorable ambition will grid himself ansy =
and though he may for the momsn, 81
depressed, Will glory In putting forth ~
srgy commensurate with the dificnlt;as i
be overcome In ascending the him Of NO, =
ledge, looking to the ultimate rsx.rJ 49, :,
his efforts in the increased adyantauas "
be derived from this seyerer discinIins Z,
the mind. Surely we need all the ments
and moral power which We can ACQUIRE +
the days of youth to enable us to no forth
with confidence upon that dark scene q
political trouble which we see when VIZ
look beyond the cheerful scenes within
our college walls. so
The Theological School m this place hs
sDoat tsenty-six students, eight Of whom
arc IN The graduating class, and expect K