Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-08-03
O r I d L m "a IL =.
FOR THE COURIER.

Mr.. Editor: Wo have persuaded ourselves
that brief report of tho Commencement at
Davidson College, N. c., which occurred on
the 18th instant, might not be unintcresting'
to the readers of your interesting. weekly
The patriotic are ever the friends of educa..
tion, and the patrons Of worthy institutions
That such is the element of the noblo old
Mountain District, (of which VIC can boast
greater merit thnn salubrious air crystal
strcamlets and mountain grandeur, needs but
q reference to Confederate muster rolls."-
And Of the resoutc yalor Of her sons there is
abundant proof in the rude head stones on
the bloody fields Of Richmond, Gettysburg,
Manassas, Wilderness and. in fact, from tho
Potomac to tho Rio Gr,ndc the blocching
bones Of her slaughtered aons do hallow tho
sacred soil in which, now moudering, they
return to tho dust from whence they ca,nc-
The fortunate survivors of the same rood
Stock but be interested in the doings of
our Southern institutions with their South.
ern instructors and Southern pupils Such
an one is the worthy, time honorcd old ten
pie of sciencc-D Davidson College.
1t was the good fortune of tie writer to be
present. ut the last Commencement, which was
the first for a period Of six cventful years
The examination Of the students took place
oa' Friday and Monday, 18th and 18th inst.
the result of which will no doubt gladden. tho
hearts of many fond and anxious parents who
were there represented. On Wednesday tho
exercises of the rostrum began. At II a.
NJ tho waising throng. which filled tho splcn-
did chapel, was entertained pleasantly aud
prolitabiy ny the RcvsJmuno RuMpLE, of
Salisbury, n. G., in a most excellent sermon.
before the " Williams Association of Inoui.
ry." In the Introduction Of these exercises.
the audience WAS tlralcd by tho soal stirring
strains of the elegant choir, composed of Ia
dies and studcnts, as they chanted, in hnrmo
ny sublime. tic grand old anthem" Tho
earth is the I4urd $ and the fullness thcrcofr
In the afternoon early there began steady
flow Of the growing asscmblagc chapel. ward.
and sonn two thousand waiting souls were i'm
patient for the expected address before the.
Literary Societies of the College, BY one Of
sold Rips most worthy sous, Governor II. B.
VANCE Tire dcafcnn. applause which, fire.
quent'y interviewed, put,ins>hin to silence,
fully bespoke his happy succ tss.
After an intcfnisson of some three hours.
the assembly was sounded hy tho ringing.
bell. Iworc grossly rnniss to omit /, refer
ence to the intervening episode, most pleas
ant OF all to those at us who were not 80 ua11eIf
8" bpok = as grub worms. furnished hy the
hospitable lan,Aatlics. To do them JUSTICE
.I.:il ..~~.,;;- ' '.----'"'"ganl :. euioyiu ~
that 1t would be p' 'ouounced lattcry, spite of
our ."1 most earnest pfotes'at'ousuf siucority.--
imey themselves, however, ncca no more st
lstactory evidence OF their success, ,L,n ill.,.
dct'ons OF 'thrir guests, which as tho ,a,,;.' 80
goes "speak louder than ~o'rls." This S.m6
| welcome intrusion occ,srod not u,,s,lrosu;,hb
often. and with sr,w:ny splcndor Ats. -
Al., began the annual exhibition of the LIRE.
rary Societies. Here VAS an occas;on of M
interrupted pleasure, shared between the elo.
quent and the tuscal. The long discussed
question of the respective powers of these two
mighty influences, was to the entire satisfuc.
/ tl"n OF the then attending audience, decided
| 10 hvor OF the former. And the music was
the best that the old Grip" could furnish.
| being the splendid Brass Band Of Salisbury.
under the leadership of tho accomplished mu
| siclan. MIR. w. Fl. NEAvE Suffice it to saw
! that Six speeches were delivered, of whicjT.
the revescd body Of Trustees of the Uolicy.
pronounced themselves proud as coming from,
students Of thaS Insttution, of which thew
have the eoyer.isht.
On Thursday, the following day, 18th inst.
the Cnmn'cnccmcnt Exercises proper bcuy,p'
IN the delivery Of the Inaugural of til, recent.
" elected President. Rev G. Wilson Nc.
fHA1L. u. d. TO those who have the priyi.
| 'cse OF knowing this mnst worthy christian
gentleman. and most profound Thcooginu and
scholar: it were needless to say that, in tha
cst''n"b'en of those competent to Judge Of its
merits, 1t was worthy him, who has Been,
ranked BY the Knowing among the most fin.
'ahed and universally accomplisl,c,lof Aueri-
c"s , most distinguished Litcrati. rhis was
'"'f""ed ~ by IN appropriate reply from the
prcs'ocnt OF Board of Trustees, the Rev. AR
pEN1cK. The Junior elias. then aconitted
themselves much No their own credit and that
OF % the institution. The valcdictory was then
delivered, handsomely md affectingly, bv NJ,
L. ~ CALDWELL. chichester District. s. al
upon whom the degree of A. B. was confer.
red anu shcep.skin presented Ly the pres.
'ucht' ana the exercises Of most entirely
successful Comncnccment OCCASION. nronoun:s
| ed ended.