The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-02
ST. JOHNS COLLEGE, FORDHAM.
Commencement Day Yesterday.

Commencement Day Yesterday.
The twenty-third annual commencement OF St.
Johns College, Fordham, took place yesterday. 1t
would be needless to say that an immense assembage
OF ladies and gentlemen from this city and vicinity
was present curing the exercises; that special
trains from town carried up their hundreds; that
nearly every old graduate OF the institution with his
friends and his friends friends, were on hand or
that they took peaceabe possession during the day
Of the lawn the retreat in the woods and the shady
hooks, near that formidable Fordham river,
concerning whose awful depth and mysterious
influence over reckless students in summer
months there are legends that would make
ones hair stand on end, otherwise; for to
do so would be to repeat an Oft told tale OF former
commencements. st. Johns in the old graduates eye
is small village school house the sweetest reminis
cence of which is delcatey cut birch hung against
a rckefy wall, and that was want to create great
sensations at given periods but 1t Is to him sort OF
homestead that recalls TO his mind scenes fraught
with memories OF years spent away from the busy,
busting world years that were all brightness with
with his present tOiling and struggling amid cares,
anxieties and temptations his college life knew
naught or are looked back to as the happiest OF his
lifetime. Hence the reunion OF the "anclents' in
goodly numbers yesterday.
AZ In former years the platform erected for the
OF the orators OF the day ana the
on the lawn, and protected from whatever rays Of
the sun penetrated the thick foliage by canopy OF
flowers and neatly carpeted The following was the
order of the EXERCISES
VIM. J. Lanigan. Discourse-"IreMnd's Triumph"
William Mulheron. DiscOurse-"Evis Of Ambition"
William b: Easin piscourse-"Llterary Influence, -
Martin j. Fleming. DiscOurse-"Natural Sciences"
Valcdictory Nelson p. Banta. Masters Grafton
Liberty Of Conscience" Joseph F. Mooney, Con
Charles p Daily. Distribution OF premiums.
The degree OF Doctor in Philosophy was conferred
on David Chace N. D., Buffalo, N. Y.
mo fianra Moo NJ Arto pfa~ In
following .gentlemen:-Joseph F. Mooney, A. b.,
Rondoqt, n. r.; John a; Accreery, A. B.. Belle.
William oByrne, A. b., Savannah, Ca. Paul Jones
Robert A. b., New Orleans, La; Francis McElroy.
A. b.. Oneida, n: y; Patrick McDermott, New York.
The degree of Bachelor OF Arts was conferred on
the following students:-TheOd0re Madden, Brook
Ign, l.. l.. Martin j. Fleming Rochester, N. Y, Louis
Kramer Cleveland, Ohio; William MulherOn, Bristol,
n. Y. Edward Walsh, st. Louis, Mo-. Nelson P.
Banta, New York; John M. Lucey Forth Smith, Ark;
James Flood Cavan Ireland; William b. Eastin 81.
Zachary I. I. Fournet st. Martinsvile, La; William
J. Lanigan, New York.
was mertted by Martin Fleming; next in merit,
John NJ. Lucey. Subject-"Mary, Queen of ScOts.''
Donor for the present year. Major General Quincy A.
Gilmore, United States Army. The masters medal
was awarded to JOS f. Mooney for superior success
In the post graduate course Silver medals for pro-
Ciency were awarded Jas. +. Boiler of the class of
rhetoric; Thos. DOnahue, Of the class of bellies.
lettres, and to Henry Schachte, of classics. Prizes
of honor for having passed q successful examination
on various works were awarded 10 James +. Carey,
John J. Brady, Charles NJ. Drake, Edward l.. LOugh-
man, Charles II. sherwood, Edward ChapatOn and
Ferdinand Flicker.
When the ceremony OF distributing the premiums
had come TO a close Charles 2. Daily delivered
the address to the graduates. After aluding to the
surroundings OF the college with Its Old ems and
green sward, which, he said, recalled to his mind
what he had heard OF the Grove OF Academus he
threw out few suggestions to the graduates about
their future course in life First they should on
leaving college not abandon study under the impress
sion that their education completed, but should
md fv
might not only benefit themselves, but add some
thing TO the stock of human knowledge. ''The dis
tinctlOn OF thOSe,n he sad wnO called self made
men arises from the fact that they continue to study
and work, as contradistingushed from those who
think they have acquired all that Is necessary when
they have gained their academic Degrees
Secondly, good habits were better than good prin-
ciples There were many men who were fond OF
airing their consclences by the ample recognition
yet wanted the moral strength or lacked the ability
TO carry out their precepts IN their daily life and
who never troubled themselves with any theoretical
notions upon the subject. Good habits were hard TO
acquire but easily lost, and the graduates should
they had After abiding to Chancellor Kent as a
model OF application and citing many instances Of
the noted Jurisps labors and coming to the conclu-
sion that the methodica workers are generally the
men who live the longest achieve the and pass
the happiest lives the speaker alluded TO what he
considered one OF man y chief aims in life 10 be- II
should be- he thought TO achieve O pecunary indie.
lendence TO be accomplished in the active period Of
ton OF riches which he cannot enjoy himself durind
lie. and which, after his death, are disposed
Of by others his sole aim. Mr.. DAILY then conciudeg
foOws-"No man In this democratic republic
should be willing to live a merely selfish life but
should feel that he wished his country TO be the
better by the fact OF his having lived II is great
satisfaction after we have passed the meridian of
life and dwell more in the memory OF the past than
the expectations OF the future feel that we have
at least lived TO some purpose. And we
can secure that satisfaction IL we make
that our aim when start in life and
strictly adhere TO II. There is no country In the
world where an intelligent, honorable and high
minded man exercise such an influence az In
this, and in our day and generation the field for the
exercise OF these attributes Is widespread and the
want is great Again apologlzing gentlemen, for
giving you 40 much advice, allow me to wish Won
every prosperity in life; TO express the hope that
IL may fulni 10 the utmost the promise OF today and
that you may long retain I'm grateful recollection the
memory OF your alma mdfer.n
At the close OF the address and after the dstribl.
ton OF the premiums the audience dispersed.
Major General Gilmore was present during the
ceremonies.