The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-11
COMMENCEMENT SEASON.
Hampton Sidney Opens ffac Baii---
Location and History of the COZ
lego 49, commencement Exercises
The Gamma skew Society.
From Our Special Reporter.
PRINCE EDWARD, june s, 1869

PRINCE EDWARD, June % iSo''
The season of college comincnccmchtS maS
again rolled around. ana Ola liasilpueh Iio-
.n9v opens the ball, which seems Destined 10
roll on until the Old Dominion becomes,
oven more than she Is at present. the edt-
Gator of the South. May that day be near
NJ hand NAV her institutions continue to
prosper until she fills that place in Dixie
which Athens held in the ancient world.
Ham1dcn Sidney College Is ioca'cd IN
Prince Edward county about sc'ehtS-n!r
miles southwest from Richmond and SIX
south of Farmvllc, with which it has daily
communication by commodious stage.
Built long before tho era OF railroads, inc
progress OF modern science has lett her
little removed from our main roads, hui
still within easy reach OF our commercial
centres. In region noted Tor us health
fIllness. Astounding i'll the necesSiries oil Tue,
and removed from towns, -the headquarters
Of vicc-it offers many advantages 10 inc
student which it would be difficult TO llnd
elsewhere. Commodious buildings, an able
and efficient Faculty, n well-cuned reputa-
ton. and last but not least, the society OF
many beautiful ladies on the Hill, all con-
spire to strew with flowers the rough roads
and steep heights of ParnasSuS. rounded
nearly hundred years ago, built up by inc
labor Of such men ~ John Is. ana St;ulnopc
Smith. and adorned by the midnight tolls OF
many of our ablest and noblcst men, inc
walls Of this Alma Mater are sacred III the
memory of her numerous sons.
The college is under Presbyterian control.
The Presidential chair is nowtthly hled 10y
Rev. Or. j. NJ. 7. Atkinson, worthy sue
ccsSor OF noble predecessors. In the lmmc-
date vicinity of the college is Union Theo-
logical Seminary, which is also under the
control of the PrcSbyterianS. The seminary
commencement was held some weeks since,
but arran ecments have now been made 10
have il in future ut the same time "a the col
legc. During the year JlSt closed ABOUT
eighty students have been in attendance, OF
whom some thirteen are now about to enter
on The dignity of i" shecp-skin bachelor
ship. The history of the college during the
past wear presents but few incidents worthy
of notice 1t has preserved Its reputation
for hard work. and lazy men have found ITS
roads 10 he the toughest. while some have
asccrtaincd to their cost that
There's many slip
'Twixt Fresh Class anda - Dip
There has been a pleasing state Of rcli-
giouS interest, though no regular revival.
4 few weeks since, sudden death invaded
their ranks and one of their number
persisted while swimming in the sight of his
companions. but beyond their assistance.
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.
The weather to-day is all that could he
desired. Neither too warm nor too cool, il
presents that happy medium which is so sell
dom found in times Of public gatherings in
summer. The attendance is large, and re-
markabc for the numbered beautiful female
faces. This evening the Board Of Trustees
held its annual meeting. But little business
of importance was transacted. The follow
ing members were present:
Rev. Or. Atkinson, Rev. DR.. Dabncy, DR..
=. r. Berkeley, r. G. Anderson, Esq, y.
II; n. Nt,i, IL Dor
kin>on, Colonel Henry Stokes, L. Il. Tired
way, Esq. and L. y. Watkins. Esq, of
Prince Edward; W. w. Henry, Esq, and
David Comfort. Esq. of Charlotte Rev.
Dr. Ilogc, of Richmond; A. &. Mcllwai:e
and :. W. Ncnablc, ESqS., of Petersburg;
Captain 4. ID. Irving. of Cumberland; Cap
tain III. ). Reynolds, of Norfolk: Rev. a.
W. Pitzcr, of Washington; and DR.. VIM.
l.. Stamps, Of North Carolina.
Tonight was peculiarly the students
own, and was occupied by the anniversary
celebration Of
THE GAMMA SKEW LITERARY SOCIETY.
This is new institution. which las fallen
heir 10 the honors and duties of the time
honorcd Ugly Club. As the proceedings,
~ the President expressed il, were "too
funny to be held in the church, the college
chapel WAS set apart for the Use of the
"SkcwS,' and was crowded by Il highly ap-
prcciativc audience.
The proceedings consisted Of speeches.
and music by kcSsnicli,s band, from Rich
m"nd. Buddic, - Nothing" - Grccian
Ecud,' and " Money Kin Ride on Mule if
ii Hasn't got Il Tale, were some of the
classical subjects discussed in Il manner
and style corresponding to their gravity
and Importance. a tin scroll was then pre-
scntcd to the "Bc>t Speaker" and the
Nalcdictorian ended the exercises with
burst of tears and grief, which pro-
missed well for the income of his washer
woman.
James P. Blanton, George Nelson, w. W.
johnson, Pat. Gibson, NJ. Haskns, Il.
Green, NJ. II. Calice, and c. II. Bishop,
were the representatives Of the Gamma
skew, and performed their duty well--espe-
cially the two laSt-nancd.
Tomorrow will be devoted to IN Grafton
10y the Hon. Thomas :. Bocock and the an
nual celebration of the Phillnthropic Lite
rary Society. SIDNEY.