The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-14
COMMENCEMENT SEASON.
HAMrpEN SIDNEY CoILEGE-THIEp DAr--lN-
TERESTISG EXERCISES - DEGREES coNfh"-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES STUDENTS.
From Our Special Reporter.

al l.
,,rnaf ;nrnnycuicncc Of every one, but Win
SS,,t I;m;nishiny the attendance II the com
mcnccmcnt exercises. IL
Trhc ,rrrot event of the day was the DC
Evcrv ot graduation orat!ons vine seniors
Ala little after II \. NJ. the church "as
even better filed than before win m l'llci
lcctual and attentive audience. Inc cn"'ci
was neatly decorated with cNcr2'cci's an"
flowers. hut the pleasing effect was some
what diminished by a ladder ana watcI-
huckct. which occupied positions dccidcdl!
moro 1,ro,nincnt than was due 10 lhcIT I'M
nortancc and dignity. The u>herS were y! ne
perfection of civility, and by their untirih2
efforts contributed greatly to the comfort OF
the audience. ,,,.o,.o,.
hy Rev. DIR. Hocc, of Richmond, Ill whlcn
nc alluded in touching manner 10 the III
ness OF Rev. Or. Wilson, the senior probes"
sor of Union Theological Seminary, whose
hair is now whitcncd by the transit oil
lightweight summers. The list OF dlStln-
,IIishcd attachments was then read by the
president, DR.. Atkinson; after which, cl@h'
Of the graduating class delivered oratlollS,
~ follows "Thc Beauty and Dignity OF
Thought" J. V. RIVALS Cereal Eras Pro
ductivc Of Great Mem II. }. Watkins !;
"Thc Influence of False Philosophy, D.
{. Painter: our Age William NJ. AT
kinson: Universal Suffrage IN Abuse OF
Liberty" J. i. Blanton; " The Power OF
Drmocratic PrinciplcS.' j. J. Price !:
Popular Sentiment as Motive I. Nc
Ch,cr: NaIcdictory Address, j. s. LaFcvrc
The merit of the speeches was tar above
the average ON similar occasions, nut was
somewhat married by forgctfulncsS on the
part of one or two speakers, which rendered
4 reference to their manuscripts necessary.
Where all did 50 well it is hard to make any
discrimination between them. but the names
Of McsSrS. Joseph J. Price, of richmond
y. J. Watkins. of Halifax. and ". RyalS,
Of Cumberland. may be mentioned is dc-
serving c>pccia! credit. The raledctorE, by
Mr.. T. = LaFcyrc, was unique, appro-
pirate. and Il jewel Of its kind. Most OF The
speakers we're amply rewarded with flowers
from their female admirers, and all by the
consciousness of a duty well performed.
The long silk gown with which the graduate
is encountered in many of our colleges was
very ScnSiblv omitted here.
After the delivery Of the valcdlctory the
band PLAYED appropriately and beautifully
that grand old tcar-drawlng tune ~ arc
wcll.'
The honorary degrees were next awarded
by the President. The degree Of \. b.
bachelor of Arts was then bestowed on
the graduating cltSS-viz., John j. Allen,
powhatun. Va; William VI. Atkinson,
GonzIlc, county, Texas; J. p. Blanton,
Cumberland county, Va; {. {. Dickinson.
Prncc Edward. Va; Addison lloge, Rich
mond, Va; }. ;. LaFcvrc, Berkeley county,
West Va: James 4. Lyle. farmyillc, Va;
UncaS McClucr, st. Louis, No; ). {.
Painter. Pulaski county, Va. j. j. Price,
Richmond. Va. j. '. RyalS, Cumberland
county, Va. HI. Watkins, Halifax county,
Va.
First honor awarded to J. :. LaFcyrc,
Berkeley county, West Va.
The degree Of \. N. (Ma>tcr of Arts was
not conferred, rs those who would have re-
cciyrd had had their studies broken of by
the war. The degree OF Ii. ID. was con
icrrcd on Professor ;. {. >outhaIl, OF the
University of Virginia, and that Of d. Don
the Rev. Henry {. Alexander, OF Charlotte
Courthouse.
After the exercises al the church were con-
Guided the graduating class assembled, for
the last time, II the Presidents house, and
purtook OF Il hountitul rcpast.
At night, the Union Literary Society held
its annual celebration, and closed the COM
mrnccmcnt exercises. The church was
well filled, and wisdom and cloquencc were
again dcalcd out in liberal doses. As JUS
ticc t. the speeches caunot be done i'll the
space al nay command. no abstract viii j."
here attempted. Suffice il to say that this
evening proved what the previous light haG
made clear, that the era Of cioQucnce did
not pass away withthe days of Dcmosthcnc>
and Cicero.
oration> were delivered by Mcssrs. Viii
liam VI. Atkinson. of Winchester, and \.
Armstrong, of Salem, Of the Junior Glass :;
and the best speakers medal was presented
TO Mr.. j. Y. RyalS, Of Cumberland, through
Mr.. i. :. LaFerrc, Of Berkeley. Nalcdic-
tory hy Mr.. William NJ. Atkinson, OF Texas.
The meeting was presided over by PROBES
sor Blair, Of the College.
Thus was passed one Of the most success
ful and interesting commandments which
llampdcn Sidney has ever had. The class
Of 80 has bid farewell TO its Alma Mater
and entered on its duties i'll the wide, wide
world. May the old College long be spared
to send forth many other such bands of
youth to battle bravcly in the cause OF their
country, truth, and God.
Before closing this report I must present
the following list Of students who have been
distinguished i'll their several classes and
studies:
SENIORS.
EcidenccS Of ChristdWty-J. J. Price,
A, iIogc, III. J. Watkins. l.. McClucr, j. G.
Fainter. William NJ. Atkinson, j. 5. La
Fcvre, J. j. Allen.
Moral PhiloSophy.-A. Hogc, II. J. Wat
klns, j. L. Blanton, j. {. Painter, j. ;. La
Fevre. J. j. Allen, c. c. Dickinson, w. NJ.
Atkinson.
Pohtical Economy-W. NJ. Atkinson, j.
j. j. Atkinson, j. L. Blanton, {. {. Dickln-
son, A. IIo@c, j. :. La fcvrc, L. McClucr,
j. {. Painter, j. \. Lyle, J. }. Price, >. V
RyalS, IL. j. Watkins.
Lo4ic.-J. J. Allen, W. NJ. Atkinson, },
T. Blanton, c. &. Dickinson, y. HoSe, j. >
LaFerrc, II. }. Watkins.
M, Int Il Il
Alien, A. Hogc, j. S. LaFevrc, I. Nc
Clucr, J. V. kyals, Ii. j. Watkins. Final
j. J. Allen, A. Hogc, j. ;. LaFeVrc, j. j.
Price, II. j. Watkins.
Grcek.-A. Hogc, j. s. LaFcyre, q. Nc.
Cluer, Ii. }. Watkins.
Ldtin.-A Hoge, J. ). LaFevrc.
JUNIORS.
Mental and Moral ilosophy-Intcrmc'
date J. y. Armstrong, J. +. Booker, 5
Il. Booker, J. II. Wilson, W. w. Downey,
j. Never, NJ. w. Jones, j. II. Mason.
Final: {. Il. Bishop, j. \. Armstrong, J.
+. Booker, s. Il. Booker, W. ID. White, w
NJ. Atkinson, }. X. Wilson, NJ. w. Jones,
w. II. Read.
Observation-Disclosures c. Il. Bishop,
j. +. Booker, NJ. w. Jones, j. X. Mason,
!. X. Wilson. Final: J. \. Armstrong, c
L. Bishop, }. l.. Booker, ). X. Booker, W
w. Downey, J. Il. Mason, j. X. Wilson.
L0ttn.-J. A. Armstrong, c. Il. Bishop,
J. i. Booker, w. W. Downcy.
Greek.-J. A. Armstrong, c. II. Bishop,
J. E. Booker, s. K. Booker, WV. Downey,
NJ. W. Jones, J. X. Mason, W. W. Read, j
Il. Wilson.
Mathematics. - intermediate {. Il
Bishop, J. L. Booker, W. ID. White, j. \
Armstrong, J. G. McChain, NJ. Young, NJ
W. Jones, j. X. Mason. Final: c. t.
Bishop, j. +. Booker, W. d. White, j. A